How to prevent your teen’s depression from getting any worse over the Summer.
Schools (almost) out for summer vacation.
Is one of the scariest things to hear for a parent of a teen struggling with depression.
Without the forced social outlet how will teens get the much needed human interaction hauled up in their rooms?
Over the years we have learned that isolating any human being leads to depression. It’s the case in the wild, incarceration, and in everyday life. But the harmful effects in today’s world can be deadly.
Teens are not just isolated in their rooms—they are essentially sitting ducks. Social media allows them to be tormented 24/7, or a window for a perpetrator to come in with bad intentions.
What Can Parents Do?
- Set boundaries around the amount of time allowed in room.
- Limit electronic use (no overnight phone use-charge in commons area).
- Spend time with your teen (in their world). Do things that they like to do.
Teens will kick and scream to these boundaries. And they don’t have a choice. As parents you need to keep your teen safe, period.
No one (not even a teen) wants to be alone. Face to face human interaction and touch are basic necessities in life.
Don’t let your teen make adult decisions. Take charge and keep them safe. From themselves, from the outside world, and from sinking into a deeper depression.
Jessica is the author of Back 2 Love and How to Start a Mental Health Private Practice. She owns a practice in New Prague, Minnesota where she lives with her husband, two kids, and two pups. For more relationship advice follower her on Twitter. Don’t forget to check out her video series, Back 2 Love on her YouTube channel Super Living.