How to get professional help to save depressed teen?
Now is the actual time to see how your teen is progressing. If after all the steps discussed in earlier posts, you don’t see any positive change in your child then it is time to get professional help to save your depressed teen. It is important to acknowledge that the child is suffering and it is better to treat him/her medically before it is too late. There is no shame in accepting this fact rather it will help you to bond better with your child in this crucial time. But the question arises how to get professional help and from where to start?
Talk to your teen while you get professional help
It is very important to involve your child in all the discussions about the treatment. Behave like it is equal to any other treatment when you accompany your child to the doctor. Motivate that everything will be normal once the best treatment is started. If the child builds will power, he/she will cure faster. Assure them that no matter whatever be the result you are always going to be with them. The teen’s psychology at present is to be away from the world but silently they expect their parents to be around and care for them. This gives them the strength to fight back any discrepancies.
Explore the options available
- Talk Therapy – Mostly people start with this therapy if there is no underlying medical cause for symptoms of depression. The 3 different types of talk therapy are cognitive behavioural therapy, interpersonal therapy and psychodynamic therapy. Often a mix of all three is used. This treatment takes you to the root cause of the problem and helps to know what are the factors that trigger depression in your child?
- Lifestyle changes – As discussed in the previous posts, lifestyle plays a vital role in your current situation. Slow and steady changes help to overcome bad memories of depression. New outlook brings positive changes to your teen.
- Medication – Depression can’t be cured alone with talk therapy or lifestyle changes if the condition is really bad. You need to have medicines. However, medications come with their own set of problems. Medication may help relieve some of the symptoms of moderate and severe depression, but it doesn’t cure the underlying problem, and it’s usually not a long-term solution. Antidepressant medications also come with side effects and safety concerns from where withdrawal can be very difficult.
How to get the correct therapist
The most important part is to find the correct therapist for your child. The right therapist will be caring and helpful throughout the treatment session. At each and every step, you feel find your child comfortable with the proceedings.
- The first and foremost step is to get advice from your general physician. Being the family doctor, he’she knows your family history and it becomes easier to recommend a therapist for your child.
- You can browse certified National Mental Health Organisations who provide therapists.
- Always trust your gut. After searching so many therapists, you may get confused about which one to choose. Start by meeting one by one and see for whom you feel positive. Your belief in the therapist is important for the treatment to be successful.
No disease is bigger than our thoughts that make it worse. Have faith and start from step 1. Your child will come out of this phase soon.
Stay tuned to read the next and the last post in the series where I talk about how you, as a parent, can be strong enough to make your teen sail through this rough phase successfully.
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