How can talking to a healthcare professional help?
Speaking openly to family or a healthcare professional helps adolescents in building
relationships that prevent them from isolation and can even lead to faster relief
of symptoms. One way to begin this conversation is for adolescents to write about
their symptoms and use them to help talk to family or a healthcare professional.
Working with the healthcare professional
- Work collaboratively. Find a healthcare professional who will work together with you
- Don't be afraid to ask questions!
- Schedule regular visits with your healthcare professional
- Give accurate information. Be truthful and forthcoming with information about what
is happening at home and in school. Share as much information as possible
- Follow instructions. Take a notebook and pen to each appointment so you can remember
what the healthcare professional says. Use the notebook to record observations between
sessions
- Call the healthcare professional between appointments if necessary
Why monitor treatment?
Each person is unique and may respond differently to different forms of treatment
for depression. You should monitor your adolescent during treatment and discuss
any mood/behavior changes and side effects that he or she experiences. Share these
with the healthcare professional.
By actively monitoring treatment, you and your adolescent will
- Know when the depression is getting better or getting worse, and when to ask for
help and have the treatment plan adjusted as needed
- Ensure your adolescent is getting the proper treatment and better management of
the overall treatment
- Lower the risk of hospitalizations and suicidal behavior
What to watch for
Call a healthcare professional right away if you or your family member has any of the
following symptoms, especially if they are new, worse or worry you:
- Thoughts about suicide or dying
- Attempts to commit suicide
- New or worse anxiety
- Feeling very agitated or restless
- Panic attacks
- Insomnia
- New or worse irritability
- Acting aggressively, being angry, or violent
- Acting on dangerous impulses
- An extreme increase in activity and talking
- Other unusual changes in behavior or mood
- Pay close attention to any changes, especially sudden changes, in mood, behaviors,
thoughts, or feelings. This is very important when an antidepressant medicine is
started or when the dose is changed.
- Call the healthcare professional right away to report new or sudden changes in mood,
behavior, thoughts, or feelings.
Keep all follow-up visits with the healthcare professional as scheduled. Call the healthcare
professional between visits as needed, especially if you have concerns about symptoms
Useful Tools
NEXT: FAQs ABOUT DEPRESSION IN ADOLESCENTS