Mood disorders, whether depression, bipolar disorder, or some variation of the two, are more common in teenagers than we generally think. The problem from a diagnostic point of view is that teenagers are inconsistent, moody, and often test limits. It’s the nature of the beast.
So how do you tell the difference If your daughter or son shows evidence of moodiness, stays in bed too much, or on the other side, has flights on energy, sleeplessness and grandiosity, you might begin to think that this is no longer simply teenage moodiness. Mood disorders tend to run in families, so check your own past history on your side and on your spouse’s side. If your child is adopted, did the biological parents have these issues
What defines mood disorders, indeed any disorder, is not just what they experience but also how it impacts their functioning. If a person walks around feeling depressed but isn’t suicidal, does well in school, has good friends, has a boyfriend of girlfriend and is generally enjoying life, this may simply be teenage angst. If, on the other hand, she tells you she’s feeling fine, but she’s having trouble getting out of bed in the morning, her friends are no longer calling, and she has lost interest in what used to give her pleasure, this well may be an actual depression.
The treatments for depression and mood disorders are very effective, but you must get the child seen. I generally recommend that parents tell their children that they’re coming in for an assessment – there’s no obligation that they continue to see me or to get treatment. This preamble generally lightens the load off them, allows them to feel less trapped, and paradoxically, lets them open up.
Once a depression, bipolar disorder, or it’s less severe cousins, dysthymia and psychothymia has been diagnosed, treatments include supportive psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy and prescribed medications. People often put off the notion of medication in teenagers, but many psychiatrists, including myself, will tell them that medication can be very effective- sometimes the most effective of all treatments. And when it is effective, it’s a godsend. We medicate children in order to give them the strength to overcome the obstacles that are affecting them so that in the future they are well. Treatment is not only concerned about relieving the unhappy mood, but also about understanding and dealing with the problem that may have triggered it in the first place – a breakup, a divorce, a move, a death, etc. Mood disorders are real, and like anything else in life, they are best handled in a straightforward way. Avoidance makes them worse and honest assessment and treatment often saves the day.
My name is Mark Banschick and I am a child and adolescent psychiatrist located in Katonah, NY. I have devoted much of my career to the well-being and stability of families, especially those experiencing divorce. With over 20 years of work in this field, I have gained a great deal of experience which has allowed me to begin writing books in an effort to help the rising number of families who struggle with divorce.
My recently published book, The Intelligent Divorce, is the first in a series of three, which demonstrates how to protect children when parents decide to split up.
Tags: biological parents, cognitive behavior therapy, dysthymia, enjoying life, mood disorders, nature of the beast, psychothymia, supportive psychotherapy, teenage angst, treatments for depression