Teen Depression And How The Family Can Help

Teen depression is not just mood swings and transient melancholy. While mood swings are fairly common in adolescents, parents and elder siblings should be conscious that a confluence of factors may lead to severe depression which may cause the teen to take his or her life.

According to experts, reasons for teen depression may vary from adolescent to adolescent. These are :

* Death of a loved one, parent's divorce, or breaking up with a girlfriend or boyfriend.

* Traumatic experience such as physical or sexual abuse.

* Stress, especially if the teenager lacks emotional support

* Hormonal changes that occur during puberty which may cause unexpected emotions.

* Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism which may cause hormonal imbalance.

* Substance abuse which can cause changes in brain chemistry.

* Nutritional deficiences .

What can parents do to help prevent their teenage children from committing suicide? According to Dr. Asuncion Reloza, each family member must be willing to listen to the disturbed teen. Listening is the most important thing a parent can do to break down what is at the heart of the adolescent problem. Parents must :

* Listen when their children talk

* Listen to their music.

* Spend more time with them and be involved in their activities

* Take them to movies and concerts, and discuss them afterward

* Know their friends, and listen to them as well

* Not lecture or offer unsolicited advice or ultimatums

* Not try to talk them out of their feelings or solve their problems ; just acknowledge the pain and sadness they are feeling

* Not compare their teen's feelings, reactions or experiences to their own or to someone else's