Ways To Help Your Teen Manage Depression During The Pandemic

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COVID-19 is not only affecting people’s physical health, but it is also taking a toll on our mental health. Believe it or not, one of the age groups that are having a difficult time coping with the situation are teens. It’s primarily because they’re getting anxious with the uncertainty of what’s going to happen to them amid the pandemic. At the same time, this is the time that you’re used to having company. Therefore, the lockdown makes them feel isolated and sad. Those negative emotions made them overwhelmed with their dilemma, which led them to depression and tiredness.

As a parent, it might be challenging for you to decide on what approach to take. Take note that with you swooping in does not mean that everything will be okay in an instant. However, there are things that a parent can do to ease what they’re feeling. Here are some of the ways you can help your teen cope with depression. 

Be A Supportive Parent

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“You might be frustrated that they seem down and irritable a lot of the time and don’t seem to be doing much of anything to help themselves. But if there isn’t much in their life that is making them happy, or something intensely disappointing has happened to them, it’s understandable that they might avoid things they used to enjoy and retreat to their room. Depression makes even doing the smallest things more difficult,” shares Stephanie Dowd, PsyD.

Therefore, your role as a parent is to try to be as empathetic as possible. You can do this by putting yourself in their shoes. Send a message that you are validating their emotion and trying to understand what’s causing their negative emotions. Make sure that you are not there to try to solve the problem. Instead, you are talking to them to give your love and support. 

Bring The Possibility Of Treatment

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Whenever parents bring up the possibility of treatment, teens react most of the time negatively. The reason behind this is that there is a connotation that treatments are only for those who have uncontrollable and severe conditions. Of course, this is not true. 

Therefore, it is your job to patiently explain what it is for, what to expect, and what the possible outcomes are. Once your child understands the ins and outs of the treatment, it will be easier to comply with this strategy. You may even encourage them to make small decisions connected to this, like taking charge of setting up their next session. This way, they’ll feel more in control. 

Since face to face might not be the best recourse now due to COVID-19, you may look for alternative medium for treatment. Teletherapy can be your number one option. 

Prioritize Physical Health

Keep in mind that physical and mental health will always be connected. If your teen has poor nutrition, inadequate sleep, and inactivity, there is a bigger chance that they’ll feel exhausted and depressed. As a parent, your primary role is to combat these unhealthy habits. You can do this by doing the following: 

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  • Limit Screen Time

Children these days often go online to distract themselves and find an escape to what they’re feeling. However, the higher their screen time is, the lower the time they allocate to face time with families and physical activity. At the same time, continually seeing the news about the global pandemic will only give them anxiety. 

  • Encourage Them To Exercise

Always get your teen active since exercise is a critical factor for good mental health. Ideally, children at this age should get approximately 1 hour of physical activity per day. You may even join them so they won’t feel bored and miserable on their own. 

  • Promote 8 To 10 Hours Of Sleep

For their mind and body to function correctly, they need to get at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep. If they don’t engage in this, they’ll most likely be moody and tired for the rest of the day. Those things will burden their mental health. 

  • Cook Balanced And Nutritious Meals

Parents should also make sure that their teens are consuming nutritious food. They need this to boost their mood and reach their optimum brain health. Make sure to prepare meals with fresh produce, healthy fats, quality protein, fruits, and vegetables. Avoid giving them starchy and sugary food since these will only have a negative effect on their energy and mood. 

Admit it or not, it can be physically and emotionally exhausting to parent a child with depression. The best way to go about this is to avoid doing the blame game. Instead, make it clear that you are always there for him or her no matter what happens. 

You can also tell your teen about BetterHelp. This website offers therapy and counseling services online which is the new normal.

It’s Okay to Give Up On Your Partner Who Makes You Feel Depressed 

One of the real pleasures in life is being in a committed relationship with a partner whom you can count and rant on, laugh and learn with, give you happiness, care for you, and love you wholeheartedly. A partner like that is hard to come by, and it takes the force of the universe to bring you and your “The One” together.  

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Marriage And Depression

Are you feeling exhausted lately? Do you want to keep yourself away from the people in your life? Does it make you feel comfortable if you will only stay inside your room? Is it difficult for you to deal with other individuals? If you answered yes to these, then you are probably going through a depressive state in your life. Take note that depression is not something you can easily claim just because you have experienced all the things mentioned above. It is still highly advisable to see a medical doctor who could give you the exact findings of your mental condition, or if what you have is a mental condition at all.

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What To Say To A Partner With Anxiety 

Anxiety is a mental condition that is difficult to handle, especially if you are not the type of person who has a high level of patience or understanding. It can be draining, physically and emotionally, to deal with a person who is always anxious. You will feel exhausted in trying to make the said individual feel good. It is as if no matter what you say or do, she will always have anxieties about certain stuff. If you are experiencing this problem with your wife, then do not fret because you can still do a lot of things about it. 

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What’s The Connection Between Depression And Psychiatry?

Depression is probably one of the mental conditions that are not understood by many individuals. Unfortunately, there are still people who believe that this mental illness is not a significant issue at all. In fact, some individuals are not even ready to deal with it in the right manner. There are those who merely shrug it off as if it does not affect them at all.

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Is Your Child Developing Anxiety?

 

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What hurts parents the most is seeing their children suffering from any ailments or health problems, how mild or severe it may be. It’s only a natural instinct that parents, especially first-time ones, get overprotective with their children regarding their physical, emotional and mental health being.

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Fighting Social Anxiety With Social Media: Is It Possible?

A Team Of Researchers Say YES!

Can social media help people who have a social anxiety disorder or social phobia? One team of researchers answered with a resounding YES and backed this with the results of their recent undertaking. Read on!

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Shakaiteki Hikikomori: Understanding Japan’s Social Recluses

The Mental Disorder That Drove Over 500,000 Japanese To Self-Imprisonment

Shakaiteki Hikikomori (Social Recluse) is a psychological ailment that’s imprisoning a considerable number of Japan’s population in their own homes leaving a significant impact on the country’s workforce and economy.

But what exactly is hikikomori?

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Depression: I Want To Help!

Knowing someone close to you that is experiencing an extreme sense of anxiety and depression has something to do with the eagerness of your role to help. The depression can also affect your positivity so you should try and consider working on the guidelines for helping them regain their energy and optimism. The kind of medical condition they have needs support and proper understanding to be able to cope up with the struggle. Since depression is a severe mental illness, it should not be taken lightly.

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Depression Struggles Of A Mom

After seeing your newly born baby for the first time, you may be feeling overly joyed, ecstatic, thankful, worried, and even depressed. Postpartum Depression is one kind of depression. It usually occurs to women who have just given birth. Science explains that this phenomenon happens naturally because of hormonal changes which the body finds it hard to adapt.

After childbirth, moms are expected to be deprived of their sleep and undergo a lot of tiresome activities that lead to stress, panicking, anxiety, and often turn into depression.

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