Signs of nervous breakdowns in adolescents. I always want to cry: the main reasons, methods of treatment

Question from Tatiana:

My child is a sound specialist. It's just something. She is 15 years old and now she has an acute condition, she cries all the time and does not want to listen to anyone, screaming is harmful. How to deal with her condition?

Victoria Vinnikova, mathematics teacher and Dina Liyasova, doctor answer:

Hello Tatiana! We perfectly understand your condition when a teenage child grieves, sheds tears, and you do not know how to help. Strange, incomprehensible behavior, difficulties with communication, the inability to establish contact - all these are the difficulties of adolescence. How to cope with conditions that are difficult for both parents and adolescents?

The answer is given by Yuri Burlan's System-Vector Psychology, which differentiates people according to their unconscious desires. Groups of these desires are called vectors. A vector is a huge range of development given to a person from birth. First, children, under the supervision of adults, learn to use their properties, and then already in puberty they try their hand on their own, without the help of their parents. Modern children are polymorphic, i.e. their psyche is a complex interweaving of several vectors (from 3 to 5).

Your daughter is going through a period of growing up, hormones play in her body, which also affect her condition. She considers herself already an adult and independent, but still depends on the parental home.

All adolescents experience transition in different ways. Each has its own difficulties, which largely depend on innate vectors. A beloved baby during puberty turns into a little imp. Sometimes she tests the patience of loved ones for strength, often behaves inadequately, as it seems to her parents.

In reality, this is how the power of his unconscious desires manifests itself, which seeks to break out. And now the teenager is throwing tantrums, being rude, criticizing, fencing off from his parents. In general, he behaves as if he does not like his parents. In such situations, it sometimes seems that the teenager is doing everything out of spite in order to annoy the parents even more. But this is not the case. It's just that the child tries to apply his properties, and the first on whom he "trains" are the parents ...

Where did the tears come from?

There can be many reasons for a daughter's tears and tantrums: from the first love disappointment to conflicts with peers or girlfriends, which can be very cruel.

The presence of a visual vector in a child can provoke tears and tantrums literally out of the blue. For such children, an emotional connection with loved ones is important, especially with their mother. And the very first and most important step in establishing a connection is to understand with all your soul what torments the child so. This can be done by mastering systemic thinking: it allows you to look at a long-familiar person with different eyes, to see his true desires and aspirations. Then even the most uncontrollable behavior of the child can be corrected, without irritation and screaming.

In this state, the daughter is very hard and needs support more than ever, and shouting and talking in a raised voice further alienate the teenager from his parents.

Screaming is especially detrimental to adolescents with a sound vector. They very subtly grasp the meanings, and the inability to stay in silence can bring them to the hardest. And in this difficult period, the most important thing is to maintain a trusting relationship with the child, this is the bridge through which the mother is able to help the child go through the period of growing up with the least loss.

Mom's condition is half the battle

Try, very gently and delicately, to convey to her the idea that you love her and want to help. You do not put pressure on her, but simply want to “remove all the stones from the road,” while making it clear that the final choice still remains with her. After all, this is her life, her desires.

We highly recommend that you talk to your daughter more often, just not from the position “I know how to live better”, but as if consulting with her and discussing similar situations from films or stories from the Internet. At the same time, ask the questions: "How do you think the girl felt when this happened to her?", "What did she want to prove by her action?" Thus, you have the opportunity to talk, as if not about herself, but about someone else. And at the same time express those feelings and concerns of adults who are watching the situation.

It is very important here not to get personal and at some point, not to exclaim: “You are the same! I frayed all my nerves! "

In a difficult teenage period, a mother can still influence a child. Yuri Burlan says that the most important thing at this time is to maintain contact between the child and the parents.

At free lectures on systemic vector psychology, Yuri Burlan dwells in great detail on the relationship between parents and children. Many trainees tell how their relationship with children has changed after the training.

Adolescent depression (what your GP needs to know about the disorder)

Adolescence is a stage in life that is accompanied by numerous physical, emotional, psychological and social changes. Unrealistic academic, social, or family expectations can create intense feelings of rejection and lead to deep frustration.

When things go wrong at school or at home, teens may overreact to these changes and stresses. Many young people feel that life is unfair and feel stressed and confused. It's even worse when teenagers are bombarded with conflicting messages from parents, friends and teachers. Today they see all the good and bad that life has to offer on television, in magazines, on the Internet, in school and on the street. When a teen's mood can disrupt social functioning day after day, it may indicate a serious emotional or mental disorder that requires special attention - adolescent depression.

About 11% of adolescents suffer from depressive disorders before the age of 18. Girls are more likely than boys to be depressed. The risk of developing depression increases as the child gets older. According to the World Health Organization, major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability among the population aged 15 to 44 and one of the leading causes of death at that age. It is believed that about 20% of adolescents will experience adolescent depression before reaching adulthood, 10 to 15% of them have persistent symptoms of depression, and 5% suffer from clinically significant depression. 8.3% of adolescents have suffered from depression for at least one year. 20 to 40% of adolescents will have more than one episode within two years, and 70% will have more than one episode before adulthood.

In several European countries, adolescent depression is seen as a serious problem. The course of depression in adolescents is very similar to that in adults, but adolescents and children may experience their emotions more intensely and with stronger external manifestations. Also, they rarely turn to others for help in such states. It is often a problem that many doctors and psychologists have difficulties in identifying symptoms in the early stages.

The effectiveness of the treatment of depression correlates with the time the disorder is diagnosed.

Feeling anxious about an upcoming exam is normal, but feeling anxious or exhausted for months without a specific reason can be a sign of an undiagnosed depression. A small percentage of adolescents suffer from seasonal depression, usually during the winter months at high latitudes.

It is known that young people with depression can show signs that differ from typical symptoms of depression in adults. Children with depression may complain of feeling unwell, refuse to go to school, cling to a parent or guardian, or become overly worried that a parent may die. Older children and adolescents may sulk, get in trouble at school, be negative or nagging, or feel misunderstood.

Recent large-scale clinical studies have determined that a combination of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy is most effective in helping adolescents with depression. To eliminate suicidal attempts in adolescents and children, a complex of specialized psychotherapy is used, which helps to reduce the number of attempts. Difficulties in treating depression in adolescents with comorbid conditions such as substance abuse have been reported. There is a relationship between the effectiveness of treatment and the time it takes to diagnose depression. It also requires strict control over the condition of adolescents in the first days and weeks of taking antidepressants.

Given the chronic nature of depression, the effectiveness of interventions early in life and in the early stages affects the course of the disorder in the future and significantly reduces the risk of disability.

The average duration of an episode of depression in children and adolescents is 7 to 9 months.

During this period, children become sad, they lose interest in the forms of activity that they liked before, they begin to blame themselves for their failures, criticize themselves and begin to feel that others are criticizing them. They have a feeling of rejection, hopelessness, thoughts that it is not worth living, thoughts of suicide. When depressed, adolescents often become irritable, which can often lead to aggression. They lose confidence, problems with concentration, they feel a lack of energy and motivation, which ultimately leads to sleep disturbance. Teenagers may not pay enough attention to their appearance and their own hygiene.

Recent studies have established a link between depression and morphofunctional changes in the brain, some of which may precede the onset of depression. This research helps identify biomarkers and other early indicators that could lead to improved treatment or prevention.

Imaging technology is helping scientists identify specific areas of the brain that are involved in the pathology of depression, and this can improve the effectiveness of treatment and diagnosis of disorders.

Such discoveries will help reduce the rate of suicide, which is rapidly increasing and is one of the leading causes of death among young people. In 2007, it was one of the leading causes of death among young people aged 15-24.

While the term "depression" can describe normal human emotions, it can also refer to mental disorders. Depressive psychosis in adolescents is determined by the long-term preservation of the state of depression and its influence on the ability of the adolescent or child to function normally.

Depression is quite common during adolescence and childhood. About 5% of children and adolescents in the general population suffer from depression. Teens under stress, struggling with loss, or those with a lack of attention from loved ones, learning difficulties, behavior problems, or anxiety disorders are at risk. Adolescent girls are at higher risk of developing depression, as are young people from ethnic minorities. One of the reasons that explains the high prevalence of depression in adolescent girls is that they are more socially oriented, more dependent on positive social attitudes, and more vulnerable to loss in social relationships than boys. This leads to an increase in their vulnerability and interpersonal tensions, which are the same in adolescents.

Adolescents who are depressed often have family problems. In many cases, parents themselves contribute to the development of depressive conditions in children and adolescents.

Over the past decades, the prevalence of depression has increased, and now they are diagnosed at an earlier age. There is a link between an increase in the number of depression in children and adolescents and an increase in the number of suicides.

It should be borne in mind that the behavior of adolescents and children during depression may differ from the behavior of adults with depression. Psychotic traits in adolescents differ from those in adults, they are not so often manifested. Auditory hallucinations are more common in adolescents. Delirium is more common in adults. Children and adolescents in a state of depression are more likely to have fears of separation or unwillingness to meet people and somatic symptoms like general pain, abdominal pain, headaches. Pessimistic thinking is not typical for children under 5 years old, because it is formed only after the specified age and can serve as one of the reasons for the low number of depression and suicides in children.

Dysthymia is often the first symptom of depression. The sign may be that the child or adolescent is depressed for most of the day or for many days and the symptoms persist for several years. The average duration of dysthymia in children and adolescents is about 4 years.

Sometimes children are depressed for so long that they interpret their condition as normal and, thus, cannot complain about changes in their mood.

Differentiating from bipolar disorder is very important, as a depressive episode is often the first manifestation of bipolar disorder. And the first signs of a manic episode can come after a considerable period of time.

Often, in children and adolescents with comorbid mental disorders, such as behavioral disorders or substance abuse problems, the symptoms of depression are mitigated or take on new traits.

Some of the main symptoms of depression, such as changes in appetite and sleep, are associated with hypothalamic function. The hypothalamus is closely related to the function of the pituitary gland. Pituitary function abnormalities such as increased circulating cortisol concentration and hypo- or hyperthyroidism are well-known features of depression in adults.

However, much less research has been done in this area in children and adolescents.

In adults, dysregulation of the serotonergic system can affect them, make their impulsive actions more intense and provoke extreme actions, attempts at suicide. However, the link between impaired serotonin metabolism and suicidal behavior in children and adolescents is still poorly understood.

The most common symptoms of adolescent depression have no direct counterparts to those of classic depression, but there are some similarities.

Adolescents who have frequent bouts of sadness, crying, or tearfulness are often prone to depressive disorders. Teens may show their sadness by wearing black clothes, writing poetry about their painful experiences, or being overwhelmed by music that carries nihilistic themes. They may cry for no apparent reason.

Adolescents may feel that life does not matter or that it takes an effort to do so, even to maintain their own hygiene or their usual appearance. They may believe that a negative or traumatic situation will never change and see their future in a pessimistic light.

Children and adolescents can often have decreased or lost interest in activities or develop an inability to enjoy previously loved activities. Teens can become lethargic and often stop attending the clubs, sports, and recreational activities they previously enjoyed.

Boredom and reduced vitality, lack of motivation to attend classes, or frequent absences from school are common. In the middle grades, depression can manifest itself as a deterioration in concentration or a slowdown in thought processes.

Children may feel guilty or have low self-esteem due to negative events or circumstances. They may have a negative opinion of their competence and lack self-esteem, they may feel like failures. Teenagers may feel that they are "not good enough."

Many teenagers become sensitive to their own failure and rejection. Children who are depressed, believing that they are not worthy of anyone or anything, become even more depressed with each rejection or lack of success.

Increased irritability, anger, or hostility can often be observed on the part of a teenager with a depressive disorder. Depressive persons vent their irritability for the most part on their family, they can attack others, if they are criticized, insulted. In a state of depression, the belief is often formed that you need to be the first to abandon your family before your family rejects you. Difficulties arise in relationships, adolescents cannot communicate as they used to, or they cease to maintain friendships.

Children stop going to meetings with their friends and call them.

Depressed teens may have frequent complaints of physical illnesses such as headaches and stomach pains. They may complain of lightheadedness or dizziness, nausea, and back pain. Other common complaints include headaches, abdominal pain, vomiting and menstrual irregularities in girls.

Frequent absenteeism and poor school performance are also common. Teenagers and children who have problems within the family or within the walls of the school may actually be in a state of depression, but they do not know about it and do not understand what is happening to them. Because a child may not always appear sad, parents and teachers cannot understand that behavioral problems are a consequence of depression.

Some teenagers may have trouble concentrating. Problems may appear when concentrating while preparing school assignments, during a conversation, or even while watching TV or playing computer games.

Changes in diet, sleep patterns, and wakefulness may also occur. Sleep disturbances can manifest themselves in both watching television programs all night long and having difficulty waking up and being late for school. The child may be drowsy all day long. Eating disorders can manifest as loss of appetite, anorexia, or bulimia. Increased appetite and increased food intake can lead to weight gain and obesity.

Individuals with early symptoms of depression may attempt to escape from home or have conversations about leaving home. Flight in this context should be seen as a cry for help. This can be the first step for parents to understand that their child has problems and needs help.

Thoughts or conversations about suicide, attempts to commit suicide also indicate depression in the teenager. Children with depression may say they want to be dead or talk about suicide. People who are in a state of depression are at increased risk of committing suicide. If a child or adolescent says “I want to commit suicide” or “I am going to commit suicide,” then such statements should always be taken seriously and insist on consulting a psychologist or psychiatrist and assessing the condition of the child or adolescent. People often feel uncomfortable talking about death. However, talking about such topics can be helpful when depressed or when dealing with suicide. It is very important that a specialist who has experience in such situations speaks about such topics, because such conversations can "put thoughts in the head of a teenager" or give the child an opportunity to talk about their problems.

To improve their own health, adolescents who are depressed may begin to abuse alcohol or drugs.

Children who find it difficult to talk about their feelings and experiences can show their emotional experiences, internal stress, physical discomfort in the form of physical self-harm, for example, they can cut their bodies.

Timely and early detection of the symptoms of a depressive disorder influences the outcome of the course of the disorder and reduces the risk of its protracted course.

With adequate assistance, the risk of suicidal attempts is reduced significantly and the prognosis for later life improves.

A more detailed study of this problem will allow in the future to introduce screening techniques, to improve the quality of detection of the initial symptoms in the early stages of the disorder.

Quite promising is the study of changes in the regulation of the serotonergic system of streets suffering from depressive disorders.

Baby crying. Tears. Bitter sobs. Moreover, in a seemingly empty place, as a maximum - a real punishment for parents, at least - a test. Parental Competence Test.

How do parents react if a child likes to cry over trifles? Based on my own observations and monitoring of parental forums, I conclude that there were not so many ways. Another thing is that in most cases the method of how to wean a child from crying for any reason was chosen by the parents intuitively or taken from the arsenal of old grandfather's methods. And there would be nothing wrong with this, if the main task was not an attempt to find the "shutdown button" of children's crying, but the desire to understand the real reason for, at first glance, unreasonable tears.

Why look for a reason, the main thing is not to cry

In the piggy bank of parenting methods of upbringing, how to wean a child from crying for any reason, we find: ignoring tears, conducting serious conversations on the topic "crying is stupid", we give positive examples, if a boy is crying, then we appeal to the fact that "real men do not cry ”, We visit a neurologist and arm ourselves with means to calm the nervous system.

Threats and manipulations like: “You won’t stop crying, I’ll leave you here”, “Stop crying, otherwise I won’t buy you a chocolate bar”, switching the child's attention: "Look what elephants are", as well as direct physical violence, punishment complement the picture of the measures of influence of educators to solve the difficult problem of how to wean a child from crying for any reason.

Most often, parents achieve their goal: the baby stops crying, however, the cost of resolving the issue remains behind the scenes. However, not for long. We will certainly reap the deplorable fruits of our upbringing mistakes, even if we do not know what was the root cause of the child's negative life scenario.

As you know, ignorance does not free us from the consequences of not knowing. When we are not aware of what we are doing, we do not see the inner distinctive features of the child, then we cannot predict how our methods of upbringing will work on him, how they will affect his psyche. System-vector psychology bridges the gaps in parental knowledge.

A trifle or not a trifle?

Let's start with the basics: all children are different not only in appearance, but also differ in the internal properties of the psyche. What is not important for one person may turn out to be the meaning of life for another person. Life values, type of thinking, behavior of a native child can be radically different from our own. So, for example, the ordinary loss of an old toy by some parents is perceived as a trifle, tears over which are at least a waste of time. For a child, say, endowed with a visual vector, the loss of a toy is a real tragedy.

From memories

I had a favorite plush hare in my childhood, and somehow I did not find it in its place. Either the brother played unsuccessfully and covered up his tracks, throwing the bunny into the garbage chute, or the neighbors' children came to visit, only after a long search the toy was not found. My bunny Vasya is gone.

- A-a-a,- I cried.

Parents came to the screams.

- Just think, lost a toy - what a trifle, we will buy a new one.

- I don't want a new one, I want Vasya!

The parents did not understand what was going on in my soul, the girl with a visual vector. It was not just a toy, old and shabby, it was my friend to whom I told my stories, whom I took care of, whom I loved. My parents' persuasion did not work for me. If the words do not reach the daughter, then let her sit in the room alone, think, Mom decided.

- As you stop crying, so you can go out, she said.

I sat for a long time, crying not only from the loss of Vasya, but also from resentment. It's good that my grandmother came to visit, she took pity on me, sympathized with my grief, and gave the order to my parents:

- He's crying, so let him cry. Don't punish her for crying.

Mom began to complain:

- So how not to punish? He does not understand words, for any reason and for no reason cries. I have no strength to watch.

- Grows up - stops.

Vulnerable, sensitive children

Proofreader: Olga Lubova

Adolescence is one of the most emotional years when a student leaves childhood, but does not always know what it means to be an adult. It was at this time that he was subject to various influences, contradictions, often disappointed in life situations, friends, people. If things go wrong at school, there is no support at home, then the teenager develops depression. What to do when it appears, how to recognize in time and carry out the necessary treatment, will be discussed in this article.

Depression: Definitions

Depression is characterized by a decline in strength, indifference to public life, refusal to carry out important tasks and assignments. This is considered a disease that must be treated. Quite often, a person cannot get out of depression on his own, so he needs outside help.

Like any disease, depression has its own symptoms and causes. Adolescents, like adults, are prone to depression, which often becomes a factor in psychological disability or mortality. Therefore, it is so important to recognize this disease in order to help in time and return the joy of life to the student.

Causes of teenage depression

A depressive state usually does not arise from scratch, it can have both objective and subjective factors. The main causes of depression in adolescents are as follows:

1. Hormonal changes in the body of children. During this period, they change quite physically, the ongoing chemical processes can cause mood swings, anxiety, anxiety.
2. Failure in school life. Failure, rejection by classmates, "attacks" by teachers, increase emotional instability, make the teenager unhappy.
3. Social status. If a child is not respected among peers, friends constantly make fun of him, do not value his opinion, then such an attitude suppresses the student, makes him lonely.
4. Unhappy first love... Adolescents react very sharply to feelings that have arisen, which most often remain unanswered, so children have a critical attitude towards their appearance and body. They cease to respect themselves, believe that there is nothing to love them for, as a result, such an attitude leads to despair and depression.
5. High demands from parents. An overstated bar, unbearable for a student, causes him a feeling of uncertainty, fear of punishment for an unattained result, fear of even greater demands.
6. Family trouble. Family relationships play an important role in the emotional state of the child. The development of depression in adolescents may be associated with the indifferent attitude of parents who are not interested in the life of a schoolchild, do not support him, and are not happy with the child's achievements.

Depressive symptoms

Any disease has its own characteristics by which it can be recognized. Depression is manifested by the following symptoms:

• constant apathetic state;
• the appearance of various pains (head, stomach, back);
• a persistent feeling of fatigue, loss of strength;
• the student cannot concentrate on completing a certain task, becomes forgetful;
• sadness, anxiety, excessive anxiety appear;
• irresponsible or rebellious behavior - a teenager skips school, does not do homework, spends time on the street until late;
• sleeplessness at night, sleepiness during the day;
• a sharp decline in school performance;
• avoidance of peers, ignorance of various activities;
• lack of motivation to perform any duties;
• eating disorders - the student either refuses or abuses food;
• excessive agitation, frequent outbursts of anger, irritability;
• obsession with death, the afterlife.

In general, signs of depression in adolescents cause changes in their behavior and mood. Schoolchildren become withdrawn most spend time in their room, do not communicate with other people. They lose interest and motivation in previously favorite activities, become gloomy and hostile.

Age characteristics

Growing up, children change not only externally, but also internally, they look at the world differently, see and understand new relationships for themselves, relationships between people. Therefore, it is at this time that they are prone to a depressive state.

The most peak period for the onset of depression in adolescents is considered to be the age from 13 to 19 years. At this time, schoolchildren are exposed to stress, they have an unstable and heightened emotionality, the world around them is perceived through a magnifying glass, all problems seem insoluble.

Severe and moderate forms of the disease are rarely found at the age of 15 years, but this does not mean that one should not pay attention to the child's depression, since the mild stage can quickly turn into a more severe one.

Children 10 - 12 years old mainly show symptoms such as a general deterioration in health, digestion and nutrition are disturbed. In addition, the behavior of schoolchildren changes, they become more withdrawn, lonely, may complain of boredom, and lose interest in their previous activities.

Adolescents 12-14 years old hide their depressive state, however, it manifests itself through mental and motor retardation. Children cannot clearly formulate their thoughts, difficulties arise in the communication process. Symptoms of depression in adolescents also appear, such as academic failure, discipline, anger, spending more time on the street. Schoolchildren are in constant tension and fear that they will be scolded, lectured to them, humiliated.

The most problematic depressive states occur at the age of 14-19, - the age when schoolchildren face difficulties in choosing a further path, passing exams. In addition, they tend to think about the meaning of life, which they cannot yet understand and find, such thoughts acquire a self-contained character. During this period, symptoms of depression in adolescents such as insomnia, impaired appetite, irritability, fear of decision-making, anxiety, and others may be most acute.

Types of depression

Depending on the behavioral characteristics, manifested signs, the following conditions can be distinguished:

• Zombie- the adolescent's obsession with a certain occupation, which is not of any benefit, but is absolutely sterile. A striking example is spending time on social networks, constantly updating the page in anticipation of a new event. The child turns into a "zombie" feeding on meaningless information.
• Mystery- the student does not show any signs of the disease, but he changes dramatically in a short period of time. Transformations can affect appearance, habits, worldview.
• Victim- depression in children and adolescents often takes the form of a victim, when they, feeling their worthlessness or inferiority, easily succumb to the influence of a more successful, from their point of view, person, under whose influence the depressive state only intensifies.
• Screen- schoolchildren hide true feelings, fears, pain behind visible success. This form of the disease can lead to the fact that the child will constantly strive for success, but this will not bring satisfaction.
• Problem- adolescents do not feel a taste for life, everything is boring and uninteresting to them, they can always be in. At the same time, they study well, do not lead an asocial lifestyle, however, such children do not have spiritual harmony either.
• Rebel- this type of depression speaks of its prolonged form. The student does not value life, it annoys him, while he is practically not susceptible to suicidal behavior, since he loves his Ego too much and protects it.

Depression in boys and girls: gender differences

Depressed adolescents, unable to withstand it, often try to find some way out that will help alleviate suffering and numb the pain. At the same time, the answer to the question of how to get out of depression, a teenager sees a boy in rebellious and asocial behavior, and a girl in isolation or in causing even more suffering.

Boys most often get in touch with bad company, try all kinds of drugs, alcohol, closing in this way not only from personal problems, but also from the world as a whole, from its injustice and misunderstanding. In this state, the child feels absolutely happy. There are no responsibilities, no teachers, no overly caring parents.

Depression in a teenage girl has slightly different manifestations. She withdraws into herself, closes herself off from external influences in her inner world, becomes unsociable, closed, lonely. Often, this behavior is associated with low self-esteem, when the girl does not know what to respect herself for, what is her attractiveness, while she tries to drown out the pain through promiscuous sexual intercourse. Most often, such an underestimation of oneself as a person, of one's capabilities comes from the family, when the child was little told about how wonderful and good she is. Indeed, in relation to a girl, there is never much love, it will not spoil her, will not make her a prude.

However, such exits from this state only worsen the situation: after the end of the drug or sexual intercourse, the pain becomes even stronger, self-esteem drops to zero. Therefore, it is important to start fighting depression in adolescents in time to avoid voluntary withdrawal from life.

Depression treatment

If the above symptoms are found, it is necessary to consult with a doctor so that he determines the correct treatment, which can be medication or be of an advisory nature.

Of the medicines, various sedatives are usually prescribed, which do not have a detrimental effect on the child's body as a whole, do not lead to drowsiness and renunciation. Any drugs must be taken strictly as prescribed by a doctor in order to avoid various unpleasant consequences.

However, most often it is enough to conduct a course of psychological counseling, where treatment of depression in adolescents is carried out through the search for the causes of the onset of the disease, learning to recognize negative thoughts and the ability to cope with them. Such consultations are carried out both separately with the child and with the whole family if the causes of the disease are difficult relationships with relatives.

Parental help for a teenager

The main role in the prevention of a depressive state in children is assigned to their parents, whose behavior and attitude will help either not to know this ailment at all, or to easily cope with it. To protect a teenager from depression, parents need to choose the following parenting tactics:

• It is not recommended to constantly punish or humiliate a child, otherwise he will grow up insecure, squeezed, and will consider himself useless.
• You should not overly patronize children, make decisions for them, which provokes adolescent depression, the symptoms of which are manifested in the inability to make a choice, to be independent.
• You cannot pinch a child, limit his freedom, he must feel his independence, but at the same time know that his parents are always there.
• Allowing yourself to choose a creative circle, sports section, friends, you should not impose your unfulfilled dreams on a teenager.
• It is necessary to talk with the child, it is best to do this through joint activities. Here it is recommended to choose what both the teenager and the parents like to do: it can be family skiing trips, ice skating, creating an interesting craft, reading books and much more.
• If a child shares his difficulties, it is important to listen to him, in no case should you make fun of the problem, even a trifling one. Better to discuss everything and find a solution.
• Constant moralizing can also cause depression in adolescents, so it is recommended to teach by deeds, not words, you need to be an example for your child.

Signs of suicidal behavior

Teenage depression can take on a rather dangerous form - voluntary withdrawal from life. All the problems that schoolchildren have are considered insoluble and insurmountable, causing unbearable pain. Among them, the most popular: school failure, unrequited love, family problems, constant failures in various matters. Teenagers, unable to withstand such emotional stress, take an extreme step - suicide, which solves all difficult issues at once.

Among the main signs of this behavior are the following:

• lack of faith in a good and joyful future, the child loses all hope;
• an indifferent attitude towards oneself, depression in adolescence manifests itself through phrases such as "nobody needs me, nobody cares about me";
• the student stops doing what he loves, loses interest in learning;
• often starts talking about death or even threatens to kill himself.

If a teenager manifests at least one of the above signs, then this cannot be ignored, it is necessary to talk to the child or go with him for a consultation with a psychologist.

Underestimating and overestimating the situation

A depressive state is not always easy and simple to recognize, but you do not need to go to extremes, which consist in underestimating or, conversely, in overestimating what is happening.

All adolescents are exposed to psychological stress, this is a normal process that has the same symptoms as depression. However, it is shorter, the child does not close in himself, easily makes contact. In this case, there is no need to overestimate the situation and take the student to the doctor, a confidential conversation at home is enough. Here parents can tell about themselves, how they experienced certain problems at this age.

At the same time, children who really need help are left unattended, parents let the problem take its course, and adolescents do not notice signs of depression. There is an underestimation of the situation, the child is left alone with his problems, which is fraught with suicide.

Therefore, it is important to correctly recognize the former and the latter, to provide them with support and, if necessary, treatment.

Thus, a depressive state is quite common among adolescents, which is explained by their internal and external changes, when children are not ready to accept the new rules that adult life dictates, cannot understand the established relationships between people, and find their place in society. The development of depression in adolescents is dangerous for their mental health and life, since not provided in time help, parental or medical, can provoke suicide as the only way out of this situation.

Hello! What you are describing is typical behavior of a child during adolescence. The fact is that their changes are so global that they can behave this way. Mood swings are typical for teenagers, that's right, they either cry or laugh. And it scares them very much. Sensitivity appears, it seems to them that they are not heard or understood. In addition, they do not know how to express their emotions, that is, they can get angry and not realize it. To be offended - and not understand that they are offended.

All this happens due to the jump of hormones in one direction, then in the other. Colossal physiological and mental changes are taking place. At the very beginning of adolescence, children are usually very aggressive, then the merry-go-round begins - then you are angry with the teenager, that is, he causes anger with his behavior, then she is at you. Thus, at this time, the so-called separation from mom and dad takes place. What is the task of this age is to understand who she is in herself.

In addition, the child may start criticizing you. Question everything, whatever you say.

What will help here? Understanding and acceptance. Don't laugh at her problems. Yes, from the outside it may seem that they are not worth a damn, but for a child this is a TRAGEDY. Not less. Just imagine that the problem the girl is describing is a tragedy, and then it will be easier for you to speak her language. If she ever heard from you: This is nonsense! What is love at your age ?! Are you really upset because of this? ... Consider that trust in you is lost and needs to be restored.

Help express feelings. For example, "I see that you are angry, did something happen?", "You are clearly upset, I really want to help you, what happened?"

Leave your child alone with your feelings sometimes. Especially if the aggression has become obvious and hurts your dignity. Just say: "I see that you are very angry, let's talk another time. I will always be glad to hear from you."

Praise your appearance, this is extremely important in adolescence. Find pluses in appearance that are very difficult to argue with. And if you hear that she is not happy with something, think about how to turn it into a plus.

According to her behavior, it can be assumed that your girl has some kind of problems with her friends. Perhaps they quarreled. All this you can find out and support her.

Unfortunately, if you go on about your emotions, then there will be nothing but scandals. And the child will be sure that they do not love him, do not understand and do not want to understand.

A difficult period, but the parent also needs to be mentally prepared that his child is no longer a child at all ... But not yet an adult. Here is such a transitional state.