Over the years, I have learned a lot about how depression affects children. There are a lot of people I know that think that when a person suffers from depression, it is not real. Some people like to think that when a person only goes through changes in life, they do not realize that it can actually be depression. Depression is very serious, especially among young children. Children suffer from depression in different ways than an adult, but the symptoms do vary among people.
Recently, someone I know has a family member who began showing symptoms of depression. According to YoungMinds.org, "0.9%, or nearly 80,000 children and young people are seriously depressed [and] 0.2% or about 8,700 aged 5-10 year-olds are seriously depressed." Some children that go through depression may show symptoms of having different behaviors that can consist of acting out.
Although some may think that children cannot go through depression, this is a misconception because children too go through traumatic experiences. Anything traumatic like life events, or their environment, for example, a child's parent being in an abusive relationship, family, or health.
Some depression symptoms according to Webmd.com, are:
- Irritability or anger
- Continuous feelings of sadness and hopelessness
- Social withdrawal
- Increased sensitivity to rejection
- Changes in appetite -- either increased or decreased
- Changes in sleep -- sleeplessness or excessive sleep
- Vocal outbursts or crying
- Difficulty concentrating
- Fatigue and low energy
- Physical complaints (such as stomachaches, headaches) that don't respond to treatment
- Reduced ability to function during events and activities at home or with friends, in school, extracurricular activities, and in other hobbies or interests
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- Impaired thinking or concentration
- Thoughts of death or suicide
When a child starts to show signs of depression, it is important that they get the adequate treatment. It is possible for children to go through depression and that a person does not ignore it. It is vital that anyone who faces depression acknowledges it and seeks proper treatment. Depression in children is crucial because it can impair how they grow and develop.
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