Please read: Important 2013 cancer research update from Dr. Michael Camilleri

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

Preparing for your appointment

By Mayo Clinic staff

Managing Depression

Subscribe to our Managing Depression e-newsletter to stay up to date on depression topics.

Sign up now

You may choose to start by contacting your teen's family doctor or pediatrician. In some cases, you may be referred directly to a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist.

What you can do
To the extent possible, involve your teen in preparing for the appointment. Then make a list of:

  • Any symptoms your teen has had, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason you scheduled the appointment
  • Key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes your teen has experienced
  • All medications, vitamins, herbal remedies or supplements that your teen is taking
  • Questions that you and your teen want to ask the doctor

Basic questions to ask the doctor include:

  • Is depression the most likely cause of my child's symptoms?
  • What are other possible causes for my child's symptoms or condition?
  • What kinds of tests will he or she need?
  • What treatment is likely to work best?
  • Are there any possible side effects with the medications you're recommending?
  • Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing?
  • How will we monitor progress and effectiveness of the treatment?
  • What are the alternatives to the primary approach that you're suggesting?
  • My teen has these other health conditions. Could they be linked to depression?
  • Are there any restrictions that my teen needs to follow?
  • Should my teen see a psychiatrist or other mental health provider?
  • Will making changes in diet, exercise or other areas help ease depression?
  • Are there any printed materials that we can take home? What websites do you recommend?

Don't hesitate to ask questions any time you don't understand something.

What to expect from your teen's doctor
To make the most of the time allotted, make sure your teen is ready to answer questions from the doctor, such as:

  • When did family members or friends first notice your symptoms of depression?
  • How long have you felt depressed? Do you generally always feel down, or does your mood change?
  • Does your mood ever swing from feeling down to feeling extremely happy and full of energy?
  • Do you ever have suicidal thoughts when you're feeling down?
  • How severe are your symptoms? Do they interfere with school, relationships or other day-to-day activities?
  • Do you have any biological (blood) relatives — such as a parent or grandparent — with depression or another mood disorder?
  • What other mental or physical health conditions do you have?
  • Are you using any mood-altering substances, such as alcohol, marijuana or street drugs?
  • How much do you sleep at night? Does the amount change over time?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
  • What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
  • What is your diet like? Do you have a history of significant weight gain or loss?
Tests and diagnosis Complications
References
  1. Depressive disorders. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Sept. 13, 2012.
  2. Adjustment disorders. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Sept. 13, 2012.
  3. Depression. National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/index.shtml. Accessed Sept. 14, 2012.
  4. A family guide: What families need to know about adolescent depression. http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Child_and_Adolescent_Action_Center&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=24806. Accessed Sept. 14, 2012.
  5. FAQs on child and adolescent depression. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. http://www.aacap.org/cs/child_and_adolescent_depression_resource_center/faqs_on_child_and_adolescent_depression#What%20causes%20depression%20in%20children?. Accessed Sept. 14, 2012.
  6. Overview of treatment for adolescent depression. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Sept. 14, 2012.
  7. Depression in adolescents: Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Sept. 14, 2012.
  8. McCaffrey R, et al. Garden walking and art therapy for depression in older adults: A pilot study. Research in Gerontological Nursing. 2011;4:237.
  9. McDowell AK, et al. Practical suicide-risk management for the busy primary care physician. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2011;8:792.
  10. Understanding major depression. National Alliance on Mental Health. http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?section=Search&Template=Search/SearchDisplay.cfm. Accessed June 20, 2012.
  11. Schreiber J, et al. Suicidal ideation and behavior in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Sept. 14, 2012.
  12. Carpenter DJ. St. John's wort and S-adenosyl amethione as "natural" alternatives to conventional antidepressants in the era of the suicidality boxed warning: What is the evidence for clinically relevant benefit? Alternative Medicine Review. 2011;16:17.
  13. Understanding suicide: Fact sheet 2012. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pub/Suicide_factsheet.html. Accessed Sept. 14, 2012.
  14. When you fear someone may take their life. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?page_id=f2f25092-7e90-9bd4-c4658f1d2b5d19a0. Accessed Sept. 14, 2012.
  15. Cizza G, et al. Clinical subtypes of depression are associated with specific metabolic parameters and circadian endocrine profiles in women: The power study. Plos One. 2012;7:e28912. http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0028912. Accessed June 19, 2012.
  16. Pae C, et al. Atypical depression: A comprehensive review. CNS Drugs. 2009;2:1023.
  17. McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment. 51st ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=13381. Accessed June 20, 2012.
  18. Parker G, et al. Will a new genotyping test help the clinician predict response to antidepressant drugs? Australasian Psychiatry. 2010;18:413.
  19. Hourani LL, et al. Influence of spirituality on depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and suicidality in active duty military personnel. Depression Research and Treatment. 2012;2012:e1. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/drt/2012/425463/. Accessed Aug. 28, 2012.
  20. Depression and complementary health practices: What the science says. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Dec. 2011. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/depression-science.htm. Accessed May 10, 2012.
  21. Croarkin PE (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Oct. 3, 2012.
  22. Olsen MW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Oct. 6, 2012.
  23. Hall-Flavin DK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Oct. 8, 2012.
  24. Marchand WR. Mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and Zen meditation for depression. Journal of Psychiatric Practice. 2012;18:233.
  25. Tanyi RA, et al. The effects of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) based lifestyle intervention in modifying the progression of depression in clinically depressed adults. International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine. 2011;42:151.
  26. Wu J, et al. Acupuncture for depression: A review of clinical applications. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 2012;57:397.
  27. Chi J, et al. Tai chi and reduction of depressive symptoms for older adults: A meta-analysis of randomized trials. Geriatrics & Gerontology International. In press. Accessed Aug. 28, 2012.
  28. Chan MF, et al. The effectiveness of music listening in reducing depressive symptoms in adults: A systemic review. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2011;19:332.
  29. Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 24, 2012.
DS01188 Nov. 7, 2012

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger