How to Talk to Teens About Depression

There was a time when most people considered depression a lifelong disorder, but recent evidence suggests it begins most often during adolescence. Often parents find it difficult to notice the signs of depression in teens, especially since this time of life is inevitably fraught with emotional drama. If you suspect something more serious than typical angst may be at play, however, it is time to have a conversation with your teenager.

Things You'll Need

• Health insurance
• Treatment resources

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Instructions

Talk to Your Teen

• 1

  Find a quiet time to talk about the things you have seen. It is usually counterproductive to "ambush" a teenager while he is in the throes of a dark moment. Wait until the storm has passed to bring up some of these issues.

• 2

  Show perspective. Many teens believe mental health disorders are a sign that they are somehow not as good as other people, so you want to address this concern about depression from the beginning.

• 3

  Encourage your teen to tell you the whole story. Often adolescents get into the habit of hiding the details of their lives from their parents. When it comes to depression, that may mean missing essential information.

• 4

  Stay positive. Depression is a problem with several cures, so you want to remind your child that there is a way out of the woods. Ask for her opinion about the best course of treatment as well--collaboration like this can be empowering.

• 5

  Seek treatment together. Often you can pull together a number of options with minimal research, so make plain your intention to offer support every step of the way, as long as it takes.

• 6

  Listen attentively. Teenagers tend to resist any help unless they feel empowered in the process, so you may see a better chance of improvement if you let your child take the reins and essentially self-diagnose.