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According to a WHO report on new global health estimates on depression for 2015, it was noted that above five crore Indians suffer from depression and the country has become the major contributor to global suicides. The report titled Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders-Global Health Estimates said that over two-thirds of global suicides were in low and middle-income countries. While we talk so much about depression we should keep in mind that this condition is not restricted to adults and the elderly, even young children and teenagers suffer from the same. Here are seven expert tips to handle depression in children.
Teenage depression is quite common these days and India being a suicide hub the rising numbers of teen sufferers is quite alarming, says Dr Bhavi Mody from Health and Wellness with Dr Bhavi Mody, Mumbai. These days we hear a lot of youngsters in their teens and mid-twenties committing suicide. It is possible that youngsters who commit suicide might have been suffering from depression silently for long, before taking this gruesome step. As parents, peers we should be vigilant, so we can help the sufferer who is silent about the condition. In the case of teens or even young children they will always give out subtle signs of their condition before they take the ultimate step of claiming their life, says Dr Mody.
The first step in helping your teen fight depression is to know the signs and reach out to help. Here Dr Mody lists out the signs of teenage depression that every parent should beware of. Check if your rebellious teen is suffering from any of these. Here goes the list:
1. Disinterest in any of her favourite activity
This is the first subtle sign that teens give out. Lack of interest in any of her favourite activity is like the first red flag.
2. Disturbed sleeping pattern
Too much sleep or too less sleep both could be a sign of depression in teens. The other factor that a parent should notice along with altered sleeping patterns is that if the child can cope with his daily activities. If too much sleep or lack of it is making it difficult for him to manage him well throughout the day, it could indicate depression. Here are eight modern day signs of depression we should know about.
3. Lack of social interactions
It is one thing if your child is introvert, however, if your child has always been friendly, jovial and an extrovert kid and started to retract into a shell of late, chances are it could be a sign of depression that your child is suffering from.
4. Talks revolving around suicides
A healthy and stable kid will not talk about suicides. But if your kid becomes too inquisitive about suicides, starts an online search on the subject, reads articles that repost about suicide, you should not sleep over it. Get talking to your child about the reason behind this kind of search. If you fail to yield any constructive reasoning from your kid despite your conversations, seek expert help asap. Here are 12 signs that your child is suicidal.
5. Change in food habits
Most of the times food habits got a lot to do with your psychological status. The same is true for teenagers, also. So if your child is eating too much or too less, it should start to bother you. Change in appetite without any underlying reason for the same could be indicative that the mind and body have gone out of sync for some reasons.
6. Falling grades
Coping with studies while challenges in academics are just increasing is one side of the story, but if the child starts to fail in grades coupled with altered sleeping and food patterns, it might not be a matter related to one s intellectual quotient anymore. This could indicate a deep-rooted psychological problem with under tones of depression.
7. Oversensitivity
With teens who suffer from depression often there is an overwhelming feeling of sensitivity that they have to counter. This oversensitivity often comes out as statements while they converse with parents who might have tones like, You don t love me anymore, You don t have time for me, You don t listen to me. When this happens beware, this is a SOS call.
8. Mood swings
Irritability, sadness, hyperactivity, loneliness, extreme happiness is some of the emotions your child will be yo-yo with when reeling under depression silently.
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