Symptoms of Depression in Children You Should Be Recognized
Depression generally occurs in adults who experience stress or excessive mental stress. But who would have thought, if depression in children could happen?
During their development, children do tend to have moods that are easy to change or are called by terms moody-an. At one point in time they may seem sad and upset, and then soon they will be fine.
If your child seems consistently sad or discouraged that it is affecting his activities, then he is likely experiencing childhood depression. Childhood depression is a serious mental health condition in children that must be treated promptly with medical treatment.
What is the difference between stress and depression in children?
Stress and depression are common conditions that often occur and can occur at any age. However, many people think that stress and depression are the same thing. In fact, these two things are different.
Stress is usually caused by a lot of pressure from outside and within a person. Stress can arise in certain situations, for example when a child is sleep deprived, due to parenting styles, pressure from associations and so on. As with adults, stress in children can make them even more excited to face challenges, but on the other hand, stress can actually discourage them. If your little one experiences stress that has gone beyond normal limits, they will be prone to experiencing depression.
Meanwhile, depression is a mental illness characterized by disorders mood which affects how they feel, think and behave, which can lead to your child having a variety of emotional and physical problems. A depressed person will exhaust his energy due to prolonged sadness and feel unable to see pleasures as before. That’s why, their energy will be used up against themselves. In some cases, depression appears without being preceded by stress.
What are the symptoms of depression in children?
Symptoms of depression in children can vary so that everyone does not always have the same symptoms. This depends on the child and the disorder mood-his. Often times, depression in children goes undiagnosed and untreated because they are not aware of the symptoms it causes. Here are some common symptoms of depression in children, such as:
- Irritable and even prone to tantrums.
- Often feel sad and empty because they think that their life is meaningless.
- Appetite increases from trying to calm down or lacks appetite because all food tastes bad.
- Experiencing sleep disorders such as lack of sleep or sleeping too much that occurs every day.
- Difficulty concentrating, which causes a drastic decline in performance at school.
- Losing interest and interest in activities he normally likes.
- There are physical complaints such as stomach pain or headaches.
- Difficulty interacting with other people so that they withdraw from the social environment.
- Being attracted to an unusual death is like committing suicide.
- Throwing away his favorite things, and often telling me that other people are better off without them.
- Experiencing extreme anxiety accompanied by frequent repetitive behaviors and likes to pacing excessively.
- Looks limp and lackluster because you lose a lot of energy from crying.
- Making critical and cynical comments to themselves because of experiencing excessive pessimism, hopelessness and uselessness.
It is important to know, the symptoms of depression in children actually vary. Some children who experience depression can still blend in with their social environment. However, most children who experience depression will experience very striking changes in social activity.
How to deal with depression in children?
If your child has depressive symptoms that have lasted at least two weeks, you should schedule a visit to the doctor right away. This is done to ensure the mental health of your little one.
There is no specific test – medical or psychological – that can clearly show depression in a child. But tools such as questionnaires (for both the child and the parent) and a careful and careful interview by a psychiatrist can help make an accurate diagnosis.
Basically, if your little one is really depressed, the treatment will be similar to depression in adults. They will be given psychotherapy (counseling) and medication. The best studies to date show that a combination of psychotherapy and medication is the most effective method of treating depression in children.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.