Depression and Anxiety in Children and Adolescents

Depression and anxiety are associated mental disorders, most often coexisting, with or without the same intensity. Simply put, anxiety is best described as a state that develops as a result of a belief that things can get worse and that life will get worse, and depression is from a belief that nothing can go well for a better life. more meaningful, more tolerable.

Children and depression

Can a child suffer from depression? Yes. Most of the time, as adults and especially as parents, it is difficult for us to conceive and accept that a child may experience true depressive distress. Childhood depression differs from normal sadness and everyday emotions that occur as a child develops and grows.

When a child seems sad, it does not necessarily mean that he is in a significant depression. However, when sadness becomes disturbing enough to interfere with normal social activities, interests, school, family life, this can be an indicator of depression.

It is important to note, however, that although depression is a serious condition, it can be treated effectively, especially if it is identified by specialists as close as possible to the onset. The diversity of the symptoms of depressive symptoms in children and the differences between those of adulthood frequently mask the child's suffering. The clinical expression of depression in children varies depending on the age and cognitive-affective maturation of the child.

Many adults consider childhood as a time when, being irresponsible, is at the same time carefree. However, anxiety is the most common problem of children of all ages regardless of gender, social status, or level of intelligence. Although anxiety disorders are so common in reality, these are not the problems for which children most often go to a specialist, primarily receiving attention to issues of aggression, attention, eating, or suicide.

Why do they still deserve our attention? Because anxiety is a sign of real personal suffering and can seriously interfere with children's lives, reducing their school performance, affecting their friendships and relationships with the whole family. In addition, anxious children have an increased risk of becoming anxious adults - in adulthood, anxiety interferes with work, relationships, and overall satisfaction and increases the risk of drug use and alcohol abuse, depression, suicide, or medical problems.

How do I know if my child is suffering from depression and/or anxiety?

Sadness and moral pain, although rarely expressed directly by the child, are the effects; Other secondary symptoms, such as cognitive inhibition and agitation, often motivate parents to seek help with their child's condition. The primary symptoms of depression are usually related to sadness, feelings of despair, and sudden oscillations/changes in mood.

Because the symptoms of depression in children can vary significantly, they can go unnoticed or misinterpreted; the emotional and psychological oscillations that come with growing up and puberty sometimes mask what is depression. Children may complain that they feel unwell, may refuse to go to school, may suddenly become very dependent on a parent or adult who is caring for them, maybe be overly concerned about the danger of death. the parents.

Older children or adolescents may be sad, isolated, or have problems at school, being either very negative or non-participatory, and often feeling misunderstood.

Regarding anxiety, there are three probable ways in which the child will feel the effects of anxiety: at the level of mental processes or thoughts, having thoughts centered on a certain type of danger or threat. For example, they may be worried that they will be hurt, that someone dear to them will be hurt, or that they will be laughed at.

Secondly, anxiety is felt physically in the body, under the impact of anxiety the body becomes tenser or activated. Because of this, children may experience vomiting, headaches, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue. Third, anxiety affects the behavior of children, who become restless, begin to walk around, cry, hide behind their parents, or tremble. It can be an obvious or more subtle avoidance behavior.

The intensity of anxiety varies from child to child. Some children are afraid of only one or two things while others are fearful in many areas of life and may appear permanently irritated or sensitive. For example, some children are anxious when it comes to any new situation, to meet other children, they may be afraid of dogs, insects, and darkness, or they become anxious when their parents leave home at night.

Some common patterns of anxiety are more common: specific phobias (fear of objects or specific situations), separation anxiety (especially in early childhood), generalized anxiety, anxiety or social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder. compulsive disorder, panic syndrome (more common in adolescents), or post-traumatic stress disorder (following an event or series of traumatic events).

What can I do if my child suffers from depression?

If your child also has any of the symptoms listed above, please contact a specialist as soon as possible to assess the child's condition and the environment in which he or she is growing up (family doctor, school counselor, clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist).

Following an evaluation by a specialist, a therapeutic intervention plan can be determined that can support the child to reduce the suffering associated with this condition and those around him to understand and make sense of the reality he is going through with the child.