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Nathalie Himmelrich

Inspiring Hope | Finding healthy ways of Grieving | Writer

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sadness

Depression – Is My Child Depressed?

March 17, 2011 By Nathalie Himmelrich Leave a Comment

sad child

This might come as a surprise to some of you but children can experience depression as well as adolescents and adults. For some children it is not ‘just a phase they are going through’ and these parents need to know what to look for.

History

It is interesting to note that there wasn’t even an official diagnosis for childhood depression until 1980, even though there was significant research into depression in children in the 1950s. A young pediatrician called Leon Cytryn was researching the frequency of sadness and withdrawal he observed in boys admitted to hospital for surgery. He discovered that almost half of them had symptoms, which would have been associated with adult depression.

Sadness versus depression

To clarify here it is important to note that sadness can be a healthy and normal response when the child is upset, for example when their grandfather has just died or their pet has run away. If this sadness however is observed as a continuous state in the child’s day-to-day experience then we need to look at the potential for childhood depression.

Seeing the signs

The following symptoms can be linked to depression:

  • continuous feeling of sadness
  • not experiencing pleasure in activities they liked previously
  • complaining often about stomach aches, headaches or fatigue
  • significant changes in weight or appetite
  • repeated thoughts or attempts at running away from home
  • extreme tearfulness, irritability, low tolerance for frustration
  • sadness and hopelessness (‘I’ll never feel happy’), low self-esteem (‘no one likes me’)
  • difficulties sleeping, waking in the middle of the night, not being able to fall asleep or sleeping during the day
  • decreased social contacts with friends
  • drop in school performance, behavioral problems at school, refusal or reluctance to go to school
  • excessive worrying that something bad might happen, worries about family members getting hurt
  • less energy, looking tired, everything become an effort
  • hostility or aggression which is unprovoked
  • suicidal thoughts, fantasies of death or dying which may be observed in drawings or other forms of self-expression

Is it or not?

In order to decide whether the symptoms are truly pointing in the direction of depression ask yourself: ‘To what extent is your child’s feelings of sadness and the behavior interfering with their everyday life and normal development?’ If the answer is significant, you might need to get it checked out with your general practitioner.

Remember that you know your own child best and will be aware of changes in their behaviour and emotion. You might also want to include other sources that know your child like their teacher or other members of your extended family. Trust your own instinct and if you feel something is wrong, get it checked out.

Filed Under: grief/loss, health, self development/motivation Tagged With: childhood, childhood drepression, children, depression, frustration, sadness

Grief – Supporting People Who Are Grieving

February 23, 2010 By Nathalie Himmelrich Leave a Comment

Grief is a process that most people have experienced in their lives. It is an interesting fact that even though many of us have gone through it before we seem to forget how it was for us and lack knowledge on how to be with people who are in it.

Nathalie Himmelrich
mother and child grieving
Photo by Jordan Whitt on Unsplash

Experiences with clients have shown that there are really only a few simple guidelines to follow to support people who are grieving. The grief cycle, which was put forward by Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, contains the stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Depending on where the person in grief is there might be slightly different approaches needed. The best way to find out which of the following suggestions would work, is to ask them.

Being there with them

As simple as it may sound, being there with the grieving person is the first and most important suggestions. It is true that sometimes time alone is needed or desired but more often than not, grieving people are left alone for too long, when in fact they need companionship. This might mean staying with them watching television or having a meal, asking them to join you to go out or just checking whether they wish you to come over and keep them company.

[Read more…] about Grief – Supporting People Who Are Grieving

Filed Under: grief/loss, love/relationship/marriage Tagged With: grief/loss, loss, relationship breakup, sadness

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