Help for Parenting a Child with Anxiety or Depression

As I've said before, I am an avid journal keeper. I love writing down my stories and having a collection of journals (both filled and empty) lined up on my shelf. However, in that collection of journals, there are one or two that didn't make it to the shelf. In fact, they ended up in the trash. Why? Because as I read through them, I felt depressed and empty. I didn't want to share that part of my life with anyone else. Yes, I struggle with depression, and although I have never officially been diagnosed, reading that journal and thinking back on my Elementary through High School experiences, it is very obvious that I struggled with depression.

The good news is that I made it through the "growing up" years without many scars, and that journal probably helped me deal with my feelings at the time. Being aware of my own struggles has helped me see the same struggles in others. More than anything, I want to help those children who are experiencing similar feelings find hope and enjoyment in life. One of the main reasons I developed the Family Inspired Planners was to strengthen the communication between parents and children, especially those who find it difficult to express their thoughts and/or feelings. I have found it extremely helpful with my own children and hope that others can benefit from it as well! Find out more here.

This has been on my mind a lot lately, because my own son has started to show some symptoms, one of which is withdrawing from things that he usually enjoys, like school and friends. Our Family Inspired Planners have helped IMMENSELY (read this post) but I keep wondering if it's time to seek professional help. If you're in the same boat, you might enjoy this video that arrived in my inbox last week! There are some good tips and things to be aware of.

As I was thinking about this topic, I found another great resource that may also be of help to you: https://www.adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/children

I have personally experienced that depression and anxiety are often misunderstood by anyone who hasn't experienced it themselves. It's not something you can just "get over", but it CAN be treated and overcome. There is hope.

Here is the link to the talk by Jeffrey R. Holland referred to in the video. It has been a source of incredible hope to myself and many people I know who also struggle with anxiety and/or depression.