Teen Depression

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have a teenage daughter (now 17) who was sexually assaulted at 15. Diagnosed with PTSD.
Therapy and meds, but depression is overwhelming.
Some days better than others. Some days are so awful it's unimaginable.

PP, hugs to you and your daughter. What a horrible nightmare.
I hope the guy who did it is locked up somewhere and will never see the light of day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have a teenage daughter (now 17) who was sexually assaulted at 15. Diagnosed with PTSD.
Therapy and meds, but depression is overwhelming.
Some days better than others. Some days are so awful it's unimaginable.

I am so sorry.
Your daughter's trauma is an example of the "enviornmental" source.
School and/or family are the most common enviornmental factors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really hate this idea that something must be wrong in a family if a child has depression. Most kids with depression come from loving, stable homes. My DC had serious depression. I've had serious depression. There's obviously something genetic going on here.

+1 Our family has depression. Pretty much everyone. They are also very successful, stay married, keep their jobs, raise their kids, stay out of trouble with the law and so on. But the depression keeps coming, generation after generation. There are some studies that show that depressed people are often very successful -- they work to keep busy. we are thankful for advances in medications. "The brain is an organ, subject to disease like any other organ"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hate this idea that something must be wrong in a family if a child has depression. Most kids with depression come from loving, stable homes. My DC had serious depression. I've had serious depression. There's obviously something genetic going on here.

+1 Our family has depression. Pretty much everyone. They are also very successful, stay married, keep their jobs, raise their kids, stay out of trouble with the law and so on. But the depression keeps coming, generation after generation. There are some studies that show that depressed people are often very successful -- they work to keep busy. we are thankful for advances in medications. "The brain is an organ, subject to disease like any other organ"

I hope you're not discounting the enviornmental part of the equation, are you? What else are you doing besides meds?

[Anonymous]

There are meds and therapy. Is there something else that can be done?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hate this idea that something must be wrong in a family if a child has depression. Most kids with depression come from loving, stable homes. My DC had serious depression. I've had serious depression. There's obviously something genetic going on here.

+1 Our family has depression. Pretty much everyone. They are also very successful, stay married, keep their jobs, raise their kids, stay out of trouble with the law and so on. But the depression keeps coming, generation after generation. There are some studies that show that depressed people are often very successful -- they work to keep busy. we are thankful for advances in medications. "The brain is an organ, subject to disease like any other organ"

I hope you're not discounting the enviornmental part of the equation, are you? What else are you doing besides meds?

Why this obsession with "triggers?" Is it because you want someone to blame? or because you are anti-meds and want someone to wave the magic wand and make "it" disappear? Sometimes you can point to something, but even with that something depressed people are generally having an atypical reaction. And for many of us there's no trigger at all.

Talk therapy plus meds are the gold standard. But talk therapy is important for psychiatric illnesses that even you would probably say are biological (bipolar disorder, for example).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have a teenage daughter (now 17) who was sexually assaulted at 15. Diagnosed with PTSD.
Therapy and meds, but depression is overwhelming.
Some days better than others. Some days are so awful it's unimaginable.

I am so sorry.
Your daughter's trauma is an example of the "enviornmental" source.
School and/or family are the most common enviornmental factors.

Although you are right in my daughter's case, I am not sure I subscribe to the idea that depression can't come out of nowhere and be related to nothing. I am not an expert, but I know a LOT of people who are depressed, and from what I can see (although obviously I am not super knowledgeable about their personal lives), I can see plenty of healthy, well adjusted families with kids who are depressed who I couldn't pinpont to anything family or school related. From what i can see, the depressed teenager is the one who creates total nightmares in the lives of their loving, supportive families. I dont know what "environmental" triggers means, are you speaking of things like chemical triggers? (food additives etc??)

I came from a completely crazy dysfunctional family, and neither me nor my siblings suffer from depression.

All I know is that depression is an absolute nightmare...and not only for the teenager suffering, but it turns the lives of everyone around them completely upside down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have a teenage daughter (now 17) who was sexually assaulted at 15. Diagnosed with PTSD.
Therapy and meds, but depression is overwhelming.
Some days better than others. Some days are so awful it's unimaginable.

I am so sorry.
Your daughter's trauma is an example of the "enviornmental" source.
School and/or family are the most common enviornmental factors.

Although you are right in my daughter's case, I am not sure I subscribe to the idea that depression can't come out of nowhere and be related to nothing. I am not an expert, but I know a LOT of people who are depressed, and from what I can see (although obviously I am not super knowledgeable about their personal lives), I can see plenty of healthy, well adjusted families with kids who are depressed who I couldn't pinpont to anything family or school related. From what i can see, the depressed teenager is the one who creates total nightmares in the lives of their loving, supportive families. I dont know what "environmental" triggers means, are you speaking of things like chemical triggers? (food additives etc??)

I came from a completely crazy dysfunctional family, and neither me nor my siblings suffer from depression.

All I know is that depression is an absolute nightmare...and not only for the teenager suffering, but it turns the lives of everyone around them completely upside down.

Amen!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have a teenage daughter (now 17) who was sexually assaulted at 15. Diagnosed with PTSD.
Therapy and meds, but depression is overwhelming.
Some days better than others. Some days are so awful it's unimaginable.

I am so sorry.
Your daughter's trauma is an example of the "enviornmental" source.
School and/or family are the most common enviornmental factors.

Although you are right in my daughter's case, I am not sure I subscribe to the idea that depression can't come out of nowhere and be related to nothing. I am not an expert, but I know a LOT of people who are depressed, and from what I can see (although obviously I am not super knowledgeable about their personal lives), I can see plenty of healthy, well adjusted families with kids who are depressed who I couldn't pinpont to anything family or school related. From what i can see, the depressed teenager is the one who creates total nightmares in the lives of their loving, supportive families. I dont know what "environmental" triggers means, are you speaking of things like chemical triggers? (food additives etc??)

I came from a completely crazy dysfunctional family, and neither me nor my siblings suffer from depression.

All I know is that depression is an absolute nightmare...and not only for the teenager suffering, but it turns the lives of everyone around them completely upside down.

Beautifully said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two depressed teen boys I'm aware of had a parent with a long term serious illness or disease.

Heredity is a major factor. DH he depression and I am very worried about the kids. DS has pretty bad anxiety already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have a teenage daughter (now 17) who was sexually assaulted at 15. Diagnosed with PTSD.
Therapy and meds, but depression is overwhelming.
Some days better than others. Some days are so awful it's unimaginable.

I am so sorry for your daughter and you.

[Anonymous]

They used to say that cancer was all in your genes to.

Just look how dumb that turned out to be.

Wise up, folks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hate this idea that something must be wrong in a family if a child has depression. Most kids with depression come from loving, stable homes. My DC had serious depression. I've had serious depression. There's obviously something genetic going on here.

+1 Our family has depression. Pretty much everyone. They are also very successful, stay married, keep their jobs, raise their kids, stay out of trouble with the law and so on. But the depression keeps coming, generation after generation. There are some studies that show that depressed people are often very successful -- they work to keep busy. we are thankful for advances in medications. "The brain is an organ, subject to disease like any other organ"

Your tale is a lie. You can't have a family full of depressed people, yet each one is a fantastic success. Nice try, troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hate this idea that something must be wrong in a family if a child has depression. Most kids with depression come from loving, stable homes. My DC had serious depression. I've had serious depression. There's obviously something genetic going on here.

+1 Our family has depression. Pretty much everyone. They are also very successful, stay married, keep their jobs, raise their kids, stay out of trouble with the law and so on. But the depression keeps coming, generation after generation. There are some studies that show that depressed people are often very successful -- they work to keep busy. we are thankful for advances in medications. "The brain is an organ, subject to disease like any other organ"

Your tale is a lie. You can't have a family full of depressed people, yet each one is a fantastic success. Nice try, troll.

I actually dont agree. Depression does not mean that you cant hold a job, have kids, dont get arrested, dont become an alcoholic, etc. You can manage life and still be depressed. Its not enjoyable, but you can hold it together and still keep your life going. I know plenty of people like that. I dont find this poster's experience in her family at all unusual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are meds and therapy. Is there something else that can be done?

Change schools if the school environment is punitive or shaming. A change made an enormous 100% turnabout for DC.