Till a few decades back, teenage depression was unheard of. But today it has turned into a serious mental health problem that needs to be critically assessed in all its aspects to save young talents from getting lost and spent.
Hormonal and physiological factors do marginally contribute to mood swings during adolescence but it would be unfair to put the blame entirely on hormones alone.
Teen years are turbulent times when the young and the vulnerable need a lot of active and positive support from the important people in their lives (especially parents and caregivers, family, etc) to help navigate them through this period of confusion and distress. Times are a-changin’, and with the advent of social media, online gaming, etc, teens today are becoming victims of all types of harassment — the most dreaded one is cyber-bullying which is closely followed by virtual stalking, offensive name-calling, threats, and blackmailing.
Teens today have enough on their plate already — dealing with peer pressure, academic expectations, and (for some) even dysfunctional domestic environments which lead to frequent mood alterations, eventually turning into classic symptoms of depression.
It is as important for parents to identify the red flags and start a meaningful conversation with their adolescent children, as it is for the latter to be informed about the dangers of depression and learn skillful techniques to overcome it.
We have listed 5 bestsellers on teenage depression in the section below that will serve as practical handbooks for all teens and their parents, caregivers or guardians.
1) The Real Guide To Teenage Depression: Handling Teen Depression
Author: Patrice M.Foster
Print Length: 160 pages
Language: English
Coming straight from an author who battled her own blues, and has years of experience in handling teenage depression at work and back home (being a mom to teens) through common issues like bullying and harassment, the book is a must-have and a go-to guide for all teens and their parents.
The book contains all there is to learn about teenage depression — how to identify it; the red flags that may point at deeper, clinical, and more chronic problems necessitating immediate help and therapy; advice for parents handling teens with emotional difficulties; the importance of family communication; handling depression stemming from classroom situations, cyber-bullying, and social media; a separate section on LGBTQ, minority population teens dealing with racial issues, and those with disabilities, and their depression; learning to prevent teen suicide, and empowering teenagers through various strategies.
This book is an essential guide that throws important light upon as crucial a topic as teen depression which is assuming a pandemic status across all sections of society today. Parenting has never been more challenging. Depression is consistently raising its ugly head with the advent of technological advances and the widespread use of the internet and social media. Parents need to stay ahead of the curve, establish a strong connect, and communicate effectively with their children, instead of being dismissive of them and their needs. It is just as important for teens to remain informed and be alert to signs that could lead them to self-harm and destruction. The book is a comprehensive guide that covers all types of teen depression and lists ways of dealing with them.
2) Teenage Depression: A CBT Guide for Parents
Authors: Shirley Reynolds and Monica Parkinson
Print Length: 416 pages
Publisher: Constable and Robinson
Language: English
Depression is not something to be understood only. Teens need to be able to identify the tell-tale signs and manage them effectively with the right support system. Cognitive Behavior Therapy, or CBT, is a powerful tool that parents can effectively put to good use to understand teen emotions in a better light. Parents often find themselves at a dead-end, not knowing what to do when they confront teen rebellion, anger, aggression, and frequent mood disorders. It has been estimated that 15% of people have been depressed at some point during their life. Sometimes, the disorder starts during the teen years and grows on the individual gradually through their adult years, incapacitating them in various aspects of life.
The authors have made use of case studies to bring forth the core issue and analyze it in its totality. They have written the book from a parent’s standpoint, and have included strategies that they can employ to deal with difficult children. The book discusses everything from different forms of treatment to family communication, and relapse prevention. Each section includes troubleshooting boxes.
3) The DBT Skills Workbook for Teens
Author: Teen Thrive
Print Length: 262 pages
Language: English
Dialectical Behavior Therapy has helped millions of teenagers since it was developed 30 years ago. The author begins by posing an important reflection that teens need to adapt to and develop socially and emotionally healthy habits that will sustain them for life. However, it is easier said than done. Trouble is — today’s teens are exposed to a lot more stress and pressure than we ever had to deal with! As parents, the least we can do is to look up and implement techniques like DBT that can help our teenage children make a smoother transition into adulthood.
The DBT Skills Workbook teaches how to navigate through these tumultuous years in a simple but effective way. It includes important and relevant topics like — coping with stressful times like exams, learning to balance powerful and emotional feelings effectively, overcoming rejections and failures, navigating interpersonal relationships effectively, developing mindfulness, learning life skills to become confident and resilient, and anger management skills, among others.
The book is a fun, engaging, and gamified experience that doesn’t come across as preachy — a good way to begin, and half the battle won!
4) Conquer Negative Thinking For Teens: A Workbook To Break the Nine Thought Habits That Are Holding You Back
Authors: Mary Karapetian Alvord (Ph.D.) and Anne McGrath (M.A.)
Print Length: 168 pages
Publisher: Instant Help
Language: English
Depression among teens often occurs from a stream of negative thoughts. It is important to identify the most common thinking habits that typically result in feeling sad, angry, worried, stressed, or withdrawn.
The book outlines a powerful technique called cognitive restructuring to help teens reframe their thoughts, regulate their emotions, become more flexible thinkers, and not let their thoughts define who they are and how they feel.
Each chapter in the book will walk you through simple explanations of each kind of negative thought (like ‘I can’t’ habit, the ‘doom and gloom’ habit, the ‘ all or nothing’ habit, the ‘jumping to conclusions’ habit, etc). The authors pick real-life examples to demonstrate the emotions and bodily sensations that might be expected with each kind of negative thought. Simultaneously, you will learn to challenge them, and replace them with more realistic and helpful thoughts with an action plan.
The exercises empower you and make you feel more in control of yourself and your moods. You regain clarity in perception.
The methodologies outlined in the book are consistent with the principles of CBT that incorporate scientifically-tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. A life-changing book that has been bestowed with the honor of being selected as an Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-help Book Recommendation.
5) The Depression Workbook for Teens: Tools to Improve Your Mood, Build Self-Esteem, and Stay Motivated
Author: Katie Hurley
Print Length: 162 pages
Publisher: Althea Press
Language: English
The book draws up simple but effective exercises to help teens learn how to conquer depression. It delineates important points of difference between normal stress and depression as the line blurs easily. The CBT and mindfulness exercises will help every teen to develop the skills they need to manage their emotional well-being and bring happiness into their lives.
The book urges these young people to tackle depression head-on while bearing their unique needs and time constraints in mind. With quizzes, journaling prompts, conversation starters, and more, you will learn to discover simple skill-building exercises that improve mood and self-esteem. The book offers practical guidelines to teens to manage and resolve common teen issues.
