When a young person is living with depression, it’s normal to feel worried, sad, or even frustrated. It’s difficult to see someone you love or care about experiencing low mood, emotional distress, or losing interest in the things that matter to them.
When a young person has depression, they usually need professional support to recover. This means that helping a young person to seek and access effective treatment is the most important thing you can do. But there are other ways to support a young person – alongside treatment – that can make their recovery easier and more manageable.
What Is Depression?
It’s normal for young people to experience low mood sometimes. They might have feelings of hopelessness, low self-esteem, or low motivation for a few days or even a week. However, these feelings usually change, especially in response to positive events, like the end of exams or resolving issues with a friend.
When a young person has depression, distressing and low feelings continue for several weeks or months. Young people may lose interest in the things they used to enjoy and struggle to feel pleasure or excitement. They may develop persistent negative feelings about themselves, the world around them, and their future.
Depression is a mental health disorder that interferes with a young person’s daily life and ability to do the things they normally would. It’s often difficult for a young person with depression to feel better without additional support. However, effective treatment can help young people to recover, make positive changes, and enjoy life.
How Common Is Depression Among Young People?
Depression is common among people globally. The World Health Organisation estimates that around 2.8% of 15-19-year-olds experience major depressive disorder. In the UK, research shows that the number of adolescents with depression has risen sharply in the past decade, especially among females.
Depression can cause harm to many aspects of a young person’s life, including their interpersonal relationships, social life, and education. It also makes future depressive disorders and other mental health disorders more likely. This means that seeking professional support as soon as possible is important.
How Can Parents Support a Young Person With Depression?
Starting a Conversation
One of the first steps a parent can take is to check in with their child and start an open conversation about what they’re experiencing. It’s often helpful to start sentences with ‘I’, for example, “I’ve noticed that you’ve been feeling down lately”.
You might also want to open a conversation while doing another activity, like walking or watching TV. This can make the conversation more relaxed and less stressful for a young person.
Listen Carefully and Offer Emotional Support
When speaking with your child, it’s essential to give them the space to talk and listen to what they have to say. Avoid jumping to conclusions about what they’re feeling or immediately giving advice. Try to understand their experience and validate their emotions.
If a young person responds with frustration or irritability, try not to take it personally. These feelings often come with depression. Let your child know you’re there to speak to as much as they would like and for as long as needed.
Exploring Other Options
Sometimes, it’s hard for young people to speak to their parents about personal and sensitive topics. If a young person is finding it hard to share their experience – or doesn’t want to – there are some other things you can try. For example:
- You could suggest communicating via email, letter, or text
- You could encourage them to speak to other people in their life that they trust: family friends, teachers, or relatives
- You could suggest that they use a mental health support helpline via chat, text, or phone
Support Them In Self-Care
Practising good self-care can help a young person recover from depression and feel better in their daily life. It can make it easier to navigate challenges – in their inner and outer world – and stay resilient. Self-care practices include:
- Eating regular, balanced meals
- Following a regular sleeping pattern and getting enough sleep
- Exercising
- Spending time with friends
- Doing creative activities
Encourage Them to Keep Doing the Things They Enjoy
When a young person has depression, they may lose interest in their hobbies and their passions. Sometimes, they may stop doing what they enjoy and struggle to find the motivation to start again. This can lead to a downward cycle of low mood and loss of interest.
But doing activities they usually enjoy can make a young person feel better, even if they feel like they don’t want to do it or don’t enjoy it in the way they used to. This might involve very simple things, like watching TV or going on a walk together. Remember that even small changes can make a big difference for a young person.
Consider What Might Be Affecting Their Mental Health
Sometimes, mental health problems are triggered, caused, or made worse by external events. In these cases, you might be able to make changes at home or school that could make things easier.
You could ask your child if they can identify any circumstances or events affecting their mood. These might include:
- problems in friendships or relationships
- bullying or victimisation
- loneliness
- stress related to school, exams, or academic learning
- grief or loss
- experiences of trauma
Explore Different Kinds of Support
There are lots of different types of support that can help a young person struggling with depression. You could speak with your child to make a support plan that works for them. It might include:
- listing a ‘support circle’ of people that they trust
- listing hobbies and activities that can help them to feel better
- finding helplines to reach out to if they need it
- looking for professional treatment services
Looking After Yourself
Supporting a child with depression can take an emotional toll on parents. Remember that it’s important to look after yourself, too, and taking care of your own mental health puts you in the best position to support someone else. Don’t hesitate to seek support from friends, family members, and others that you trust – and reach out for professional help if you need it.
The Wave Clinic: Transformative Recovery Programs for Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults
The Wave Clinic offers specialist recovery support for young people with eating disorders, borderline personality disorders, complex trauma, and other mental health concerns. Our programs focus on the future, combining exceptional clinical care with education, enriching experiences, and social responsibility. We support young people to grow in self-confidence, discover new life paths, and reconnect with their passions.
We offer a diverse range of evidence-based modalities delivered and led by experts in child and adolescent mental health. We address the underlying causes of mental health conditions including experiences of trauma that continue to shape a young persons thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
If you’re interested in finding out more about our programs, get in touch today.
