support tips for parents of depressed teen starting antidepressants

[Anonymous]

Hi OP - I am late to this thread but just wanted to send hugs. My DD is also on lexpro and it has been beneficial. It took a few weeks and then of course there are still bad days, but increasingly the bad days are less than the good days.

I know the obvious of getting outdoors more and engaging in hobbies can be kind of hard to hear because it can be hard to get a child to do, of even if they do them, they're just going through the motions. So, I ask a random question - do you have a dog? If not and your DD is interested, it might be something to consider. It's a responsibility but also a joy, and it helps get people outside (walks, dog park, etc.) It also brings the benefit of caring for something else, something needing you. It also gives families/siblings a shared experience.

So, just a thought. You might already have one, in which case ignore. But it's something that can be very helpful in providing structure and purpose to the days.

Best of luck. Also, remember to savor the small victories, just like it seems you did today.

[Anonymous]

PP here - cheering for you and your DD, OP!!! Thank you for the update - I hope the meds continue to give her some relief and hope.

[Anonymous]

Good luck OP. We are 5 months into this - just be aware that it can be two steps forward, one step back and things can always plummet too - it can go up and down. Just to help your expectations that recovery is not linear.

[Anonymous]

I hope things are still going well. My DD started Lexapro and therapy in August and in February had a suicidal episode following a break up, in which we had to bring her to a hospital for evaluation. She was not admitted, but it was a wake up call, that while she seemed stable, a traumatic event could still make her spiral quickly downward. We upped her dosage and increased her therapy sessions to weekly, and she seems better.
Good luck!

[Anonymous]

OP, The biggest thing I learned to do when my teen was depressed was to validate, validate, validate. Yes, the meds can relieve the dark emotions, but it's also important for a teen to know that whatever she feels is real and okay to express--it's harmful for her to feel as though she must shove it down to make others around her feel better/more comfortable. Also, for my teen, the most valuable therapy was the therapy she got after the crisis was past, when she could really apply herself to learning coping mechanisms, self-soothing, distress tolerance, for whatever comes her way in the future. Hugs and good luck--it is hard.