I was shocked to read that if you do not help a depressed teenage boy or girl to get out of depression, statistics show that 15% of them will actually commit suicide. This is a very alarming statistic but it does show us that we should never treat depression lightly.
The other statistic which is not too comforting is that the fact that anti-depressants which are prescribed are liable to lead to an increase in suicidal thoughts. The estimates here vary from 2% to 4%. This is less alarming because no suicides in that group actually happened but it is still scary territory.
In many ways a depressed teenage boy or girl may not display many of the classic symptoms of depression. Certainly there may be a certain lack of desire for social contacts and the teenager may live an isolated life. But many display aggressive behavior, or bad tempered behavior. The depressed teen boy has a tendency to run foul of the law and there are all sorts of risks associated with risks of self injury, drug addiction and alcoholism.
If your depressed teenage boy has been diagnosed with depression, here is the first tip to help him. Cut down on simple carbohydrates and favour the complex ones such as wholegrains, nuts, fruit and vegetables. If you increase the protein intake that can be a great help as it can reduce the number of crashes and keep glucose blood levels steady. If you have a problem in cooking proteins, you can always rely on protein powders.
The second tip is to monitor what is going on in your depressed teen boy's life and that may mean snooping which you would rather not have to do. But if you suspect that there is an increase in suicidal thoughts, then have a look in his room to discover suicide notes if they have been left around. A check on the search history on the computer might reveal some suicide sites which have been visited recently.
The third tip is to make sure that exercise in the open air is done on a daily basis if possible. Even accompanying him or just being with him or just collecting him is important. Nobody doubts the benefits on the serotonin brain transmitter which is enhanced by exercise. That is the most effective treatment and it costs nothing!
My fourth tip is to get all the support you can. Visit Internet chatrooms and forums where this topic is discussed. Apart from learning an incredible amount, you will feel less lonely and just able to cope better. Just being part of an online community can take the edge off the loneliness and frustration of being parents of a depressed teenage boy.
My fifth tip is to keep an open mind on meds. We all know that anti depressants such as Prozac and Paxil can really help to lessen symptoms but they come with some rather heavy baggage. Why not investigate other treatment options such as herbal remedies for depression. I have set up a website just to explain all this. This could be the most useful thing you will have discovered about how to help your depressed teenage boy.
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