Treatment FAQ

what are some treatment for adolescent depression

by Bridie Herzog Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Webmd.com

18 rows ·  · The Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS) Team conducted one of the largest ...

Healthline.com

4 rows ·  · Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy have been proven effective in the ...

Top10homeremedies.com

 · Treatment for adolescents with depression is usually a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Numerous classes of medications are designed to alleviate the symptoms of depression. However,...

Which SSRIs most effectively treat depression in adolescents?

 · The two best studied psychological treatments are cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT). There have been two published meta-analyses of CBT (based on 35 trials in children and adolescents, 130 and 11 in adolescents only 131 ).

How to start treating depression?

 · Teen depression isn't a weakness or something that can be overcome with willpower — it can have serious consequences and requires long-term treatment. For most teens, depression symptoms ease with treatment such as medication and psychological counseling.

How do you cure depression without medication?

Does marijuana use put teens at risk for depression?

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What is the best treatment for adolescent depression?

Cognitive behavioral therapy and another therapy, interpersonal therapy, have the most evidence for treating adolescent depression. Some adolescents may benefit from an antidepressant, such as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. These are safe medications that have been associated with decreases in suicide rates.

What is the first line treatment for adolescent depression?

Fluoxetine (Prozac), citalopram (Celexa), and sertraline (Zoloft) are recommended as first-line treatments for childhood and adolescent depression.

What kind of treatment is used for depression?

Medications and psychotherapy are effective for most people with depression. Your primary care doctor or psychiatrist can prescribe medications to relieve symptoms. However, many people with depression also benefit from seeing a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional.

What are the three treatments for depression?

There are many types of therapy available. Three of the more common methods used in depression treatment include cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and psychodynamic therapy. Often, a blended approach is used.

Which antidepressant is good for children?

Fluoxetine is FDA-approved for children and adolescents and Escitalopram is FDA- approved for adolescents. Other SSRIs have also been found to be effective. A psychiatrist will recommend the best one for your child based on multiple clinical factors that will be addressed during treatment.

Can children receive ECT?

In general, ECT may be considered for children and adolescents with a history of a primary mood disorder or catatonia who have failed to improve despite multiple medication regimens and psychotherapy trials.

What are the most effective ways to treat depression research?

Clinical guidelines recommend antidepressant medication [selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)] or psychotherapy (e.g., cognitive behavior therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy) as first choice treatment options for ...

What kind of things can you do to avoid depression?

While triggers may be different for everyone, these are some of the best techniques you can use to prevent or avoid depression relapse.Exercise regularly. ... Cut back on social media time. ... Build strong relationships. ... Minimize your daily choices. ... Reduce stress. ... Maintain your treatment plan. ... Get plenty of sleep.More items...

What is the gold standard treatment for major depressive disorder?

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy are the psychotherapeutic approaches that have the best documented efficacy in the literature for management of depression.

Is therapy better than antidepressants?

For anxiety disorders, cognitive-behavioral therapy, antidepressant medications and anti-anxiety medications have all been shown to be helpful. Research generally shows that psychotherapy is more effective than medications, and that adding medications does not significantly improve outcomes from psychotherapy alone.

How do you stabilize depression?

You should talk to your doctor or therapist to find the best approach to treating your depression. Many lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and getting enough sleep may help improve your symptoms.

How to help a teenager who is depressed?

Even if your teen is feeling well, make sure he or she continues to take medications as prescribed. If your teen stops taking medications, depression symptoms may come back. And quitting suddenly may cause withdrawal-like symptoms.

What tests do you do when you suspect depression?

When teen depression is suspected, the doctor will typically do these exams and tests. Physical exam. The doctor may do a physical exam and ask in-depth questions about your teenager's health to determine what may be causing depression. In some cases, depression may be linked to an underlying physical health problem. Lab tests.

How to keep a teenager focused on positive things?

Stay active. Participation in sports, school activities or a job can help keep your teen focused on positive things, rather than negative feelings or behaviors.

How to help a teenager with sleep problems?

If your teen is having problems with sleep, ask the doctor for advice. Help your teen avoid alcohol and other drugs. Your teen may feel as if alcohol, marijuana or other drugs lessen depression symptoms, but in the long run they worsen symptoms and make depression harder to treat.

How long does it take for a medication to work for a teenager?

This requires patience, as some medications need several weeks or longer to take full effect and for side effects to ease as the body adjusts. Encourage your teen not to give up.

Why do teens need hospitalization?

Hospitalization and other treatment programs. In some teens, depression is so severe that a hospital stay is needed, especially if your teen is in danger of self-harm or hurting someone else. Getting psychiatric treatment at a hospital can help keep your teen calm and safe until symptoms are better managed.

What test do teens get for thyroid?

Lab tests. For example, your teen's doctor may do a blood test called a complete blood count or test your teen's thyroid to make sure it's functioning properly.

What is the first line of treatment for depression in adolescents?

Transdiagnostic protocols, delivery of therapy through information and communication technologies, and indicated prevention programs are currently expanding lines of research. In conclusion, the first-line psychological treatments for depression in adolescents are individual CBT and individual IPT.

What is depression in adolescents?

Keywords: adolescents, depression, psychological treatments, qualitative review. Go to: 1. Depression in Adolescence: A Public Health Problem. Depression is a major public health concern; it is the most disabling single disorder, contributing to 7.2% of the overall burden of disease in Europe [ 1 ].

What was the first review of empirically supported treatments?

The first review that applied the Criteria for Empirically Supported Treatments [ 156] to evaluate the efficacy of psychological treatments [ 157] identified seven trials on adolescent depression , and considered CWD-A to be the only treatment that had achieved probable efficacious status, based on the two trials by the research team of Lewinsohn [ 14, 25 ], which demonstrated the superiority of CBT over WL. This paucity of results is understandable, considering that when the review was published in 1998, barely three years had elapsed since the development of the classification criteria for evidence-based therapy.

Is CWD-A effective in adolescent depression?

At the end of treatment, the rate of recovery from depression was significantly higher in CWD-A (39%) than in LST (19%), and depressive symptoms reduced more, according to adolescent self-report and clinician assessment. There also was an improvement in social functioning; the between-group difference in conduct disorder was not significant, however. The rate of recovery from depression was the same in both groups one year later (63%).

Is adolescent depression similar to adult depression?

The authors argued that if adolescent depression is similar to adult depression, then treatment applied to the adult population, adapted to the level of adolescent development, would be effective in overcoming depression in adolescents.

Is depression a public health problem?

Depression is a common and impairing disorder which is a serious public health problem. For some individuals, depression has a chronic course and is recurrent, particularly when its onset is during adolescence.

Is FT an experimental treatment?

In the first trial, attachment-based FT [ 119] was shown to be superior to WL, but in the second trial, psychoeducation-based FT [ 37] did not differ significantly from TAU; thus, FT was rated to be an experimental treatment. The 2016 review [ 159] incorporated two new trials [ 51, 69 ], plus a third one [ 43] in which they analyzed childhood depression. The two adolescent trials, one by Diamond and colleagues [ 51] and one by Rohde and colleagues [ 69 ], failed to find a significant reduction in depressive symptoms between FT and control conditions; thus, it did not change the possibly efficacious status.

What is the treatment for depression in adolescents?

Treatment of childhood and adolescent depression consists of psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, or a combination of these. Treatment should correspond to the level of depression, patient preferences, the developmental level of the patient, associated risk factors, and availability of services. 8 Patient and family education about the associated risks and benefits of treatment, expectations regarding patient monitoring, and follow-up should be included. 33

What is the best treatment for mild depression?

Cognitive behavior therapy and interpersonal therapy are recommended for patients with mild depression and are appropriate adjuvant treatments to medication in those with moderate to severe depression. Pharmacotherapy is recommended for patients with moderate or severe depression.

How long should you continue fluoxetine treatment?

52 Patients in the fluoxetine group were significantly less likely to have a relapse of depressive symptoms (34 versus 60 percent). The decision to continue treatment for four to six months after remission of symptoms should be based on prior recurrent episodes of depression and current psychological and social stressors. Children younger than 11 years and those with chronic depression, comorbid substance use, psychiatric disorders, suicidality with plan, or lack of parental engagement in treatment should be referred to a psychiatrist. 44, 52

How effective is CBT in treating depression?

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy have been proven effective in the treatment of adolescent depression, and CBT has been proven effective in the treatment of childhood depression. CBT usually consists of behavioral activation techniques and methods to increase coping skills, improve communication skills and peer relationships, solve problems, combat negative thinking patterns, and regulate emotions. 8, 34 – 36 In contrast, interpersonal therapy generally focuses on adapting to changes in relationships, transitioning personal roles, and forming interpersonal relationships. 8, 36 The effects of CBT on depressive symptoms are moderate, 37, 38 but it has not been proven more effective than placebo for treating acute depression in adolescents. 39 A combination of CBT and medication has been shown to be more effective than medication alone in attaining remission of depression. 37, 40 Interpersonal therapy has not been compared with medication, combination treatment, or placebo, but it has been proven more effective than wait-list control groups with no therapy, and as effective or more effective than CBT. 41, 42

How do you know if you are depressed?

Although diagnostic criteria for depression are the same for children and adults ( Table 3 25), the manner in which these symptoms present may be different. 25 Adolescents with depression are more likely to experience anhedonia, boredom, hopelessness, hypersomnia, weight change (including failure to reach appropriate weight milestones), alcohol or drug use, and suicide attempts. Younger children are more likely to have somatic symptoms, restlessness, separation anxiety, phobias, and hallucinations. 26 The child's cognitive level should be considered; for example, younger children may appear sad but have difficulty verbalizing their mood. 27 Differences have been found between parent reports and self-reports of depressive symptoms. Parents are more likely to indicate externalized symptoms such as irritability, whereas children are more likely to report internalized symptoms such as depressed mood. 8

What are the risk factors for depression in children?

Risk factors include a family history of depression, parental conflict, poor peer relationships, deficits in coping skills, and negative thinking. Diagnostic criteria are the same for children and adults, with the exception that children and adolescents may express irritability rather than sad or depressed mood, and weight loss may be viewed in terms of failure to reach appropriate weight milestones. Treatment must take into account the severity of depression, suicidality, developmental stage, and environmental and social factors. Cognitive behavior therapy and interpersonal therapy are recommended for patients with mild depression and are appropriate adjuvant treatments to medication in those with moderate to severe depression. Pharmacotherapy is recommended for patients with moderate or severe depression. Tricyclic antidepressants are not effective in children and adolescents. Antidepressants have a boxed warning for the increased risk of suicide; therefore, careful assessment, follow-up, safety planning, and patient and family education should be included when treatment is initiated.

How prevalent is depression in children?

The prevalence of depression is estimated to be 2.8 percent in children younger than 13 years and 5.6 percent in adolescents 13 to 18 years of age. 1 The incidence of depression among children and adolescents is of great concern because of the acute and lasting consequences associated with depressive disorders. Approximately 60 percent of adolescents with depression have recurrences throughout adulthood. 2 Furthermore, adults with a history of adolescent depression have a higher rate of suicide than those without such a history. 2 Adolescent-onset depression has been associated with abuse and neglect 3; poor academic performance; substance use; early pregnancy; and disruptions in social, employment, and family settings into adulthood. 4 – 6 Although the prevalence of adolescent depression is high, it is significantly underdiagnosed and undertreated. 7 Because of the lack of mental health care professionals, family physicians are often responsible for detecting and treating childhood and adolescent depression. 8 – 10

How to diagnose depression in teens?

It’s important to diagnose depression in teens early. If your teen has symptoms of depression, make sure to see a mental health specialist. Treatment can be highly effective and usually includes both medication and psychotherapy. Last medically reviewed on February 18, 2021.

What are the effects of depression on teens?

Teens with depression can also have hormone differences and different levels of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are key chemicals in the brain that affect how brain cells communicate with one another. They play an important role in regulating moods and behavior.

Why is teen depression different from adult depression?

This may be because teens face different social and developmental challenges, such as peer pressure, changing hormone levels, and developing bodies.

What are the neurotransmitters that are important for depression?

The neurotransmitters that are important to our understanding of depression are serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Low levels of these neurotransmitters may contribute to depression, according to available research.

What are the factors that increase a teen's risk for depression?

Factors that may increase a teen’s risk for depression include: a family crisis, such as death or divorce. having a difficult time with their sexual orientation, in the case of teens who are L GBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and more) having trouble adjusting socially.

How old do you have to be to get a mental health screening?

In 2016, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) began to recommend that all youth ages 12 to 18 years old be screened for major depressive disorder (MDD). MDD is also known as clinical depression.

Why do LGBTQIA+ teens have depression?

This is because external factors, such as stigma from the outside world or a lack of family acceptance, can have a negative impact on the way they view themselves.

What is the highest risk for depression in adolescents?

The strongest risk factors for depression in adolescents are a family history of depression and exposure to psychosocial stress.

How does resilience help with depression?

Many children who are at high-risk for depression through familial predisposition and exposure to adversity do not develop the disorder.101Research into depression resilience has the potential to identify targets for prevention of depression. Individual factors that have been reported to protect against the development of depression in high-risk adolescents include inherited factors and high intelligence, as well as potentially modifiable factors such as emotion-regulation capacities, coping mechanisms, and thinking styles.102–105The most consistent findings relate to the protective effects of good quality interpersonal relationships, suggesting that improvement of these relationships could be a target for prevention of depression. Children with a high familial risk of depression tend to have better mental health if their relationships with their parents are characterised by warmth, acceptance, low hostility, and low parental control.102,105The broader social context also needs to be considered because quality of peer support seems especially predictive of resilience to depression in the context of child maltreatment and maternal depression.103–105

How long does it take for depression to go away?

Longitudinal studies of community and clinic-based population samples suggest that 60–90% of episodes of depression in adolescents remit within a year.41,42However, in follow-up studies 50–70% of patients who remit develop subsequent depressive episodes within 5 years.41,43Clinic-referred patients generally fare less well than those treated in the community.6Moreover, in adults very few individuals show complete symptomatic and functional recovery between depressive episodes, with most reporting residual symptoms or impairment.44,45

What is the prevalence of unipolar depressive disorder?

Introduction. Unipolar depressive disorder is a common mental health problem in adolescents worldwide,1with an estimated 1 year prevalence of 4–5% in mid to late adolescence.2,3Depression in adolescents is a major risk factor for suicide, the second-to-third leading cause of death in this age group,4with more than half of adolescent suicide victims ...

What is depression in adults?

Depression is defined as a cluster of specific symptoms with associated impairment. The clinical and diagnostic features of the disorder are broadly similar in adoles cents and adults (panel).10,11The two main classification systems (international classification of diseases-10 [ICD-10] and the American diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-IV [DSM-IV]) define depression similarly, although DSM-IV makes one exception for children and adolescents, whereby irritable rather than depressed mood is allowed as a core diagnostic symptom.12Nevertheless, depression in adolescents is more often missed than it is in adults,13possibly because of the prominence of irritability, mood reactivity, and fluctuating symptoms in adolescents. Depression can also be missed if the primary presenting problems are unexplained physical symptoms, eating disorders, anxiety, refusal to attend school, decline in academic performance, sub stance misuse, or behavioural problems.

How do inherited factors contribute to depression?

Inherited factors seem to contribute to depression in adolescents in two ways—not only by directly increasing risk, but also indirectly through gene–environment interplay, specifically by increasing sensitivity to adversity (gene–environment interaction) and by increasing the probability of exposure to risky environments (gene–environment correlation).60,79,80Several twin and family studies suggest that adolescents (especially girls) at high inherited and familial risk of depression show increased sensitivity to psychosocial risk factors (gene–environment interaction), such as stressful life events81and family adversity,60,80and are the ones most likely to be exposed to such risks.80

Why is it so difficult to understand the pathogenesis of depression in adolescents?

Because of the clinically heterogeneous and diverse causes of the illness, to understand the pathogenesis of depression in adolescents is challenging. Like many other common health disorders, several risk factors interact to increase the risk of depression in a probabilistic way. To assess the contribution of any single risk factor in isolation and to identify crucial developmental periods when exposure is especially risky is difficult because many individual, family, and social risks are strongly correlated and relate to continuing and later adversities.

How to help a person with depression?

Get treatment at the earliest sign of a problem to help prevent depression from worsening. Maintain ongoing treatment , if recommended, even after symptoms let up, to help prevent a relapse of depression symptoms. By Mayo Clinic Staff.

What is the problem with depression in teens?

Overview. Teen depression is a serious mental health problem that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities. It affects how your teenager thinks, feels and behaves, and it can cause emotional, functional and physical problems. Although depression can occur at any time in life, symptoms may be different between teens ...

Why do teens have depression?

Learned patterns of negative thinking. Teen depression may be linked to learning to feel helpless — rather than learning to feel capable of finding solutions for life's challenges.

How do you know if you have depression as a teenager?

Symptoms. Teen depression signs and symptoms include a change from the teenager's previous attitude and behavior that can cause significant distress and problems at school or home, in social activities, or in other areas of life. Depression symptoms can vary in severity, but changes in your teen's emotions and behavior may include ...

Why do teens have lows?

Issues such as peer pressure, academic expectations and changing bodies can bring a lot of ups and downs for teens. But for some teens, the lows are more than just temporary feelings — they're a symptom of depression. Teen depression isn't a weakness or something that can be overcome with willpower — it can have serious consequences ...

Is depression more common in blood relatives?

Inherited traits. Depression is more common in people whose blood relatives — such as a parent or grandparent — also have the condition.

Can depression affect teens?

Depression symptoms can vary in severity, but changes in your teen's emotions and behavior may include the examples below.

How to help someone with depression?

It’s also worth encouraging them to try a new activity or hobby, like guitar lessons, art classes, or a sport. Volunteering and other acts of kindness, like helping out neighbors, may also help ease feelings of depression.

What are the symptoms of depression in teenagers?

Depression symptoms in teenagers often include: unusual irritability. angry outbursts. fatigue, lack of energy, and lethargy. aches, pains, or stomach issues.

How to stop a child from interrupting?

Avoid interrupting, finishing their sentences, or filling in their pauses. Let them share in their own time, even if it takes them a while to get the words out.

What is the best way to improve symptoms of a child's symtom?

While your compassion and guidance can make a big difference for your child, professional support is typically the best way to improve symptoms.

Why is it important to maintain friendships with teens?

Maintaining important friendships can help your teen continue to feel socially connected even when they’re struggling.

How do you know if your child is depressed?

dropping grades or disinterest in school. negative or critical self-talk. talk about death, dying, or suicide. If you’ve noticed these signs on most days for more than a week or two, your child could have depression.

Is depression your fault?

Remember, depression is no one’s fault — not theirs, and not yours.

What are some examples of behavior in children with depression?

external icon. Examples of behaviors often seen in children with depression include. Feeling sad, hopeless, or irritable a lot of the time. Not wanting to do or enjoy doing fun things. Showing changes in eating patterns – eating a lot more or a lot less than usual.

What are the signs of depression in children?

Showing changes in energy – being tired and sluggish or tense and restless a lot of the time. Having a hard time paying attention. Feeling worthless, useless, or guilty. Showing self-injury and self-destructive behavior. Extreme depression can lead a child to think about suicide or plan for suicide.

Why do children feel sad?

For example, toddlers are often very distressed about being away from their parents, even if they are safe and cared for. Although fears and worries are typical in children, persistent or extreme forms of fear and sadness could be due to anxiety or depression. Because the symptoms primarily involve thoughts and feelings, they are sometimes called internalizing disorders.

What is cognitive behavioral therapy?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one form of therapy that is used to treat anxiety or depression, particularly in older children. It helps the child change negative thoughts into more positive, effective ways of thinking, leading to more effective behavior.

What are some examples of anxiety disorders?

Examples of different types of anxiety disorders include. Being very afraid when away from parents (separation anxiety) Having extreme fear about a specific thing or situation, such as dogs, insects, or going to the doctor (phobias) Being very afraid of school and other places where there are people (social anxiety)

Why do kids feel hopeless?

When children feel persistent sadness and hopelessness, they may be diagnosed with depression.

Why do kids not talk about their helpless thoughts?

Some children may not talk about their helpless and hopeless thoughts, and may not appear sad. Depression might also cause a child to make trouble or act unmotivated, causing others not to notice that the child is depressed or to incorrectly label the child as a trouble-maker or lazy.

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Diagnosis

Treatment

  • Treatment depends on the type and severity of your teenager's depression symptoms. A combination of talk therapy (psychotherapy) and medication can be very effective for most teens with depression. If your teen has severe depression or is in danger of self-harm, he or she may need a hospital stay or may need to participate in an outpatient treatmen...
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Clinical Trials

  • Explore Mayo Clinic studiestesting new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
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Alternative Medicine

  • Make sure that you and your teenager understand the risks as well as possible benefits if your teen pursues alternative or complementary therapy. Don't replace conventional medical treatment or psychotherapy with alternative medicine. When it comes to depression, alternative treatments aren't a good substitute for medical care. Examples of techniques that may help in dealing with …
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Lifestyle and Home Remedies

  • You are your teenager's best advocate to help him or her succeed. In addition to professional treatment, here are some steps you and your teen can take that may help: 1. Stick to the treatment plan.Make sure your teen attends appointments, even if he or she doesn't feel like going. Even if your teen is feeling well, make sure he or she continues to take medications as prescribed. If yo…
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Coping and Support

  • Showing interest and the desire to understand your teenager's feelings lets him or her know you care. You may not understand why your teen feels hopeless or has a sense of loss or failure. But listen without judging and try to put yourself in your teen's position. Help build your teen's self-esteem by recognizing small successes and offering praise about competence. Encourage your …
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Preparing For Your Appointment

  • It's a good idea to be well prepared for your appointment. Here's some information to help you and your teenager get ready, and what to expect from the doctor.
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