Most people have felt sad, blue, and generally unmotivated at some point in their life. When asked what was wrong, inevitably they'd say, “I'm depressed,” or “My life is so depressing,” or “I've had the most depressing week.” The way in which they dealt with those emotions varied depending on the circumstances. Some lay in bed watching movies, waiting for the “depression” to go away. Others ate or drank their way through it. Still others got busy, thinking if they could just get their mind off of their “depression,” they'd be fine. Eventually, the “depression” would lift and things would go back to normal.
That wasn't depression; that was the blues, a few days of feeling yucky and a few days spent medicating one's self in the best way you knew possible. For those who have suffered the real thing, they would tell you that you have no clue how it really feels. The word “depression” has been bantered about so much that it has lost its meaning in most contexts. It is now used to describe anything that feels unpleasant.
Real depression is devastating. It feels as if it is going to last forever, and it rarely just goes away. Those who have been through it will tell you that it's a long, slow road to recovery. Only through the identification of it as an illness and its subsequent treatment can most people overcome it.
According to the World Health Organization, by the time your children reach adulthood in 2020, depression will rank second as the cause of a loss of healthy years in one's life (number one is heart disease). While most parents do not want to think it's true, the prevalence of depression among children is growing at an alarming rate. Unfortunately, most research is focused on the treatment rather than the prevention of depression.
How can the amount of people suffering from depression be reduced? It seems obvious that you would start with your children. While much depression is hereditary and related to problems with brain chemistry, a child who has had a parent with depression is not necessarily destined to become depressed. Depression
There are myriad things you can do to help prevent your children from becoming depressed or to treat those who are already suffering. It is a teaching process, and it involves much hands-on parenting. No one expects parents to know how to do this, but it can be learned and therefore passed on to our children.
Since depression prevention programs are still few and far between, you, as the parent, must become the first major team player in the prevention and treatment of your child's depression. Part of your work requires that you become as educated as possible about the causes, risk factors, and chemical factors that can cause depression. You'll also need to acquire healthy parenting skills that will prepare your child to become resilient, self-reliant, and emotionally flexible. These are the skills that your child will need to not only beat depression but also to have a successful, happy life.
The most effective way to combat depression is through a multifaceted approach. This book will outline what to look for, how to spot it, and how to begin getting your child the help he needs. It will also push and encourage you to become the very best parent you can be to make your child healthy and happy. Are you ready?