Helping Your Teen Overcome Depression

We humans haven’t been able to acknowledge that the very basis of our experience is within us. We hold accounts of all miseries and happiness. Nobody else should be given the privilege to decide what happens within us. When people succumb to such situations where others can control their bliss and boisterous nature, this is what is known as Ultimate slavery. 

Teenagers are very vulnerable to being affected mentally and probably by anybody. Peer pressure is pervasive among teenagers. They are influenced by each other very quickly, and that’s when it takes a toll on their lives. This may cause them to suffer from anxiety and depression.

Depression is caused when you generate intense emotions which in your favor, and somewhat against you. Every thought that crosses one’s mind is radiated to the entire body. This, in turn, determines how you feel. When the ideas are negative, you start feeling miserable. And when a person is overwhelmed with such types of feelings, then there is an utter need to overcome depression; otherwise, life becomes hell.

Several people in this world, either teenagers or adults, find answers to the question, “how to overcome depression” so that they can live a healthy and happy life. Some who are optimists choose yoga and meditation to relieve their stress and depression, while of others choose sleep-inducing pills to vent out their depression and anxiety.

How do we help our tweens deal with it?

Our tweens, who are on the verge of hitting puberty, often encounter situations where they start feeling trapped amidst difficulties. To be able to decide what is wrong and what is right becomes an arduous task for them. To make it worse, they seek advice from their fellow mates who themselves are going through similar situations. After the age of 10, teenagers, more than parents, need friends.

Therefore, parents should act in a friendly way to gain insight into what their child is going through. Their guardians should know whether the children have been scoring well in academics or the scores have gone down. A lousy company often affects the academic performance of the child. We should be supportive enough to these children who have been facing stress and depression and try to find the root cause of it.

Depression is often triggered when the experiences and thoughts that scare you cross your mind over and again. So to overcome sadness, it must be dealt with calmly.

If there is something very disastrous or disappointing that has happened with such children, they should be made aware of more opportunities that will come in life. Practise empathetic listening with teenagers. They go through with mood swings which might make them feel too low sometimes and too happy for no reason. Let them be and be compassionate. Being too intrusive, and trying to dominate them might go wrong. They should be given therapy sessions under specialists.

Mental health should never be taken in a negative sense or for granted. It is as big as any physical disease because it might generate suicidal thoughts in people’s minds. One can read spiritual books, like Bhagwat Gita, to vent out stress and depression. These mythological books teach us to live a life free of anxiety, stress, and depression. Bhagwat Gita teaches us to control our emotions and feelings.

Depression and anxiety among teens can also be caused by bullying. When children self-doubt their worth and esteem, they may start feeling unworthy. It might be traumatic for them when other children perform well in their respective fields or do well in life. Some teens get violent when asked to be helped, but don’t give up on them too quickly. It is usual for them to feel that way since many don’t accept that they are going through depression. They often disguise it with mood swings.

These days children face enormous pressure. Especially when social media has taken over our lives and mood is determined by how many likes you get. Social media is undoubtedly not a place where teens or anybody else, so to speak, should seek validation about their worth. There is already pressure to be better than the other. There are pressures like pleasing your parents and being able to perform in school consistently. Among such stressful situations, a child must seek genuine help. The help can be medical or emotional support of their family members.

Family plays a vital role in helping a person to overcome depression. Several activities are available, like playing games, eating together, going for a morning walk, etc.

Since stress and depression are brain illnesses, it can be fatal if not treated. Mental health should start getting the recognition that it deserves. It is challenging to deal with depression on your own. That is why it is significant for friends and families to notice signs and symptoms of depression. Tweens completely give up on communication when they are suffering from depression. They would feel reluctant to leave their house and go out. Instead would prefer to be alone with their thoughts. 

These signs should be noticed, and the one suffering should be reached out for help rather than leaving them alone.