Depression

For teenagers who's experiencing depression, isn't it that it is a burden to carry it all the time...That sometimes you could study for it is bothering you...For you to relax, why not look for something that can help you regarding this situation, by not taking any medications at all. For it is not good to depend all the time in drugs..Fing the one that will surely help you calm your self and relax your mind. The one that you can also share to your family for them to enjoy it also.

Hope this can help you teen to cope out with that situation you’re facing right now.

[Music_lover]

I wish I could even do that. I'm afraid to tell my mom that I have these periods of depression. I was seeing a therapist, but I haven't seen her in a while. She wasn't heloping anyways. I don't know what else to do. Any advice?

[squirt]

Try learning cbt to get the tools you need to help yourself or join a cbt group. It has helped me get my life in order.

[ligeia]

I don't know if you feel "safe" enough to share your feelings with your mother, but for me, talking to my parents about what I am going through often times can help. But I am very lucky to have super supportive and understanding parents and I know not everyone can share this type of information with their own.

Therapy can help, definitely, but there are a lot of non-helpful psychologists out there, at least from my experience. It takes a while and a lot of looking to find a psychologist that really clicks with you and somehow understands you in a more global sense. And even then, it is not a be-all-end-all thing. Sometimes a therapist will work out quite well, and then you realize that your issues are not being resolved. That's when it may be time to continue on.

I wouldn't try medication until at least finding a good psychologist and seeing her/him for a little while. Then they can recommend a psychiatrist if they think you are a good candidate for medications. Those are my two cents, anyways. I hope everything will work out and you can feel better!

[squirt]

Therapy can help, definitely, but there are a lot of non-helpful psychologists out there, at least from my experience.

I can relate to this. I went through several before joining a great cbt group. The cool thing about cbt is that you really do all the work with cbt so a therapist is just there to encourage and inspire you to work on the exercises. One of the books we used in my group called Been there, done that? do this! by sam obitz has a really good introduction to the whole process and shows the tea form exercise which has helped me a ton and I still use all the time when I get upset or anxious.

[ligeia]

Ooo that sounds really cool, I'll have to look into that book.

Thank you for the recommendation!

[bohemianbarbie]

Not that I'm at all disagreeing with this post but it's seems that usually, for teens who are not only suffering from depression and anxiety, but also dealing with self esteem issues, frequent body changes, sexual changes, peer pressure, education, friends, parents, ect, ect.... you would think that it would be somewhat impossible to relax and deal with all your emotions by yourself. Those anxiety medications are meant for people with depression and anxiety because nerve cells and other things going on in the brain that you yourself can't change. Only the medication can help eliminate those issues so that eventually you can get to a stage in your life where you don't have to rely on pills and drugs. They are simply there to help you regain your life back and to help people do better in life and with friends. I've had social anxiety since I was 13 and I never took medications or seeked out the treatment I needed, not to mention the fact that I've lived a natural organic drug free lifestyle and relaxing and meditation come as hobbies to me, well here I am, 22 years old, still living with SAD. So technically speaking this kind of natural, self help therapy clearly doesn't work for everyone.

[squirt]

Ooo that sounds really cool, I'll have to look into that book.

Thank you for the recommendation!

You're welcome. I hope you found it helpful
Let me know if you have any questions about cbt?

[Robbed]

Those anxiety medications are meant for people with depression and anxiety because nerve cells and other things going on in the brain that you yourself can't change. Only the medication can help eliminate those issues so that eventually you can get to a stage in your life where you don't have to rely on pills and drugs. They are simply there to help you regain your life back and to help people do better in life and with friends. I've had social anxiety since I was 13 and I never took medications or seeked out the treatment I needed, not to mention the fact that I've lived a natural organic drug free lifestyle and relaxing and meditation come as hobbies to me, well here I am, 22 years old, still living with SAD. So technically speaking this kind of natural, self help therapy clearly doesn't work for everyone.

The truth of the matter is that medications are NOT needed to deal with the chemical basis of SAD. Performing the proper therapy/self-help has the same effect - without the side effects of meds. On the other hand, treatment must be of the proper nature. Relaxation and meditation ma be helpful for deling with anxiety problems. But they are certainly not enough when it comes to dealing with SAD. For SAD, actual exposure is perhaps the mos valuable treatment.

[squirt]

That's why I like CBT it combines thought countering with exposure and works great together.