Our approach to treating depression in children and adolescents:
The first step to treating depression will involve assessing the severity of the depressive symptoms and understanding all of the different factors and circumstances that could be contributing to symptoms. Young people with depression may struggle to talk about their symptoms, but our child psychiatrists have extensive training in identifying the signs.
Typically, we work directly with the young person experiencing depressive symptoms, as well as their parents, relevant family members or carers. If depression is diagnosed, we will help you and your child gain a better understanding of depression, how to manage symptoms and develop a personalised treatment plan.
Child depression treatment plans may combine a variety of approaches, the first always being psychoeducation about the condition, as well as advice and support about managing symptoms. Depending on your child’s unique circumstances, we may also recommend psychotherapy (psychological or talking therapies), lifestyle interventions (such as nutrition or exercise), or antidepressant medication if required.
Some of the therapies recommended to help a child with depression are:
- Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Family therapy
- Psychodynamic therapy
We place emphasis on involving the young person every step of the way so that they feel empowered to manage their condition positively in conjunction with parental support. We can also conduct capacity assessments to determine if they’re able to make informed decisions about their mental health and treatment plan.
We understand therapy can be daunting for some, which is why we offer online therapy so you can speak to our experts in the comfort of your own home. Our online therapy services also mean that no matter where you are in the world, we can help you.
What is depression?
Depression in children is a mental health condition characterised by changes in their attitude, behaviour, fatigue, physical symptoms, or a loss of interest in hobbies or schoolwork. Children with depression may also experience changes in sleep, appetite, and energy levels, as well as difficulty concentrating and withdrawing from social interactions. Unlike typical mood swings, these symptoms last for weeks or longer and can interfere with daily life. Early diagnosis and treatment, such as therapy or medication, are crucial for helping children manage and overcome depression.
What are the symptoms of depression?
Children and adolescents with depression can have a variety of symptoms that may be hard to recognise, or they may be difficult to distinguish from normal developmental stages. While it is common for everyone to experience depressive symptoms sometimes, even young people, if the symptoms last for more than two weeks, then it can be helpful to consult a psychiatrist.
Many people don’t realise that the symptoms of depression in children can seem like attitude or behavioural problems. Symptoms could include irritability, mood swings, anger or a short temper. Their depression may manifest as stomach aches, headaches or other physical symptoms, especially if they are unaware something is wrong. They might also feel unusually guilty, worthless or afraid that something terrible could happen. Perhaps their mood or behaviour doesn’t seem to change. Still, you start to notice that their grades deteriorate, they find it difficult to concentrate, lack motivation, or they lose interest in their hobbies and socialise less.
In certain instances, the child or teenager may begin to hurt themselves on purpose or experience suicidal thoughts and/or impulses to help cope with their emotional distress. While this can be alarming for both the parent and the child, it is not uncommon and the London Psychiatry Clinic has extensive experience with issues of this nature.
Depression can be incredibly difficult for teenagers, as they are trying to develop their personal identities, social connections all while dealing with hormonal changes and the mounting pressure to succeed academically. These formative life experiences can be positive, but sometimes the turmoil can feel like too much to cope with on their own. If they are also dealing with confusion about their gender or sexual orientation, this can be an additional risk factor for depression.
When treating depression in children and adolescents, we combine expert knowledge with a considerate and sensitive approach so that your child can develop the confidence and resilience to achieve their full potential.
Are there different types of depression in children & adolescents?
Due to the complex nature of depressive symptoms, there are many different diagnostic labels for different versions of depression. Although these diagnostic labels help with characterising symptoms, we endeavour to see young people as individuals with a unique set of symptoms, life circumstances and personality when formulating a diagnosis and discussing their treatment plan.
Depression in children may present in multiple ways with varying degrees of severity and alongside co-existing conditions, such as anxiety or OCD. Depression in children and teenagers can be severe, moderate or mild. When their depression is mild and long lasting they may receive a diagnosis of ‘dysthymia,’ as opposed to depression.
What causes depression in children & adolescents?
Depression is a highly complex disorder that can be caused by a range of environmental, genetic and biological factors. Scientifically, we still don't understand precisely why some children and adolescents experience depressive symptoms, while others don't.
Stress is the most common trigger for depressive episodes, and it can come in many forms. Children and adolescents can experience stress much in the same way as adults do, even if the cause of their stress is very different. Critically, children and adolescents may not have developed strategies and ways of overcoming stressful life events, which is why speaking to a psychiatrist to help the child with depression is crucial if they are struggling to cope.
Stress can be caused by traumatic experiences or significant life events, such as divorce, death of a family member or loved one, changing schools or moving to a new area. Sometimes it can be challenging to pinpoint a specific event or trigger. Young people can also experience chronic stress, which could be caused by academic pressure to succeed, bullying, difficulty with social relationships, anxiety about social media, or insecurities about body image. It can be difficult for young people to speak to their parents about many of these issues, which can lead to confusion about precisely what is causing their depression.
Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis are both significant causes of stress and anxiety for children and adolescents. For most young people, the pandemic has substantially disrupted their everyday routines, and many are concerned about their futures.
Depression can develop due to a complex interaction between genetics, biological factors (inflammation and the stress hormone cortisol) and environmental circumstances. Although the risk for developing depression will be slightly higher for a child if someone in their family also suffers from it, it is by no means inevitable that they will develop it.
Can depression go away?
Depression can go away on its own, although in most cases depression does need to be addressed and treated by a professional. With appropriate treatment, we are optimistic that depression in children and teenagers will be a transient period of time in their lives that does not have a detrimental bearing on their long term futures.
How do you treat depression?
Every young person will have a unique set of symptoms and circumstances contributing to their depressive symptoms. We believe child depression treatment requires an holistic approach, taking into account both environmental and biological factors. After a clinical interview, we will build a treatment plan with your input, that could combine psychoeducation, psychotherapy, and lifestyle interventions (nutrition, exercise and sleep), as well as stress-management techniques (mindfulness) and medication.
We can also prescribe antidepressant medication if required, which will typically be a selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Not everyone will respond to the first antidepressant medication that they try, so sometimes trying another type of medication can be helpful. Medication is usually only used if the above approaches aren’t effective at improving symptoms.
Can lifestyle interventions help treat depression?
There are multiple lifestyle interventions that can support child depression treatment . Although we do not recommend you use these techniques to the exclusion of the treatment plan recommended, it can be extremely helpful to include some of the following:
- A regular sleep pattern with appropriate bed and rising times
- Time away from technological devices
- Limited time spent on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram etc.
- Time spent in nature
- Social, real life interactions with friends and family
- Appropriate nutrition that supports the development of your growing child (please seek advice from a registered professional before embarking on a nutrition plan for your child)
- Exercise, even a brisk walk in the sunshine can help!
- Hydration
- Engaging in hobbies, such as arts and crafts, sports, musical instruments and reading