Here are some questions that might open the door of communication between you and your teen! Have fun!
1. When you are having a bad day, how do you think you react? Do you find it easy to bounce back after a bad day, or does it take a long time to feel better? Why?
2. Do you have any friends at school or church who you think might be depressed? What makes you think that?
3. When things go wrong, who do you go to for advice and support? Why?
4. When you feel depressed or sad, what do you do (hobbies, music, computer, etc.) to help you deal with your feelings? Why?
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Pray that...
1. God will give you wisdom and discernment when there is suspicion that your son/daughter might be dealing with clinical depression.
2. God will give you strength and comfort to get the necessary help for your teen if they are dealing with depression.
3. Your teen will feel comfortable in talking to you or someone they trust about any personal issue, including depression.
4. God will be your protector, encourager, friend, and physician in any and every part of your family.
"Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long? I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears." Psalm 6:2-3,6 (NIV)
If we were honest, this could have been a prayer most of us have prayed before. The person crying out in this prayer is not a new Christian who can't get his life on track. This was King David, a man after God's own heart! We know that David was not perfect, but his life and heart was to reflect God in everything he did. Because this was his desire, God heard his cries and answered his prayer. We know because of what David said in Psalm 23:6, "Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Cling to this promise! While depressing days will come, our hope is in Him and the promise of heaven.
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Did you know...
* Studies indicate that 1 in 5 children have some sort of mental, behavioral, or emotional problem, and that 1 in 10 may have a serious emotional problem. Among adolescents, 1 in 8 may suffer from depression. (about-teen-depression.com)
* Findings by the Heritage Foundation say that about 25% of sexually active girls say they are depressed all, most, or a lot of the time; 8% of girls who are not sexually active feel the same. (usatoday.com)
* Major depression is the No. 1 psychological disorder in the western world. It is growing in all age groups, in virtually every community, and the growth is seen most in the young, especially teens. At this rate of increase, it will be the 2nd most disabling condition in the world by 2020, behind heart disease. (clinical-depression.co.uk)
* Although statistics show that girls are twice as likely as boys to develop clinical depression, this is misleading. It has been reported that girls are more likely to disclose their depressive symptoms, or seek out help than boys. (peaceandhealing.com)
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Here are some interesting things to know about some causes and potential ways to deal with stress:
