We all feel low at some point of our life, feel anxious, feel sad. But, experiencing this feeling at a persistent level is a matter to be concerned about. If your child feels low all the time and shows clear symptoms of continuous sadness, you must address the fact that your child might be suffering from depression which is the most common mental disorder that revolves around the feeling of hopelessness and frequent mood changes.
Children and teens with depression may show the following symptoms: frequent sadness or crying, irritability, anger, difficulty with sleeping or concentrating, a change in grades, getting into trouble at school, refusing to go to school, a change in eating habits, mood swings, feeling worthless or restless, withdrawing from friends and activities, loss of energy, low self-esteem, or thoughts of death or suicide. These symptoms may last for a short period of time, however, if these symptoms persist for more than two weeks, this may indicate a depressive disorder.
MCP Growth Groups offers a supportive and nurturing environment where group members learn new ways of coping and managing these symptoms of depression. These include: learning to identify and replace negative thinking patterns and behaviors with positive ones as well as learning to separate realistic thoughts from unrealistic thoughts.
Acceptance and mindfulness (living in the moment and experiencing things without judgment) are also beneficial ways to cope with unwanted thoughts, feelings, and sensations.