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Just like adults, children can also be sufferers from the affects of depression. It’s not so uncommon as you may think. Because children are not usually exposed to the stess of adult life, it may be safe to say that if a child actually tells you that they are feeling depressed - then you should regard it as a serious issue. Some people may ask: "what exactly do children have to be depressed about?" But some misunderstandings can become apparent about childhood depression and what it is. It is in fact generally fairly similar to what is known as clinical depression - and is not just down moods because the child has just been punished or is sulking because they have been told they can’t have a particular thing, or go somewhere they want to. It is actually somewhat more intrusive in the child’s life. It may be a long-lasting issue and if it is not addressed it may even become life threatening. Here are some Causes of Childhood Depression: 1. A previous Family History. 2. One or more occurrences ofChildhood Abuse (which may be either physical, emotional or sexual) 3. Chronic illness. 4. The traumatic loss of a parent for any reason, death, abandonment etc 5. A poor diet and/or a severe lack of exercise. 6. Many negative factors such as parents arguing, family disputes, bad neighborhoods, etc 7. A lack of parental attention. This however is not a complete list of the causes of depression in children , but they are some common ones. Here are some Symptoms of Childhood Depression: 1. Loss of interest, in hobbies and activities 2. Not interested in food 3. Change in sleeping patterns. 4. Difficulty concentrating. 5. Comments like “I’m not good enough, I’m just stupid…” 6. Persistent state of Sadness. 7. Thoughts of Suicide 8. Excessive clinging to a parent or alternatively signs of withdrawal If you notice any of these symptoms on a daily basis it may be a good time to seek help. Check with your child first and have a good heart to heart talk to try to find out if there is some problem like "I thought you didn't care about me, because you never ask". This situation can easily go hand in hand with our busy lifestyles, without us realizing. Try to spend some time with your child. Make some plans with them for a getaway. You might suggest: “How about we go to the pool or perhaps to the park, just the two of us?”. Then use this time to carefully see if there are any further problems, or if they want to talk more on anything. It is important to try to set aside about thirty minutes a day for out door recreation for yourself and your family. Visits to the zoo are very popular with children, or play sports in the park, and swimming will also help to relieve any tension in the home, or at school, and even at work. This may go a long way in helping to cure childhood depression in the family, and is a bonus for everyone. More articles about Childhood Depression here.
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childhood depression, depression, mental illness, symptoms of childhood depression,
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