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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Teen depression is a serious mental health problem that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities. It affects how your teenager thinks, feels and behaves, and it can cause emotional, functional and physical problems. Although depression can occur at any time in life, symptoms may be different between teens and adults.
Issues such as peer pressure, academic expectations and changing bodies can bring a lot of ups and downs for teens. But for some teens, the lows are more than just temporary feelings — they’re a symptom of depression.
Teen depression isn’t a weakness or something that can be overcome with willpower — it can have serious consequences and requires long-term treatment. For most teens, depression symptoms ease with treatment such as medication and psychological counseling.
Your Mayo Clinic care team
At Mayo Clinic’s campus in Minnesota, pediatric psychiatrists and psychologists offer inpatient and outpatient treatment for children and teens with depression. As a parent, you’ll be involved in treatment and learn how to effectively provide support to your child.
The treatment team works closely with you and your child to provide extensive education about managing depression. The team can also teach stress management techniques and other tools to empower your teen to cope with depression. When your child leaves Mayo Clinic, Mayo can consult with your hometown doctor to adjust the treatment plan as needed.
Advanced diagnosis and treatment
A team of mental health specialists works with you and your teenager to set goals, develop a customized treatment plan and monitor progress.
- Child, Adolescent and Family Treatment Unit. In this inpatient unit, children and teens are treated for a variety of conditions, such as depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, anxiety or self-injury behavior. Patients spend time with psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and occupational, physical, music and recreational therapists. The treatment plan includes family therapy and one-on-one sessions with parents.
- Pediatric Mood Clinic. This outpatient clinic is staffed by experts in childhood mood disorders — such as depression and bipolar disorder — and provides team-based diagnosis and treatment. It includes Adolescents Coping with Depression, a 12-week intervention for ages 14 to 18, and Multifamily Psychoeducational Psychotherapy, an eight-week intervention for ages 11 to 14.
- Child and Adolescent Integrated Mood Program (CAIMP). CAIMP is a two-week group program for youths with primary depression or bipolar disorder. It includes behavior therapy and family-focused strategies.
Nationally recognized expertise
The Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at Mayo Clinic is one of the largest psychiatric treatment groups in the United States. A member of the National Network of Depression Centers, Mayo Clinic Depression Center in Minnesota offers comprehensive evaluation and treatment for children with depression or bipolar disorder.