How Do You Know if Your Child Has Sadness or Depression?
See Below: TIPS, IDEAS, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHILD WITH SADNESS OR DEPRESSION
It is important to know if your child is suffering from sadness or depression. Understanding the difference is key in finding services and support for your child.
While raising my five children and now raising two grandchildren, I learned the importance of finding out if my child was suffering from sadness or depression.
Since they both can appear very similar, learning the signs and symptoms of both sadness and depression is essential.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Depression?
Due to individuality and uniqueness, there are multiple signs and symptoms of depression in children.
Many children feeling depressed may experience some of these signs and symptoms of depression, but most likely they will not have every symptom.
Some Signs and Symptoms of Depression Include:
- Feelings of desperation
- An ongoing sense of hopelessness
- A consistent sad or irritable mood
- Lack of focus and attention
- Difficulty making decisions
- An overwhelming sense of guilt
- Feeling worthless
- Impatient and bad-tempered
- Loss of appetite or overeating
- Low energy or lethargic
- Being Self-critical
- Difficulty getting to sleep or can’t get out of bed
- Thoughts of hurting oneself
Specialists suggest having at least five of these signs and symptoms continually during a two-week period could be a diagnosis of depression.
PLEASE NOTE, these symptoms are simply a guideline. Depression is a very common and treatable mental health illness.
Anyone who suspects having depression should seek a mental health professional for a full diagnosis and support.
What is Teen Depression?
Depression is a mental health disorder that affects children, teens, and adults. It is an ongoing sense of sadness and feelings of emptiness.
Different than sadness, depression is not typically due to a specific cause, but more of an overall feeling of hopelessness.
According to the CDC, Centers for Disease Control, Depression in adolescents and teens, 12-17 years old have varying levels of feeling depressed.
The CDC reports:
- Over 15% with significant depression within the past year.
- Over 36% with ongoing feelings of grief and desperation.
- Over 18% contemplated suicide.
- Over 15% planned suicide.
- Over 8% attempted suicide.
- Over 2% required medical intervention after an attempted suicide.
Mental Health treatment is very effective in helping children, teens, and adults recover from depression. Individual and family treatment also helps families heal from trauma caused by depression.
With professional treatment and support, teen depression is manageable through therapy and medication.
Discussing depression openly with family members and medical professionals will yield the best overall results to sustain a happy and healthy lifestyle.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Sadness?
Feeling sadness during upsetting or painful life events is a normal human emotion. However, most sad feelings and emotions become less prevalent with time.
According to the American Psychological Association, APA, the psychological definition of sadness states that “sadness is an emotional state of unhappiness, ranging in intensity from mild to extreme and usually aroused by the loss of something that is highly valued.”
Other meanings include emotional pain with feelings of helplessness and grief, loss, or despair.
Sadness is generally triggered by an upsetting or shocking life situation.
Sadness can be felt by the onset of grief through death, divorce, sickness, employment changes, money problems, relationship issues, etc.
Additional signs of sadness include:
- Feeling sluggish, very low motivation
- Getting angry and upset quickly
- Internalizing feelings and emotions
- Lack of interest in hobbies
- An overall feeling of hopelessness
- Difficulty focusing
- Problems sleeping
- Keeping to themselves and remaining quiet
- Discussing dying or the possibility of dying
- Talking negatively about themselves
Ongoing feelings of sadness can change levels of hormones in your body as well as the chemistry in your brain. Undiagnosed sadness can also lead to internal concerns linked to heart disease, stroke, and inflammation.
The continual sense of unhappiness is expressed in one’s face, eyes, and body. Sadness affects the look and appearance of our faces. Eyes and eyebrows lower and lips curl downwards. Most times it is difficult to hide when you are feeling sad.
Additionally, emotions are stored inside our bodies, so sadness can affect our internal organs, tissues, and muscles. Sadness can also affect our speech. Our voice tone, cadence, and rhythm become softer and lower in volume and pitch during sadness.
If you are dealing with long-term sadness, you should reach out for support from a mental health professional. Sharing feelings and emotions with someone outside of your family or friend group can give you a brighter outlook for a future of happiness and success.
Mental Health Professionals
There are many mental health and medical professionals that can provide treatment and support for anyone suffering from sadness or depression. Such as:
Psychiatrist:
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in mental health and mental illness. Including diagnosis and prescribing medications, as well as regularly monitoring medications. Some psychiatrists also provide therapeutic counseling.
Psychologist:
Psychologists provide therapy, counseling, and consultation. Psychologists work with patients to develop skills and strategies to manage thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that impact one’s mental health. Psychologists may be involved in helping in one’s journey to recovery.
Counselors:
Counselors have knowledge of counseling and therapeutic approaches. Counselors advise and counsel on behavioral management, and the development of strategies to manage the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that impact mental health.
Primary Doctor:
A primary doctor monitors the treatment one receives from mental health services. They may discuss treatment opportunities or consult with other medical professionals on your behalf. Primary doctors oversee and manage a patient’s overall health.
Other mental health and medical professionals who may help evaluate and diagnose patients are:
- Clinical Social Workers
- Nurse Practitioners
- Psychiatric Pharmacists
For more information regarding Support Services for Children.
The Difference Between Sadness or Depression
Sadness and depression may oftentimes look the same, but they are different. Sadness is a common emotion that everyone experiences. Sadness is oftentimes felt after stressful or upsetting life events.
Depression is an overwhelming and consistent mental health disorder that can significantly impact one’s life. The definition of depression states a “feeling of severe despondency and dejection.”
While many people recover from sadness and feeling sad over time, recovery from depression generally requires medical treatment, such as therapeutic treatment and/or medication.
Understanding your own signs and symptoms will help you be proactive in finding the necessary treatment for yourself.
Sadness or Depression Quiz
Here are a few questions to better understand if you are feeling sadness or depression.
THIS IS NOT A TRUE OR ACCURATE QUIZ.
I AM NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. PLEASE DO NOT USE THESE RESULTS FOR ANY TYPE OF THERAPY OR DIAGNOSIS.
These questions are simply a gauge of understanding yourself and your own feelings and emotions. THIS IS NOT A DIAGNOSIS!
- How often do you feel sad or unhappy?
- Never
- Rarely
- Sometimes
- Often
- Always
2. How often do you feel you’ve lost interest in most things or activities you used to enjoy?
- Never
- Rarely
- Sometimes
- Often
- Always
3. How often do you feel confined or trapped?
- Never
- Rarely
- Sometimes
- Often
- Always
4. How often do you feel out of control or overwhelmed?
- Never
- Rarely
- Sometimes
- Often
- Always
5. How often do you feel helpless or abandoned?
- Never
- Rarely
- Sometimes
- Often
- Always
6. How often are you excited about something happening in your life?
- Never
- Rarely
- Sometimes
- Often
- Always
7. How often do you feel enthusiastic and hopeful?
- Never
- Rarely
- Sometimes
- Often
- Always
8. How often do you feel negative and pessimistic?
- Never
- Rarely
- Sometimes
- Often
- Always
Mental Health Resources for Parents
There are many mental health resources and information for parents, both locally and throughout the United States, as well as in other countries.
Some excellent mental health resources for parents include:
Center for Parent Information & Resources:
American Academy of Pediatrics:
Children’s Mental Health and Emotional or Behavioral Disorders Project:
U.S Department of Health & Human Service: SAMHSA Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Nationwide Children’s:
For additional information regarding Traumatic Childhood Experiences.
Raising Children with Sadness or Depression
Parents and grandparents raising grandchildren with sadness or depression need to be loving and soft during their children’s difficult emotional periods.
It is extremely important to talk to your child directly about their feelings and get a better understanding of the challenges they are experiencing.
Parents and grandparents should not shame, embarrass or disregard their children’s emotional pain and grief. It is important to provide your children with love and the medical treatment they need to help them through their sadness or depression.
Listen to your child and do not ignore the signs and symptoms of sadness or depression.
Parents and grandparents have the ability to show love, support, and affection that will demonstrate to your child that you are there for them through all of their challenges and difficulties.
To all the parents and grandparents dealing with a child with sadness or depression…Be strong, Be supportive, and Be present for your children. If you are there for them when they need you the most, they will grow to be mentally healthy adults.
To better understand fear and anxiety in children, go to How to Understand Harmful Fear and Anxiety in Children.
TIPS, IDEAS, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHILD WITH SADNESS OR DEPRESSION
- Talk to your child. Don’t let them shut you out of their life. It is important you show them you want and need to be involved in their mental health.
- Listen to your children. Don’t disregard what they are telling you. Don’t undermine the importance of their struggles and frustrations. Their emotions are their emotions!
- Don’t tease or joke about their feelings. Being a child can be very socially difficult. Don’t make them feel that their emotions are funny or humorous.
- If they are struggling with sadness or depression seek professional help and don’t take no for an answer. Talking to a counselor or therapist may sound scary to some children, which may deter them from getting treatment.
- Parents and grandparents need to take the lead and get the professional support they need for their children’s overall mental health.
- Parents and grandparents raising grandkids need to understand their child’s perspectives on their feelings and emotions. Show empathy, love, and compassion even during difficult and emotional periods.
