What Is Depression?

Depression is an illness that makes you feel sad or hopeless. If your child has depression, he or she may seem less confident or lose interest in things he or she used to enjoy. Your child may have trouble focusing, or seem grouchy or angry. He or she may not want to go to school. His or her eating habits may change. Some children with depression have aches and pains.

Depression is a serious illness. It is not your child’s fault if he or she is depressed.

What Causes Depression?

Depression may be caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. It can be triggered by stressful events, like losing a parent or a loved one, the break up of a relationship, abuse or a physical illness. Depression can also run in families.

How is Depression Treated?

Depression can be treated with counseling or with medicines called antidepressants, or both. Counseling usually is used for mild or moderate depression. Counseling and medicine together are used for more severe depression.

Are Anti-Depressants Addictive?

No. They balance chemicals in the brain. They do not cause a “high.” But the body gets used to having the medicine, so your child may have side effects like headache or dizziness if the medicine is stopped too quickly. Your doctor will talk with you about stopping the medicine slowly when your child is ready.

Can Anti-Depressants Cause Suicide?

There may be a link, but it is not known for sure if taking these medicines can cause someone to try suicide. Remember that depression makes people more likely to try suicide. To be safe, anti-depressants have a warning label about the risk of suicidal actions. These actions include talking about suicide and hurting themselves. You should watch your child carefully for suicidal behavior when he or she is taking an anti-depressant and report that to the doctor as soon as it may be noticed.

What Should I Do If My Child Talks About Suicide?

Your child needs to be watched by an adult. Call your child’s doctor right away or take your child to the nearest emergency room. Your doctor will be able to find if your child’s a suicide risk and appropriately.

Where Can I Get More Information?