Childhood Depression and the Brain: Neurotransmitters

I’d like to talk about how the brains of children who suffer from depression are different.  First I’ll talk about neurons and neurotransmitters.  It may sound complicated but it’s not.  I’m going to be as basic as I can be because I understand most people haven’t taken a neuroscience class.         

The brain is full of neurons.  They are nerve cells that communicate with each other using something called neurotransmitters.  Neurotransmitters are the chemical messages sent to all the different parts of the brain.  They help the brain function and affect how we feel.  The neurotransmitters associated the most with mood, emotions and depression are serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine.    

An electrical surge is sent to a neuron and that surge tells the neuron to release neurotransmitters.  Neurons are very close to each other in the brain but they do not touch.  There is a gap between neurons.  This gap is called the synapse. 

When a neurotransmitter like serotonin is released into the synapse.  It swims across the synapse and binds with the receptor sites on the next neuron.  The receptor sites are like locked doors and each door has keyholes.  Neurotransmitters are the keys. 

Certain keys only fit certain locks.  The seratonin keys only fit the seratonin locks.  The seratonin keys tell the neurons they bind with to release an electrical surge to tell other neurons to release neurotransmitters and it keeps doing this throughout the brain with seratonin and all the other neurotransmitters.  Once the seratonin keys swim across the synapse, they fit into the seratonin locks, then the neuron that released the seratonin sucks up any extra remaining seratonin left in the synapse. 

The theory is, in depressed people the seratonin keys don’t swim fast enough to reach the locks or receptor sites in the next neuron.  The seratonin keys don’t have enough time to reach the seratonin locks before they get sucked back up into the neuron that released them.  What antidepressants called SSRIs do is stop the re-uptake or the sucking-up action of the seratonin left in the synapse.

Since the sucking-up action or re-uptake is stopped, the serotonin keys have enough time to swim across the synapse and reach and bind to the seratonin locks on the next neuron.  This helps the person feel less depressed and more normal.  This is a very simplistic explanation but I’m going to be talking about neurotransmitters in my next few posts as I write about different parts of the brain that affect depression or are affected by depression.

I also wanted to briefly discuss something called the MTHFR genetic mutation.  Most every woman has heard of folic acid also known as folate.  It’s vitamin B12.  The brain needs vitamin B12 in order to make serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine but B12 isn’t able to cross something called the blood brain barrier.  The brain is protected by this barrier.  It keeps out bad chemicals that can hurt the brain but it can also keep out good chemicals that the brain needs. 

In order for B12 also known as folate to cross the blood brain barrier the body has to transform it into methyl folate.  In normal people the methyl folate crosses the blood brain barrier and the brain uses it to help produce neurotransmitters but some people like me have the MTHFR genetic mutation.  The mutation causes the body to have a hard time transforming folate into methyl folate.  Therefor the brain has a harder time producing neurotransmitters. 

A person who has this mutation can suffer from depression because the brain doesn’t have enough methyl folate to make a normal amount of neurotransmitters.  A prescription medical food called L-methyl folate can help people with this genetic mutation produce a more normal amount of neurotransmitters and it can help some people who suffer from depression.  It has actually helped me a lot.  Thanks for your time.                   

Childhood Depression and Living with a Mentally Ill Parent

This post is about what it’s like for a child who lives with a mentally ill parent and how that stress can affect childhood depression.  Again I’ll use myself as an example. 

The stress and strain of living with a mentally ill parent is often too much for a child to handle especially if the child is the mentally ill parent’s main support and care taker.  The child may have to take on many adult responsibilities.  A child may have to help a parent shop, make decisions, pay bills, bathe, make sure they are taking their meds and help the parent tell the doctors how they are doing and what problems the parent is having. 

When a parent has to lean on their child so much it can cause a child to be angry and resentful toward their parent especially if the parent is unable to behave like a normal adult.  That anger and resentment often leads to more guilt and more shame.  Guilt and shame are often pervasive in childhood depression.  My mom’s mental illness caused my own childhood depression to increase exponentially.   

A child who has to take care of a mentally ill parent may also have more issues with separation anxiety.  A child may be afraid to leave their parent home alone, always wondering, “What is she doing? Is she OK? Is she trying to cook by herself? I hope she doesn’t cause a fire? Would she know what to do if something bad happens?”  These thoughts can run through a child’s mind constantly.  I was always afraid of what might happen to my mom if I wasn’t with her.  Her mental illness caused a terrible strain on me.          

I remember being glad when my mom came home from a psych hospital but I had no idea how her personality had changed.  She became childish and frustrating.  It was like our roles had reversed.  Mom became selfish at times.  She could be unreasonable.  I sometimes had to tell her, no she could not do something or she could not have something she didn’t need and we couldn’t afford.  At times my mom was like a spoiled child, wanting her way.  It was like she didn’t know how an adult was supposed to act.

I didn’t know how to deal with it all.  I kept all my pain inside.  I was so angry, frustrated, and embarrassed by mom’s behavior.  I missed the way things had been before she got sick, when she was a normal mom.  I was so ashamed of myself.  My anger, frustration and pain were wearing me down.  I couldn’t sleep.  I couldn’t eat and I cried every night.  At times it was unbearable. 

Life is very lonely and difficult for a child who has to take care of a mentally ill parent.  I loved my mom with all my heart but it was such a struggle trying to take care of her.  Many children have felt the same kind of inner struggle that I did, that combination of love and anger and resentment is overwhelming for a child. 

If you know a child who has a mentally ill parent, do what you can to get the child some help.  It’s a good idea for anyone who lives with a mentally ill person to have therapy themselves so they can learn how to deal with the stress in their lives but children need the help of a therapist even more so.  Children need someone to help them cope with all of their confusing, conflicting emotions and to help them come to terms with and accept a parent’s mental illness.  Acceptance helps us look past the anger and see the love.       

Childhood Depression and a Mentally Ill Parent part 2

This post is a continuation of my posts about how having a mentally ill parent can affect a child.  Again I’ll use myself as an example.  This post is about how a child feels when they see their parent act irrationally and erratic for the first time, when a child actually sees their parent’s mental illness.   

It’s very scary for a child the first time they see a parent act irrational, unsound, even crazy; saying things that don’t make sense, not knowing where they are or not remembering who people are.  It’s like the child is seeing a shell of the person they thought they knew.  Sometimes that shell seems empty, like no one’s there but sometimes the shell is full of thoughts that aren’t real, that don’t make any sense.  A child can become afraid of a parent who is unstable.  That fear can be very confusing for a child.       

The first time I saw my mom’s mental illness, she was in a psych hospital.  She looked up at me.  Her eyes were big and glassy.  She stared right through me.  I wasn’t sure if she was even seeing me.  I wanted to cry and run away.  I wanted to hide my eyes and my heart from what I was seeing; from what was happening; from the pain of losing the person I loved most.

   

My mom didn’t know who I was.  It was very hard to see her like that.  I didn’t understand.  I didn’t know what was happening.  I didn’t know what to think.  I wanted things to be back to normal.  I wanted mom home.  I wanted her to know who I was.  I was so afraid; afraid of her, afraid she’d never get better, afraid she’d never be “normal” again, afraid of losing the most important person in my life. 

I had a very hard time accepting everything.  I felt lost, angry, confused and lonely.  I loved mom but was embarrassed she was in a psychiatric hospital.  I was afraid the kids at school would find out.  I felt so guilty and ashamed that I was embarrassed of her.  I was angry at her for being sick and for being weak.  The stigma of mental illness affects children.  Society said my mom was weak, that I was weak and I believed them. 

I was confused because I didn’t know what was wrong with mom or why she was sick.  I felt lonely because I had no one to talk too.  I was trying to be strong and brave.  I was holding all my emotions inside, pushing them down deeper and deeper, trying to hide them from the world and myself but that was a huge mistake. 

Children don’t understand that holding all their emotions inside only makes their pain worse.  They don’t have the coping skills to deal with such a huge change in their parent or such a huge change in their life.  When a parent is mentally ill, a child needs someone they can talk to, confide in; someone to tell them they aren’t alone and that it’s OK to be afraid sometimes, it’s OK to be angry that someone they love is sick, that it’s normal for a child to be embarrassed by a parent who is acting irrational and out of their head.  A child also needs someone who can explain to them that mental illness is not their fault and that it’s not their parent’s fault but that it’s a physical illness that affects the mind and not a weakness of character.

It’s very difficult for a child to see a mentally ill parent for the first time but living with them when they get home is also very stressful.  I’ll talk about that next time.                 

Childhood Depression and a Mentally Ill Parent

Childhood depression is caused by many factors like trauma, biology and environment.  When a child struggles with all three of these factors she can’t help but have issues.  One environmental factor that can cause a great deal of stress and strain for a child is living with a mentally ill parent.  The best way I can explain what it’s like for a child who lives with a mentally ill parent is to use myself as an example. 

When a child first learns a parent has a mental illness they have a hard time understanding what that means.  A child, especially a young child, doesn’t know what a mental illness is or how it affects people.  A child of a mentally ill parent is often confused and afraid because they don’t know what is happening.

The day I learned about mental illness was the day my life was shattered into a million pieces.  I remember it all so clearly, like it happened yesterday.

I came home from school one cool, spring day.  I got off the school bus then walked inside our house and saw my grandmother sitting at the kitchen table talking to my aunt.  I looked all around for my mom to tell her I was home but I couldn’t find her anywhere.  I asked my grandmother, “Where’s mom?”  That’s when my life fell apart.

My grandmother told me my mom was in a psych hospital.  Then she said my mom was crazy and that she needed to shape up.  My grandmother didn’t care that my world had just shattered or how her words where making me feel.  She was just mad that my dad had to come home from work to take mom to the hospital.  

I didn’t understand what was happening.  It was very difficult to hear my grandmother say such mean things about my mom.  Unfortunately, many people feel that way about the mentally ill.  Even now some people can be very cruel and mean to people with a mental illness.  They don’t understand.  They don’t know what they are talking about.  The problem is they cause people with a mental illness pain but they also cause pain for the families of the mentally ill. 

The pain of having a parent with a mental illness can be too much for a child to take.  I was scared that my mom was gone.  I was scared because I didn’t know what was wrong with her and I was scared because my grandmother was saying my mom was crazy.  I didn’t know what that meant.  I didn’t understand what was happening or why it was happening. 

When my dad came home I asked him what was going on.  He explained that my mom had mental problems.  I didn’t understand what that meant.  He said she had been put on medication to keep her normal but she stopped taking her medicine because we couldn’t afford them.  He said mom was in a mental hospital and that we’d go see her on Saturday. 

I was so scared because I didn’t know what to expect.  I was already depressed and anxious but not having mom home made me worse.  I cried every night as I laid in bed.  I couldn’t sleep.  I couldn’t eat.  My stomach was always in knots and I was afraid.

Children don’t understand why a parent is mentally ill and that causes them a lot of fear and confusion.  Learning a parent is mentally ill is difficult for a child but seeing them when they are not thinking straight is even more stressful.  I’ll talk more about that in my next post.              

Childhood Depression and Children's Emotions

Childhood depression can be hard to identify especially in shy, quiet children because children don’t really understand their emotions.  Another complication is that some people think children don’t experience all the same emotions that adults have. 

Just because a child can’t identify and express their emotions doesn’t mean they don’t have them.  A child’s emotional world is vivid and colorful; full of love, joy, hope, happiness and excitement but also sadness, anger, fear, jealousy, guilt and shame. 

 

Children feel these emotions but may not understand them.  They often can’t pinpoint and say this is how I feel.  Children need a parent, counselor or a psychology minded teacher to help them understand emotions.  A parent and others can help children learn and name their emotions and the emotions of others. 

There are posters and books that can help children with their emotions.  There is a ‘Today I Feel’ poster, a ‘How are You Feeling Today’ poster, a ‘Dealing with Feelings’ poster, a ‘Laminated Blue Feelings’ poster and an ‘Emotions Chart’ poster.  It’s important for parents and teachers to look at different poster so they can find the one that they think will help their children the best. 

An adult can pick out an emotion on the poster and describe that emotion, telling the child things like if they feel this emotion they may not want to play or run around or they may not want to eat or sleep.  Adults can also tell children about the physical feelings associated with that emotion like a hot face or upset tummy.  Then the adult can give age appropriate examples of situations that can make a child feel that way. 

There are also books that help children learn, understand and Identify emotions like; ‘In My Heart: A Book of Feelings’ for 2-4 year olds, ‘Don’t Let The Pidgeon Drive The Bus’ for 2-6 year olds, ‘Glad Monster, Sad Monster’ for 3-6 year olds, ‘What Are You Feeling Dragon?’ for 3-6 year olds, ‘Inside Out Box of Mixed Emotions’ for 3-5 year olds, ‘When I Feel Sad (Way I Feel Books)’ up to 8 years old, ‘What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming Anxiety’ 6-12 year olds, ‘The Emotions Survival Guide/ Inside Out’ for 8-12 year olds and ‘Understanding Myself: A Kid’s Guide to Intense Emotions and Strong Feelings’ for ages 8 and up.  These books are just some examples.  Again; it’s important for parents and teachers to look at different books so they can find the ones they think will help their children the best. 

It’ is important for parents and teachers to understand that each child feels emotions at different intensities.  Some children feel positive emotions more deeply, some feel negative emotions more deeply and some feel all emotions very deeply.

It’s important that children understand their emotions but it’s also important that children understand others feel emotions too.  Nurturing empathy is a very important part of being a parent or teacher.  It’s not hard to do. 

Whenever your child does something to hurt someone or sees someone hurt just ask them how they would feel if someone did that to them or if they were in that situation.  It’s also a good idea to do the same when the child does something positive to a child or sees something positive happen to a child.  That way they can learn to take joy in others happiness as well as understand someone’s pain and sadness.

Just remember children aren’t little adults.  Their emotions are confusing and overwhelming for them sometimes.  They need our help and guidance to learn to deal with and understand their emotions so they can become the people we know they can be.           

Childhood Depression or Dysthymic Disorder

Dysthymic disorder is a more chronic, less severe form of depression.  The child needs to have at least 2 symptoms for most of the day, nearly everyday for at least a year.  A child’s symptoms can be such a part of who the child is that people may not notice much difference in a child’s functioning.  A parent, teacher or even the child may say, “She’s always been this way” or “That’s just who she is”.  A big red flag is that the child may have a very hard time feeling pleasure or may not remember what it’s like to feel happy.  

 

The symptoms of dysthymic disorder are mostly the same as depression.  In a child with dysthymic disorder their may be a change in weight or appetite and a change in sleeping habits.  The child may seem sad and hopeless but in some children their mood may be more irritable or cranky.  They may feel very angry and not know why.  They may be tired all the time, not wanting to do anything.  They may not be interested in anyone or anything, not wanting to play or spend time with anyone.  They may have a hard time concentrating. 

 

Children with dysthymic disorder may have a hard time remembering things.  They can have a hard time making decisions.  They tend to blame themselves and may think others blame them too.  They may brood or ruminate about past mistakes and bad experiences.  They may think their life will always be bad and that nothing good will ever happen to them. 

 

 

Children with dysthymic disorder may think they don’t deserve to have good things happen to them because they may think there is nothing good about them or that they’ll never be able to do anything.  They can have low self-esteem and no self-confidence.  They may have very poor social skills and may be socially withdrawn.  In my first few posts in Sept. and Oct. I wrote about the symptoms of depression in more detail.

 

When I worked with kids in community mental health some of them were diagnosed with dysthymic disorder.  Since I worked in community mental health a lot of the children I worked with lived below the poverty line.  Not all children who live below the poverty line have dysthymic disorder but poverty may be a contributing factor for some children. 

 

Poor children may not have as much to eat and what they do have may be less nutritious.  Poor children may experience more of the bad in life and that can cloud their view of the world, other people and themselves.  Poor children see the things that other kids have and hear about the places other kids go and may not understand why they don’t have the same things.  Being poor can be painful and frustrating for a child but not only poor children suffer from dysthymic disorder. 

 

A child living a very middle class or even upper class life can suffer from dysthymic disorder because of their biology, environment, trauma or relationship problems with their primary caregiver.  Like with depression and anxiety some children may be predisposed to having dysthymic disorder. 

 

If you see a child you think may be depressed but he doesn’t’ meet a lot of the criteria for depression, he may have dysthymic disorder.  Anytime you think a child has any emotional issues it is a good idea to get the child assessed.  Just remember that dysthymic disorder is a more chronic, less sever form of depression.  The child may have fewer symptoms but they may last a lot longer.  I hope my posts have helped you in some way.                

What Does Childhood Depression Look Like?

Childhood depression is finally emerging from the shadows.  More research is being done now than at any other time.  People are realizing that children can hurt and suffer too.  Many children are benefitting from therapy everyday but other children are still suffering.

 

You may ask, what does childhood depression look like or how can you tell a child is depressed.  Childhood depression can look different with each child because each child is different.  You may see depression in some children but not in others because some children can become very good at hiding their pain.  You may not be able to tell a child is depressed just by looking at them.  A child’s pain can come out in many different ways.

 

Anyone who has worked in community mental health or a psychiatric hospital will notice that many children receiving therapy have behavioral problems.  Their depression can come out as anger, aggression, irritability, yelling, talking back, throwing things, being mean or hurting others.  I’ve said it before, these children often get help right away. 

 

The prognosis of depressed children with behavioral problems can depend on how involved their parents are, family stressors and even socio-economic status.  Children who live below the poverty line may have a harder time because of the stress of poverty. 

 

Therapists in community mental health have started going to schools to provide therapy for children who can’t get to sessions any other way.  I have worked with both children and adolescents at their schools.  Children with behavior problems are identified quickly but that’s one of the problems.  Everyone focuses so much on children with behavior problems that they overlook the children who are good.

 

The pain of good children is often hidden because they are good.  They do well in school.  They make good grades and they never get into trouble.  They often sit with their heads down, doing everything thing they are supposed to.  If they show negative emotions, they are often ignored or even punished.  They learn that showing negative emotions is bad.  The often learn that crying or being sad is frowned upon so they hide their pain.  They learn to smile when they’re not happy and to hold their tears till they are alone. 

 

Good children tend to be more sensitive and they feel emotions more deeply but they may not know how to deal with or cope with their sensitivity and deep emotions so they turn their pain inwards, toward themselves; blaming and internalizing all the sadness, fear, guilt, anger and shame. 

 

Sometimes adults may get a glimpse of the pain a good child feels.  The child may look sad, lonely or tearful but a child who hides their pain can come up with an excuse.  It can be very hard identifying good children who suffer from depression.  Sometimes they are not identified till it’s almost too late.  That’s why it’s a good idea to have a child assessed for depression once a year. 

 

Children get a physical exam once a year so why not a psychological exam once a year?  A yearly assessment can identify children who need help.  Once a counselor or therapist breaks through the façade of a good, depressed child their emotions can flow like a raging flood.  The feeling a child gets when someone finally sees their pain is hard to describe.  Just knowing someone sees their pain is enough to give a child hope. 

 

Again I’ll ask, what does childhood depression look like.  The truest answer is that it depends on the child and some depressed children are hard to identify but a yearly assessment can help.  Thanks so much for reading.              

Childhood Depression and Generalized Anxiety

I’ve written about the struggles of children with social anxiety and separation anxiety but some depressed children can be anxious about many different situations and experiences.  Children with generalized anxiety may be afraid of many things. 

 

Children with generalized anxiety often have an intense fear of rejection.  They are constantly trying to please everybody.  They may be afraid if they don’t please everyone all the time no one will love them and losing a parent’s love can be one of their main concerns.

 

Children who are anxious about many situations often put a lot of pressure on themselves to be perfect.  They may do things like homework or other tasks over and over because if it’s not perfect it’s not good enough.  That’s another big fear; that they’re not good enough to be loved, liked or accepted.  They may think they don’t deserve love, family or friendship.  These children may need constant reassurance that they are good and that they are loved because they can have very low self-esteem and be lacking in self-confidence. 

 

These children are often very hard on themselves.  They can be their own worst enemy, their own worse critic.  They may think if they’re not a straight A student then they’re not smart enough, if they make mistakes then they have no value.  All the stress and pressure they put on themselves can lead to very negative views of the world, the future and themselves.  They may feel like they’ll never be happy, they’ll never be like anyone else, they’ll never be normal. 

 

Children with generalized anxiety worry about a lot of different things.  They may be worried that they’ll mess up and look foolish.  They may worry about natural or man made disasters like floods, tornadoes or terrorist attacks.  They may worry about getting an illness.  They seem to be worried about something all the time because they can’t control their worry.

 

Children with generalized anxiety can have a hard time concentrating or focusing on school work and other tasks but then again they may focus too much on the little details of school work and tasks to make sure they’re perfect.    

 

These children can be very forgetful.  Sometimes they are so anxious that their mind freezes up or goes blank. 

 

Children with generalized anxiety are often restless and on guard all the time because they are so afraid something bad will happen.  They play a lot of “what if” scenarios in their head, “What if I mess up? What if I look stupid?  What if everybody hates me and makes fun of me?  What if I get hurt?” 

 

These children can be very jumpy.  They can startle easily.  They may be clumsy.  They can be very uptight.  They may overreact to any accidents they have or mistakes they make, thinking it’s the worst thing in the world. 

 

Children with generalized anxiety can be irritable at times.  They may have trouble sleeping.  They may always be tight and tense.  This can cause muscle aches or soreness and may cause the child to clench their teeth which can cause jaw pain and earaches.  They have a tendency to tire easily.  Fear, anxiety and tension can be exhausting. 

 

These children may show physical signs of anxiety like a red, sweaty face or trembling hands or nausea and vomiting.  Being anxious all the time about everything and nothing is someone’s own personal hell but with help children can learn how to shut down their negative thoughts and live a relatively normal life.

 

Thank you so much for reading my posts.  I hope they are helpful in some way.  I welcome any comments.  I just ask that you be respectful.             

  never be normal.yone else, they'very negative views of the world, the future and themnselves  iences      

A Brief Post on How to Help a Child Who's Afraid of a Terrorist Attack

In this brief post I ‘d like to address how to help your child when they see there was a terrorist attack.  First assure them that they are safe.  Talk to them about the police, government agencies and the military and how they protect us all.  Then allow your child to express their fears through drawings or storytelling.  Ask them about what is going on in their pictures or what is happening in the story and why.  This helps them talk about how they feel. 

 

Then normalize their feelings.  Let them know that it’s OK to be afraid sometimes and that everyone is afraid sometimes.  Address their fears, again letting them know they are safe and that people are working to keep us all safe.    

 

Then tell your children how much you love them and let them know if they need to talk about their fears that you are always there for them to talk about anything that bothers or scares them. 

 

If your child is more anxious than others and continues to talk about their fears of a terrorist attack for more than a month or so, it might be a good idea to have them talk to a counselor or other mental health professional.  Unless of course their was another terrorist attack.  These seem to be trying times for everyone.  It's hard for parents and teachers to understand why this happens so imagine how hard it is for children.     

 

It’s terrible that we have to talk to our children about the bad things people do.  In a perfect world, children would always feel safe but the world is not perfect and it never will be.  It’s up to us to teach our children that there are bad people in the world but we can’t let those bad people rule our lives.  It’s also up to us to teach our children how to deal with the fear bad people can bring.  I hope this post has been helpful in some way.  Thanks for reading.