Uncovering the Myths of Childhood Depression

Depression is an Internalized Disorder when the individual attempts to maintain too much or inappropriate control of their internalized emotions. They think about the way they feel. These problems are developed and maintained to great extent within the individual. Internalized Disorders are known as being secret illnesses. Other Internalized Disorders include Anxiety, Social Withdrawal and Somatic Problems. Clinical Depression is diagnosed after at least five symptoms are present most of the time for the same two week period and one of them is a depressed mood or loss of interest. These symptoms include, depressed mood most of the day, nearly everyday as indicated either by child or observed by others. The child demonstrates a noticeably diminished interest or pleasure in all or almost all activities, apathy most of the time. Significant weight loss or weight gain when not dieting, or decrease in appetite nearly everyday (in children, failure to gain expected weight). Child has trouble sleeping either too much or too little or fatigue and loss of energy nearly everyday. Psychomotor agitation or slowing of physical movement nearly everyday is also a sign of depression.

Other signs that are not as easy to see physically are feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly everyday. A diminished ability to think and concentrate or indecisiveness nearly everyday can surface in the way of complaints about physical symptoms such as stomach pain and headaches. And sadly, recurrent thoughts of death and suicidal ideation without a specific or suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.

Myth- He is too young to be depressed.
Truth-Children as young as three years old have been diagnosed with clinical depression.

Myth- He'll grow out of it
Truth- If left untreated depression can lead to other learning problems. The earlier in life someone develops symptoms of depression, the more chronic the problem of depression and anxiety becomes.

Myth- She is just shy. He is so lazy. He is just disobedient.
Truth- Depression wears many different faces and children react differently and are often misunderstood. Some children are like turtles and turn inward. Other children act out and become very angry and others are often misdiagnosed as having ADD.

Myth- She doesn't seem sad.
Truth- Often depression is expressed by anger, hypersensitive to criticism. By the time a child exhibits signs of depression for all to see, she is severely depressed.

Myth- I don't want my child's personality to be altered with antidepressants.
Truth- Depression is what changes a child's personality and with the proper treatment a child will feel more like themselves again.

Myth- I don't want my child to get hooked on drugs.
Truth- If left untreated a child will find other and more dangerous ways to self medicate.

Myth-She's just moody, it's nothing serious.
Truth- Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people ages 15-24. It is the sixth leading cause of death for children 5-14 years old. Less than a third of children under the age of 18 with serious emotional disturbance receive mental health services.

Myth- I am just his teacher, parent, friend. There is nothing I can do to help.
Truth- There are many questions an adult can ask to let a child know that they can trust you and talk to you.

Under many circumstances depression may be quite appropriate. These situations may be the cause of the blues for a few days or even weeks. This is not clinical depression but rather a depressed mood. However, there is a point when such a response to a loss or stress becomes inappropriate and becomes a type of mental illness. The death of a loved one or when a pet dies is an expected situation to grieve. When a close friend leaves town or the child moves to a new location or moves schools. Parents divorcing or remarrying is of course at time when a child needs time to adjust. Serious illness for the child or a loved one and family stress such as loss of employment or siblings in trouble a child needs a safe place and person to talk to about his feelings.

I am not an expert on the subject but I have done research on the topic of Childhood Depression and like to share what I have found in hopes that it will help someone else, possibly a parent of a depressed child. If you suspect that your child is depressed it is best to discuss it with his or her doctor, if you are not satisfied with the answers you receive do not stop your search for answers to help your child. Remember that you are the best advocate for that little helpless person.