Identity Crisis
Helping Your Adopted Teen Grow
Teenage depression hurts many adopted teens, Sue Scheff fights back
Sue Scheff™ understands the dangers of teenage depression
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Detachment and identity issues force adopted teens to struggle with an extra set of problems that the average teenager never faces. Due to this added pressure and confusion, adopted teens are highly susceptible to one of the most common and damaging teenage afflictions, depression.
Sue Scheff™ understands the complexity and power of teen depression. When gripped by depression, teenager’s lives can quickly spiral out of control and cause serious damage.
Like most teenager afflictions, one of the best ways to help your adopted child cope with depression is by knowing a lot about the disease and how it affects them. Common warning signs for depression include dramatic changes in eating and sleeping schedules, weight loss or gain, missing school, lack of social interaction, extreme moodiness, unsubstantiated health complaints, suicidal talk, and an absence of general motivation or happiness in day to day life.
The roots of teenage depression usually stem from life changing events like the death of a family member, breaking up with a significant other, or the separation anxiety and loss caused by adoption. It is important for parents to let their adopted children know its ok to feel bad, and they are available to help cope with their problems. Never make your adopted teen feel bad for depressed feelings, but let them know that there is a way out and that a parenting authority is available to help.
Prescription drug use has become a popular agent against teenage depression, but Sue Scheff™ and other parent advocates advise against these drugs because they actually do more harm then good. When a teen begins using prescription drugs to combat depression it sparks a dangerous cycle of dependency that can plague them for years to come.
Even though teenage depression may be hard to understand for adults, there is always a way for willing parents to help their adopted teens cope with their depression issues. Parents must work hard to open up lines of communication and use parenting resources like Sue Scheff™ and P.U.R.E.™ to help them cope with their problems.
There are two things every parent should remember about teenage depression. If you notice depression warning signs and don’t know what to do, there is no shame in seeking professional help for your child. Most importantly, you must be honest. Tell your adopted teen you want to help them, and let them know its ok to feel depressed once in a while. These simple steps can help you parent your adopted teen out of their painful depressive state.