I need sound advice about depression?

It may just be hormonal or a phase that will pass with time but I think it is best to get things checked out by a professional as she is withdrawing from friends and is still not happy even though her and her boyfriend are speaking again.

Let your daughter know that's it's not a big deal, but that you're concerned about her because you love her and would rather be safe than sorry. Counselling may help to support your daughter through this difficult period and ensure she comes out of it.

There are other things that you can do to help your daughter. Treat her more, it doesnt have to be with expensive things but enough to enforce in her mind that she is worthy of nice things of loved. That will help a lot. If you can try and make sure she eats a balanced diet as eating too much junk food can have a negative effect on mood.

Try your best to engage her in activities. Depression and low mood can create a cycle-You dont do anything because you feel down, but then you feel even worse because you're under-stimulated. Invite her out on walks with you, or go swimming if she enjoys that. Increasing excercise levels even slightly can have a positive impact on mood.

I hope things improve for your daughter soon.

"Sometimes I wish I wasn't alive, but I don't want to kill myself" is a serious sign. She could be thinking passive suicidal thoughts - like hoping she gets into a serious car accident so she can stay in the hospital and other people will be forced to take care of her and she won't need to feel guilty. This way she can let go of everything in a safe way. People understand if something like this happens, while they don't understand as much if you need to do the same thing because of your mental health.

Talk to her doctor and get some recommendations for a therapist. If you have friends you feel comfortable asking, try there, too.

Finding the right therapist is a lot like dating. She's going to need to get to know the person and see if it's a good fit. It can be frustrating to feel that she may need to start all over again, but if she isn't comfortable, it's not going to help. It's not like a broken bone where they can smack a cast on and send you home. It take the right person and time.

If her doctor and/or the therapist thinks medication may help, get a psychiatrist involved. I cannot stress this one enough. My regular doctor and I tried different medications for my bipolar II with major depressive episodes, but I didn't get the right mix until I starting meeting with a psychi meds nurse.

If she's not depressed and is "only" going through a rough patch, a therapist can still be hugely beneficial. She can learn coping skills, have someone neutral to talk to, and know it's OK to reach out for help.

I think you are an amazing mom for taking this seriously and talking to her about how you feel. If she's still resisting talking to someone, let her know that you aren't disappointed in her and that everyone needs help. Having a therapist will give her a place that's just hers. You won't know what's going on in there unless she agrees with the therapist that you need to be told. (Unless, of course, the therapist is worried that she is being hurt, going to hurt herself, or hurt someone else.)

Good luck. I wish more kids had a mom like you.

Well I hesitate to say that this is depression. Clinical depression lasts for months or years, and can last for a lifetime untreated. If your daughter is only recently going through this I don't think that it's necessarily depression.

She's most likely upset about the break-up with her boyfriend. Between that and teenage hormones she's probably going to exhibit a lot of symptoms that seem like clinical depression. If she's not suicidal that's a good sign, every teenager wishes at least once that they could just crawl into a hole and disappear, especially after an emotionally stressful event.

If this is still going on in a few months I would take her to the therapist, but try and give her time to ride it out first.

No this is not PPD. With PPD, you tend to not want to take care of your baby because your scared you'll hurt her or you emotional detached from her. Is this your first baby? If so, that is the answer to your worries:) It is a amazing thing the love that instantly forms for your baby along with the need to protect. Your emotions are very high right now. Your body has been through sooo much and this could be intensifying your need to protect. Being home alone, just you, baby and daddy and out of the hospital full of professionals might be adding to the worries you have. You are going to be fine. You could also be suffereing from slight anxiety with out realizing it. I went through that when my second was born. It was hard for me to transition form 1 to 2 babies (nb and 20 months). I felt I wasn't good enough to care for both at the same time no matter how many people told me how good I was doing. If all these feelings persist, after a week I would cal your obgyn. They can help you and guide you on your feelings. Being open and honest with your husband or boyfriend if he is in the picture could help to. Good luck and congrats.

Listen to Pyrajane, she's on the right track. I wish my mom had taken me seriously when I was her age.

Just to add to this for things your daughter can do on her own is to consider taking up meditation. A lot of negative self talk will be harmful to her. I've suggested a book below that really turned things around for me. The introduction is a bit "out there". If you don't like it, skip to the first chapter and it's a fast easy read after that.

She's probably being really hard on herself and she does not know how to love herself too. This just excacerbates everything else that's going on in her life.

Best wishes!

It actually depends on how long she's been like this. If it's been more than 6 months then you really have to take her to a therapist. But if it's early on, she's still on the moving on stage. Don't worry she dsnt seem suicidal bcoz a suicidal person has specific plans on how to kill herself. She really just lost interest in life. If I were her mom I'd give her time to move on, if the break up just happened recently. But like I said if it's been going on for such a long time, she needs a therapist. I hope this helps.

Teenage hormones wreak havoc on their emotions. Take her to a therapist regardless of what she says, a lot of times they will open up to a stranger - there could be a lot more going on in her life than you will ever know about. Meanwhile, make sure she is eating properly, is getting exercise every day and at least 15 minutes of sunlight, proven depression busters. A good multivitamin, B50 complex will do her good too, make sure the multi includes iron - anemia is common in teen girls and can make her feel bad too. And of course, your love and support go a long way !! Best of luck.

I would first take her to the GP for a regular physical exam. They can run some blood tests to check her thyroid and other hormone levels to see if everything is in balance. Next I would be sure she takes a daily vitamin & mineral supplement. She may be deficient and an imbalance could be making her feel depressed. Is she sitting in front of the TV or computer all day? This too can make her depressed. She needs to get outside and get some fresh air and exercise. I'm thinking that it is some sort of temporary phase she is going through but it could be something physical. Better to be safe than sorry.

Good luck to you.

Hey there, I completely understand your concern for your daughter. I am a professional therapist who also practices online. If you would like a consultation or think that your daughter would be more open to to opening up in that way, sometimes it takes the edge off of having to sit in front of someone and talk about things that she may feel embarassed or uncomfortable talking about. Regardless, it does sound like she would benefit from talking to someone. Feel free to check out some of the links on my profile or send me an email if you would like to discuss it further.

Take her somewhere. Your family doctor is a good place to start. She doesn't have to be suicidal to be suffering from depression.

I can see why she would be a little reluctant, its hard for anyone to admit they need some help. I have suffered from depression and have learned the longer I take to get some help, the harder it is to get out of it.

She is lucky to have a mom that notices and cares. Good luck. As a mom I have never regretted being over cautious when it comes to my kids and their health.