The exact causes of depression in children or childhood depression are not known. However, stress is one of the factors contributing to depression in children. Read on to know what may cause depression in children. Today, depression has become a very common health problem among adults. With an increase in stress, tension and anxiety a huge number of people are succumbing to depression. However, depression in adults is known, but today, a large number of children are suffering from depression at an alarming rate. There are many people who deny the fact of depression affecting children, but it is true that today children are easily affected by this mental trauma. Depression in children is quite similar to depression in adults. Adults can simply convey their depressive mood in words, but children are not as expressive as adults and hence, they show it through their strange behaviour. It is important to know that childhood depression is adverse than a child feeling ‘blue’. Feeling ‘blue’ is an emotion which a child experiences as a part of child development. Childhood depression can lead to severe problems for the parents. It causes the child to refrain from daily activities. It affects the child’s school life, social activities and family life. Childhood depression is a serious, but it can be treated. Childhood depression if overlooked can affect the child’s mental stability, lead to poor school performance, low self-esteem, parent- child relationship, social connections which could lead to fatal results like violence and suicide. It is a serious problem which requires a serious approach. Often we wonder what makes children suffer from childhood depression. Here are a few causes of childhood depression. In this articleGenetic ReasonsEnvironmental StressDifferent Types of PersonalitiesWhat Causes Depression in Children? Although there have not been any exact causes of childhood depression, researchers have listed down a few potential causes which could be accountable for this mental trauma. Genetic Reasons - There are many families reporting cases of depression. Depression could be a genetic problem. As depression runs in many families, it is a quite potential health problem for the coming generations. Researchers believe that depression could pass on from one generation to another, but on the other side, perhaps it may not be hereditary. A child can suffer from depression even if it has not affected any other family member. On the other hand, a child is likely to develop this disorder if his parents or any other family member has shown signs of depression. Environmental Stress - Apart from being a genetic disorder, environmental stresses can also be another potential cause of depression. Children are very soft and delicate, any unpleasant event can affect their little minds. Events like attending the first day at school, facing parents’ divorce, lack of personal parental attention, failing a class, shifting to a new place or a new school, lack of love etc could be some of the environmental stresses which a child may face in its daily life. Different Types of Personalities - Negative thinking could be possible cause of depression. Researchers believe that people with a negative personality could easily be affected by depression. Those people who suffer from a low self-esteem, have a pessimistic view about life, take extra stress, have a negative attitude etc are likely to show signs of depression. Children too go through various negative emotions in the course of development. Negative childhood experiences can frame their outlook towards life resulting in childhood depression. Childhood depression is a major issue which needs to be tackled with a lot of patience. Proper treatment for childhood depression can make your child return back to a normal life with family and friends.
The exact causes of depression in children or childhood depression are not known. However, stress is one of the factors contributing to depression in children. Read on to know what may cause depression in children. Today, depression has become a very common health problem among adults. With an increase in stress, tension and anxiety a huge number of people are succumbing to
depression. However, depression in adults is known, but today, a large number of children are suffering from depression at an alarming rate.
There are many people who deny the fact of depression affecting children, but it is true that today children are easily affected by this mental trauma. Depression in children is quite similar to depression in adults. Adults can simply convey their depressive mood in words, but children are not as expressive as adults and hence, they show it through their strange behaviour.
It is important to know that childhood depression is adverse than a child feeling ‘blue’. Feeling ‘blue’ is an emotion which a child experiences as a part of child development. Childhood depression can lead to severe problems for the parents. It causes the child to refrain from daily activities. It affects the child’s school life, social activities and family life.
Childhood depression is a serious, but it can be treated. Childhood depression if overlooked can affect the child’s mental stability, lead to poor school performance, low self-esteem, parent- child relationship, social connections which could lead to fatal results like violence and suicide. It is a serious problem which requires a serious approach. Often we wonder what makes children suffer from childhood depression. Here are a few causes of childhood depression.
What Causes Depression in Children?
Although there have not been any exact causes of childhood depression, researchers have listed down a few potential causes which could be accountable for this mental trauma.
Genetic Reasons -
There are many families reporting cases of depression. Depression could be a genetic problem. As depression runs in many families, it is a quite potential health problem for the coming generations. Researchers believe that depression could pass on from one generation to another, but on the other side, perhaps it may not be hereditary. A child can suffer from depression even if it has not affected any other family member. On the other hand, a child is likely to develop this disorder if his parents or any other family member has shown signs of depression.
Environmental Stress -
Apart from being a genetic disorder, environmental
stresses can also be another potential cause of depression. Children are very soft and delicate, any unpleasant event can affect their little minds. Events like attending the first day at school, facing parents’ divorce, lack of personal parental attention, failing a class, shifting to a new place or a new school, lack of love etc could be some of the environmental stresses which a child may face in its daily life.
Different Types of Personalities -
Negative thinking could be possible cause of depression. Researchers believe that people with a negative personality could easily be affected by depression. Those people who suffer from a low
self-esteem, have a pessimistic view about life, take extra stress, have a negative attitude etc are likely to show signs of depression. Children too go through various negative emotions in the course of development. Negative childhood experiences can frame their outlook towards life resulting in childhood depression.
Childhood depression is a major issue which needs to be tackled with a lot of patience. Proper treatment for childhood depression can make your child return back to a normal life with family and friends.
