Teen Depression

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-24-2007
Teen Depression
2
Thu, 02-08-2007 - 10:26am

I'm new to this board but have posted on others... I'm not seeing anything about teens who suffer from depression. My situation sounds alot like others. DD 16 yrs old, middle child, extremely disrespectful, doesn't respond to any punishments, has even run away, involved with an older boy who's now gone off to college/ relationship has NOT cooled, gotten more DRAMAtic if possible, sexually active? maybe... she pretty much co-exists in our house but lives completely separate. I've been told over and over that it sounds like depression. We've had more family and individual therapy than you can imagine. Her pediatrician gave me the names of some great thersapists for HER/BTDT...now she refuses to go back. Antidepressants sit untouched/ says she's not crazy. Alot of friends tell me it's typical teenage behavior... PMS related even. I have alot of advice and too much information and still don't know how to get her to help herself. My latest bit of advice (from a psychic/ was to distance myself from her problems... to be there to support her but I'm too emotionally involved???)

Should probably have started off with some background info...
I'm Maureen, 39 yrs old, married too young but thankfully to a great man, DH also 39. We'll be married 20 years in April. DD19, freshman in college, DD16, high school junior, and DS 10 in grade school. I am a victim of incest from the age of 3 to 17 (older step-brother)... I too suffer from depression (recently diagnosed after a breakdown). ALL of this contributes to the way DH and I parent. My children have known about my abuse since they were little and given age appropriate info... The breakdown, although very private, my DH and I found impossible to hide completely.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-17-2005
In reply to: momaaaa
Thu, 02-08-2007 - 12:37pm

Hi,


I just wanted to invite you to post on the troubled teens board.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-06-2003
In reply to: momaaaa
Thu, 02-08-2007 - 2:15pm

Sending you (((momaaa))) hugs. Not sure really what to tell you, except to offer a little tidbit of advice..... She will not take anti-depressants, acts depressed and has PMS symptoms and you feel she might be sexually active. Is she on BC? Isn't there one of the BCPs that has been OK'd to treat those things? Yaz, I think. I'm getting out of the loop on these things cause I've got my IUD and don't have to worry about the hormones anymore. Is it possible to have a mom-dd talk and get her to agree to see a doc about BC? Might you be able to speak to the dr about this before taking her and kind of leave the other things it treats, besides just being for BC out of the discussion. Maybe something like that will settle things down a bit. And, if it helps she'll be more open to discussion when she's feeling better. It won't keep her from being sexually active, but keep her safer from pregnancy and if it can treat the other that is going on great.

Just a thought. Best wishes!!!

Sallie