Coping with Depression in Young People

About the authors ix Preface xi Acknowledgements xiii 1 What is depression? 1 What depression feels like 7 How common is depression in young people? 8 Causes of depression 10 Is depression in young people more common now than in the past? 12 What happens to young people with depression? 12 2 How to recognise depression in young people 15 Which young people are most likely to get depressed? 15 Changes in mood and behaviour 16 3 Depression in young people who already have difficulties 23 Learning difficulties 24 Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) 25 Conduct problems 30 Asperger’s syndrome 31 Conclusion 36 4 Could it be due to something else? 39 Is it due to alcohol? 40 Could it be due to drugs? 41 A serious physical illness 42 Sexual abuse 43 Schizophrenia 44 Eating disorders 46 Bipolar affective disorder (manic depressive disorder) 47 5 Getting help 51 Talking to others who know your child 52 Help within the family 52 Finding out what help is available 53 Counselling 54 Child and adolescent mental health services 55 Communicating with your teenager about the need for further help 56 Approaching your depressed child 58 6 Treatment of depression 63 Multiple approaches 64 Therapeutic help for the young person 64 Parent support 66 Family therapy 67 Medication 69 Hospitalisation 71 Day treatment programmes 72 How long does it take? 75 7 What can parents do? 77 Supporting your teenager 77 Dealing with discipline and conflict 84 Keeping yourself going 90 Helping your other children to cope 91 Tackling family problems 92 Conflicting advice from family members/friends 93 What parents can’t do 94 8 Suicide and self-harm 97 Some myths about suicide 98 Are there warning signs? 98 What to do if you suspect your young person is suicidal 99 Coping with suicide attempts 100 Dealing with discipline after a suicide attempt 101 Dealing with self-cutting behaviour 104 Suicide and alcohol 105 9 Dealing with common problems 107 Depression and school 107 Depression and exams 108 He won’t go for help 110 Sleep problems 111 Anger and aggression 112 Depression and bullying 113 10 Learning from young people who have recovered from depression 115 The Working Things Out study 116 What it felt like when they were depressed 118 What they thought had caused them to feel the way they did 121 What they thought had helped them to get through their difficult times 123 Conclusion 129 Interactive CD-ROM 130 11 Depression – what does the future hold? 131 The statistics 132 ‘Good effects’ of depression? 133 The brain and depression – current research 134 The future and your child 135 Resources 137 Index 143