A few stages in our life are particularly hard. They bring about new changes in all possible areas: our body changes, our way of life changes, our priorities, our ideas and our minds are changing. One of these potentially problematic stages is our adolescence. It is the period in which we transform from children to adults, we learn the most and we decide what and who we are going to be. It is sometimes challenging and sometimes dramatic to be a teen. But it can also be great and maybe even weird considering all the new experiences through which you will have to go through. But for when things get rough, this is a compassionate guide for what to do when dealing with adolescent depression.

1.      Figure out if you are dealing with adolescent depression. Consider the symptoms and how long the teen in question has experienced them. The transition from youngster to adult is rockier for some than for others. But some signs are generally true. In that period of your life you are going through mood swings, you are inadvertently going through a whole restructuring of your lifestyle which is stressful and exhausting. So make sure you identify the symptoms correctly: if their general mood is constantly low, if they feel the need for isolation and have a grouchy attitude, if they have low self respect and tend to cry than chances are you are indeed dealing with a depressed teenager. 

2.      Take the matter seriously. Leaving the depression untreated can lead to dangerous results. Some adolescents may start expressing their sense of inner riot in a wholly toxic manner: they might start drinking or taking drugs. They might also manifest violent tendencies or suicidal thoughts. These are the worst case scenarios but you must be attentive when dealing with adolescent depression as there is a tendency towards deviant behavior.

3.      Speak to your physician and get a recommendation for a specialist if. Maybe that isn’t the case, but a consult wouldn’t hurt. Not all cases are as serious to actually require medical assistance or therapy for that matter. But if the teen needs to talk to somebody from outside his family and his circle of friends, a therapist who specializes in teen issues would be ideal. Also, the teen should not see his sessions as a stigma for it does not mean that he is sick or abnormal. Make sure you explain this in full, explain it like it’s something that could help him gain some perspective from an objective source. 

4.      Be understanding and supportive. This is the most crucial aspect when dealing with adolescent depression and for me it’s also the most important. Be as flexible and as patient as you can. Don’t ask intrusive questions, but instead support his initiatives and don’t put him down in any way. If anything, he needs your constant reassurance, your vitality and your trust.

5.      Do not preach, appear judging in any way and refrain from imposing interdictions. When dealing with adolescent depression, judging might cause the teen to retreat and to be afraid to share his emotions. So take it easy and treat him like he’s already grown up. Don’t tell him what to do or what he should have done and accept him like he is, even when he makes mistakes you should advise but not impose.

6.      Be positive and try to encourage the feeling of openness. Especially when it comes to socializing, subtly suggest to the teen that it’s a good idea to get out and spend some leisure time with his friends. If he won’t talk to you about what his problems are and about what is really going on in his mind, there are far better chances of him talking about them with his close friends. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should stop being a parent or a guardian and close your eyes completely to the type of friends he is having. If you see someone who looks like a potentially harmful figure, you must do something about it.

7.      Pills aren’t the best way to go about it. If you can avoid them, you must do so at all costs. When dealing with adolescent depression, you must be very careful as one wrong step could influence your teen for the worse. With pills this is especially worth taking in consideration. Let’s say you have visited your family doctor and he has recommended a specialist. It’s better actually to consult a person who is reluctant to administrate pills as they can really disconnect your teen from reality and turn him into a numb vegetable. So if he says they are completely and utterly necessary then you should agree to the treatment, but otherwise just keep it as a last resort.

As a conclusion, please keep in mind that dealing with adolescent depression is a very delicate issue. However, with your support he can succeed in overcoming his low phase admirably. It’s up to you to select the appropriate way for reaching him and search for a specialist if things get worse.

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