Saturday, October 25, 2008

How does a Child get Depressed?

Today there are more and more cases of Depression being reported by doctors and physicians.  Whether it's because doctors are becoming more skilled at diagnosing the problem or if there are more cases to report, the bottom line is that any concerned parent should be concerned about the causes of depression in children in order to treat it properly.

Bullying Causes Depression in Children

Bullying has been in the news a lot lately, especially when it happens over the internet.  There have always been bullies as long as there have been humans, but for some reason today bullying has reached a point where it is no longer teasing or taking a child's lunch money but has become downright physically dangerous.  And with the internet making it so easy for someone to bully another child in front of a large audience, it's no wonder that it's causing more cases of depression in children.

There are a few reasons why bullying would cause Depression .The struggles at school with a group of kids who don't like you and always pick on you can be very painful for children.  But on top of that children often feel helpless and trapped where they are.  An adult can take action against someone that threatens them but children often just don't know what to do.  They may hesitate to approach their parents for fear of being reprimanded or because they're afraid this might make the situation worse.  This feeling of helplessness and frustration can also contribute to depression in children when bullying is involved.

Stress and Expectations

Children today are under tremendous amounts of pressure.Huge swings are home and in the homelife are things that kids readily can pick up on and really can worry and become depressed about.  This puts tremendous stress on them to excel in school when it comes to academics.  Being overwhelmed can cause depression in children because they often don't know how to handle that stress and don't know how to put those things in perspective.  Parents too can be somewhat guilty in this regard if they have high expectations for their children either for academics or athletics.Children who have parents who are very pushy and extremely forceful often can be depressed because when they fail they take the failure much harder than other children.

Treating Depression in Children

Talking to your family doctor or pediatrician is important if your child has depression.  Medication is not your only option, as a good therapist can help with coping mechanisms as well.  He or she can explain things a parent can do to be supportive of their child and things that can be said or done to help them get through this.  A supportive parent is important when it comes to depression in children and they can make all the difference in the world when it comes to the child's emotional health.

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