The importance of family support for young people with depression

Having the support of families is essential for young people and adolescents with depression.

The process of overcoming a psychopathology goes far beyond facing it "alone", solely from one's own introspection and following an improvement plan through a self-imposed iron discipline.

This is precisely why psychological therapy and medical intervention in mental health exist, essential contexts for coping with a psychological disorder.

But outside the psychologist's office, it is important that patients also have a support network. In this article we are going to see the case of the young people with depression and the reasons why they must have family support..

Symptoms of depression: the keys to detect the disorder

Major depression is a mood disorder, and therefore, it is mainly reflected in the degree to which the person feels more or less "cheerful" and with the capacity to feel interested in what life has to offer. and with capacity to feel interest in what life has to offer.

In psychological disorders such as the manic phase of bipolar disorder, this predisposition to become actively involved in what is happening around the person is excessive and problematic, but in major depression the opposite occurs: a state of clear emotional stagnation arises, marked by feelings of hopelessness, sadness and a lack of capacity to feel pleasure in everyday experiences.

In this sense, the main symptoms of depression are emotional fatigue, disinterest in activities that are not strictly obligatory, predisposition to social isolation, intense discomfort produced by difficulties in feeling motivated, catastrophic thoughts, and suicidal ideation.

However, they do not all have to be present at the same time for us to speak of depression (although the definitive diagnosis can only come from a mental health professional).

Why should we join forces to help young people with depression?

Major depression is one of the most common psychological disorders in adolescents and adults, and also one of the most harmful and dangerous. Many of its symptoms are directly or indirectly related to suicidal ideation.Even if attempts to end one's own life do not occur, this psychopathology causes significant wear and tear on the person's physical and mental health.

However, detecting the presence of depression in a person is not always easy outside the field of psychiatry and clinical psychology, and it may even happen that its symptoms are seen as something "normal" or the result of supposed personal defects of the person suffering from this pathology, such as "mental weakness" or "lack of willpower to improve" (concepts that are not very useful in psychotherapy, if not directly problematic).

This is particularly serious in the case of adolescence and the young adult age group.In this stage, on the one hand, cases of depression are higher than in previous stages of life, and on the other hand, symptoms may be camouflaged by the stereotypes associated with youth, such as rebelliousness, impulsivity, problems due to lack of love and self-esteem, etc.

Moreover, in youth, people tend to have fewer psychological, social and material resources to cope with psychopathology: it is easier for them to blame themselves for how they feel, they are more likely to fear rejection if they externalize their discomfort, and they have the pressure of depending on the family for everything (especially in countries where there is a strong lack of job security among young people). On the other hand, this population group has had less time to become aware of mental health issues, and many young people do not even have a rough idea of what depression really is.

Given this, it is essential that the families of young people with depression are able to detect the early warning signs that reflect the existence of a psychological problem. that reflect the existence of a psychological problem, and that beyond doing everything possible for that person to go to therapy, to offer him the suitable emotional and material support at home.

Functions of family support for young people with depression

Depression is a serious psychiatric condition that requires urgent treatment. Before the suspicion of a case of depression, family members should not wait and see how this mental disorder evolves or expect it to resolve itself spontaneously..

Intervention, the earlier the better; and it is also possible to help the patient at home by having family and friends do certain things to help the patient overcome the disorder.

1. Empathic listening

In the face of a case as serious as the experience of a mental disorder, the family can no longer believe that they will be able to "correct" their child..

It is not a problem of education or discipline, it is a serious mental condition and what the young person needs is to feel listened to and that he/she has an environment that is empathetic and sensitive to what is happening to him/her.

2. Confronting social isolation

Lack of motivation can make it difficult for the adolescent to connect with peers during the depressive episode. For this reason, the family can take an active role in preventing the adolescent from becoming more isolated by encouraging him/her to see more of his/her peers.by encouraging them to see their friends more often and to join activities that are interesting for their age group.

3. Encourage exercise

Exercise does not cure depression, but it can help the person feel increasingly able to do things, face new challenges and see that he or she is making progress.face new challenges and see that they are making progress. Physical activity is a must when trying to improve a patient's mental state, always under the supervision of a mental health professional.

An hour of daily exercise can motivate the patient to be more active, engage in activities that bring him satisfaction and help him to overcome his problem, always in the company of psychological treatment.

4. Promote sleep hygiene

Sleeping poorly and at the wrong time of day is a risk factor for depression.. Insufficient sleep can also generate depressive symptoms.

Adolescents need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep each night, so parents and siblings should ensure that their child and sibling go to sleep at convenient times, discouraging them from engaging in nighttime activities such as playing video games or surfing the Internet.

Looking for professional counseling?

If you would like therapy services for problems such as mood disorders, low self-esteem or poor regulation of emotions, please contact us.

At Psicoconsulting we work with adults and adolescents, as well as couples and organizations. You can find us in Barcelona, or schedule a first therapy session online by video call.