Adolescents and Depression

Depression is a serious issue that a growing number of preteens and teens face today. It is important for you as a parent to be able to recognize signs of depression in your child so you can get help. This page helps you do just that. It also includes information about support for both you and your child.

PAMF Content for Parents

• How do I find a therapist for my teen?


• Teens and Depression


• Teens and Middle School

PAMF Content for Your Preteen

• Anger


• Conflict


• Coping With Depression


• Depression


• Social Anxiety


• Suicide Help Hotlines

PAMF Content for Your Teen

• Coping With Depression for Teens


• Grief Support and Education Help Hotlines


• Hotlines


• Improving Your Spirit


• Teen Emotions & Life


• Social Anxiety for Teens


• Suicide Help Hotlines

Outside Resources

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: This Web site is dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research and education, and to reaching out to people with mood disorders and those affected by suicide. It includes information on activities, campaigns, projects and initiatives. It also includes facts and figures on suicide as well as information on preventing suicide and surviving suicide loss.


• Antidepressant Medications for Children and Adolescents: This National Institutes of Health (NIH) Web site for parents discusses treatment options for children and adolescents with depression. It includes information about antidepressant medication, findings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) related to these medications, research and additional resources.


• Cope Care Deal: This mental health Web site for teens includes tips for coping with everyday stress; warning signs for teen mental illness; mental health resources; and clear-cut facts about depression, schizophrenia, and other illnesses that can affect teens. It also provides other resources such as a glossary and links to current New York Times articles on mental illness.


• Emotion Commotion: This girlshealth.gov Web site provides information for teens and preteens about coping with emotions. Some links include self-confidence, suicide, running away and hurting yourself.


• Mood Disorders: This Bright Futures brochure provides helpful information on symptoms, interventions, tips and resources for parents and guardians dealing with adolescents with depressive and bipolar disorders. It includes straightforward graphs and tables that make diagnosing and comparing disorders easier to understand.


• NAHIC 2006 Fact Sheet on Suicide: This updated version of popular fact sheet provides the latest data on suicide and mortality, with breakdowns by age, gender, and race and ethnicity, as well as trends.


• Operation Respect: This Web site provides strategies and ideas for parents to help teens manage their emotions. The Web site includes "Kid's Corner," "Educator's Ave." and "Parent's Place."


• The Use of Medication in Treating Childhood and Adolescent Depression: This fact sheet prepared by the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry helps patients and families make informed decisions about obtaining the most appropriate care for a child with depression.


• Self Abuse Finally Ends (SAFE) is a treatment approach to help end self-injurious (e.g., self-abuse, cutting, and self-mutilation) behavior. The Web site has information, resources, a blog and information about their treatment program.

Recommended Books

• Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls by Mary Pipher


• Bodily harm: The breakthrough healing program for self-injurers, by Karen Conterio, Wendy Lader and Jennifer Kingson Bloom, founders of Self Abusive Finally Ends (SAFE), a treatment program for self-injurers.

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