Dealing with Teen Depression with Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Are you worried that your teen is depressed? Suffolk DBT can help you, and your teen, understand the most common symptoms of teen depression.
It is normal for a teenager to be moody, and to push you away as they shift towards independence. Teens also tend to have different sleep habits from children and adults; for most teens, the weekends are often marked with staying up late and sleeping into the afternoon. That said, there are some clear red flags your teen is depressed. One of the clearest is you, their parent, noticing something isn’t right. While your teen may sometimes feel like a stranger to you, you know your child well, and you know when something isn’t right.
Frequently Asked Questions About Teen Depression:
What are the signs your teen is depressed?
The teen years are full of normal changes, so it’s important to know that the symptoms of depression have to be present for at least two weeks before depression can be diagnosed. The most noticeable sign your Nassau County teen is depressed is a sudden, sustained change in your teen’s overall functioning.
Signs your teen is depressed include:
- They are irritable, suffering overwhelming sadness or their mood is erratic. Their attitude is unusually negative and they say life is pretty meaningless and boring.
- Frequently there is a loss of motivation. For teens, this could be a loss of interest in the sports or activities they used to enjoy and withdrawal from friends, family and socializing.
- With low motivation is a loss of energy. Not just after a busy week, bouncing back from being ill or because of staying up late. This is tiredness that is constant for a period of at least two weeks.
- You might also notice changes in appetite, either significant weight gain or loss.
- Many teens like to sleep in but are they getting too much or too little sleep?
- Parents also notice that their teen is making critical comments about themselves or there are behavior problems at school or at home.
- Another sign is a drop in grades or frequent absences from school.
- Excessive drug or alcohol use. Adolescence is a time of experimentation but frequent use is clearly a cause for concern.
- Lastly, are you hearing frequent complaints of physical complaints i.e.headaches, stomach etc? They are not pretending. Depression can be felt as a pain in your body as well as in your mind.
Is Teen Depression Just a Phase?
Depression isn’t just a normal teen phase of moodiness. Its origins can be biological or environmental, or a combination of both. Have you or another family member ever experienced depression? If so, your teen is at risk. Depression can also occur after difficult life stressors such as a parental divorce, bereavement or bullying. If you can, try to create an open, non-judgmental dialogue with your teen about what’s going on in their life. If you can develop trust through validation and open-minded honesty, your teen will be more likely to let you in, and you can spot the signs of depression earlier.
Sometimes it is difficult to know what has prompted a depressive episode, and your Long Island teen may have no idea why they feel the way they do. That’s normal! All that really matters is getting your teen the right help, as early as possible.
What should you do if you are worried about your teen?
Teen depression responds well to treatment, and the first step is to get your Suffolk County teen on board with starting a DBT-A program for depression. Start the conversation by telling them you love them, you are concerned, and you want to help. Remember to encourage them and remain positive, even if they’re feeling frustrated or trying to shut down the conversation. Give them breathing room, then try again. And again, if you need to.
Let your depressed teen know you want their input, and give them choices about the process so they feel respected and more in control. Search “teenage counseling services near me” and create a list of prospective DBT-A therapists. Have your son or daughter read their websites and ask for their thoughts. Who do they think they’d mesh well with? Set up a free consultation call, and offer to go with them to their appointments once they start working with a therapist. If they prefer to handle individual therapy alone and just want your participation in DBT-A group therapy, don’t take it personally. Teens need autonomy, and taking the reins on their own therapy experience is a very safe and very brave place to develop that autonomy. Try to respect their need for privacy. Most important of all, know that the sooner your teen gets depression therapy, the better.
What is DBT-A, and how can it help when your teen is depressed?
DBT-A is a dialectical behavior therapy program designed specifically to support teens in healing from depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and more. Suffolk DBT’s DBT-A program in NYC and Long Island provides individual therapy, group therapy with family participation, and on-call therapist support, so your teen with depression has as much help as possible as they start to learn crucial life skills that help them cope with depression. Your teen will take part in regular DBT-A skills groups (and you as their parent will regularly participate as well), focusing on learning mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and how to walk the middle path.
DBT-A is an opportunity for your teen to learn skills beyond academic ones taught in school, skills that will serve them throughout their life.
Suffolk DBT proudly provides quality dialectical behavior therapy, a form of cognitive behavioral therapy, at their offices in Manhattan and Long Island, New York and online. Their experienced therapists specialize in serving teens, children, adults, and college students struggling with depression, borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, and self-harm. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills and treatment can help you or your kids to manage emotions and work through life’s challenges. Suffolk DBT Manhattan and Long Island offer a free screening call so you can get started right away.