Depression Archives | Carrollton Christian Counseling

How to Help Your Child with Teen Depression

How to Help Your Child with Teen Depression

Melissa Plantz2025-05-13T06:48:32+00:00May 13th, 2025|Christian Counseling For Teens, Depression, Family Counseling, Featured|

Teen depression episodes affect millions of children in the U.S. At some point, roughly 20% of teens (ages 12-17) have experienced at least one depressive episode. Girls tend to be at more risk than boys; however, teen depression is treatable. Ways to Help with Teen Depression There is nothing like professional help when struggling with teen depression. However, there are things you can do as a parent or guardian to help your child through this challenging season. The following are several ways to help your child with teen depression. Seek professional treatment Major depression, if left untreated, can lead to self-harm or suicide. If your child has expressed suicidal ideations or you have noticed evidence of self-harm, such as cut marks, seek professional help immediately. Ideally, you want to get them help before depression gets to that stage. Educate yourself about symptoms Teen depression has many common symptoms, such as persistent sadness and withdrawal from friends and family. However, the condition can also make it tough for your child to concentrate on homework or tasks. Forgetfulness and memory problems are another symptom of teen depression. Educate yourself on the numerous symptoms to spot when your child needs help. Keep communication open Your teen needs to know they can come to you, and you will hear them out without judgment. This can be challenging for Christian parents today, but before you can guide them, you must know what is wrong. Your teen may not understand why they feel depressed. Depression can be due to factors outside of their control, such as genetics or environment. Let your teen know you will hear them out, and together, you will seek help. Help them adopt good sleep hygiene Good quality sleep plays a vital role in how a teen processes emotions. Sleep deprivation [...]

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How to Walk Alongside Your Depressed Husband

How to Walk Alongside Your Depressed Husband

Mccartney Paul, Kate Motaung2025-01-07T03:58:54+00:00January 6th, 2025|Couples Counseling, Depression, Featured, Individual Counseling, Marriage Counseling, Men’s Issues, Relationship Issues|

Seeing a person we love going through a hard time is heart-wrenching. We want to do all we can to love them, to make them feel loved, supported, and understood. It is possible in many situations – especially that of a depressed husband – to begin to feel powerless, especially when our presence does not seem to be making a difference. In this and other situations, remember that your empathetic presence by itself can make a difference, and you must hold onto that when it seems otherwise. If your husband is struggling with depression, you may not know how to be that empathetic presence for him. On the other hand, you may wonder if what you are doing is making a difference. Hopefully, the words below will encourage you in your journey with your depressed husband. Supporting a Loved One with Depression Depression is a common mental health problem that afflicts people from all walks of life, all genders, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds. It can afflict those whom we may perceive as strong. It is often shocking for many wives to see their husbands bowed down by depression. As with any other condition or situation, one of the first ways you can function as a meaningful support is to understand what it is your husband is dealing with. Depression is a mood disorder that affects how a person feels, thinks, and functions in daily life. Something is going on not only in the person’s body but also in their mind and brain chemistry as well. Often, depression is signaled by feelings of intense sadness which last for weeks and months. It can be tempting to think that your depressed husband just needs to push through this and get to the other side. Depression requires treatment, and it does not [...]

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12 Quick Coping Mechanisms for Stress

12 Quick Coping Mechanisms for Stress

Kate Motaung2024-10-30T09:07:56+00:00October 26th, 2024|Anxiety, Depression, Featured, Personal Development, Spiritual Development|

Have you noticed your response when you get a shock, like your car not starting? Or the slowly mounting worries as a deadline approaches? Almost all of us cope with the negative effects of stress every day. Whether we endure long-term, low-grade stress or periods of acute stress, both have significant effects on our bodies and minds. Consistent feelings of tension should not be ignored. Fortunately, we can understand what happens inside our bodies and adopt simple coping mechanisms for stress to help neutralize the harmful effects of daily stress. Your body’s reaction to stress, whether sudden or ongoing, is to engage your nervous system and open the adrenaline and cortisol taps into your bloodstream. These hormones increase our pulse, cause our blood sugar to climb, and push up our blood pressure. When you get a fright, this physiological reaction helps you deal with it better than you would have otherwise. But most of the stress you experience is chronic in the form of financial insecurity and challenging relationships. This stress prevents our bodies from calming down properly, and this damages our health. Do you recognize any of these symptoms of chronic stress? Anxiety and depression, weight gain, memory loss, stroke, and heart disease. Being able to recognize your body’s warning signs will help you take consistent and increased action to mitigate the effects of stress. It would do you the world of good to speak with a healthcare professional with the appropriate skills and experience if you are dealing with any of these symptoms: Inability to focus Frequent, terrible headaches Being bored by activities that used to interest you Inexplicable weight loss or increase Feelings of loneliness, alienation, or insignificance Always feeling angry and irritable Protracted periods of inadequate sleep Persistent worrying or compulsive thinking Too much alcohol [...]

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Male Postpartum Depression: Is It a Thing?

Male Postpartum Depression: Is It a Thing?

Sandra Stein2024-09-25T08:33:56+00:00August 6th, 2024|Depression, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues|

Male postpartum depression is real. It is a form of depression characterized by significant mental and emotional distress that often goes unidentified because so many men are reluctant to talk about their feelings or reach out for help. The subject of dads’ mental health is always met with skepticism. You always get, ‘What about mom?’ in response. And moms’ mental health is important. But dads’ is, too. – Anthony J. Nedelman It has been estimated that approximately twenty-five percent of new dads experience mild symptoms of postpartum depression following the birth of a new baby, and 8 to 10 percent are diagnosed with it. This has been corroborated by a 2023 survey of fathers in the United States conducted by Verywell Mind and Parents that found that 9 percent of men experienced postpartum depression, and another 12 percent said both they and their spouses struggled with it. What does male postpartum depression look like? Symptoms of male postpartum depression can include anger, irritability, anxiety, sadness, intrusive thoughts of inadvertently harming the baby, loss of interest in hobbies or activities usually enjoyed, aloofness, violent or aggressive behavior, headaches, muscle pain, digestive problems, changes in appetite and sleep patterns, fatigue, indecisiveness, trouble concentrating or making decisions, emotional blunting, impulsivity, and/or feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt. Why do men get postpartum depression? Many potential risk factors can contribute to male postpartum depression. The most common ones include hormonal changes, pre-existing history of depression or anxiety, feeling disconnected and excluded as mom bonds with baby and focuses on meeting his or her needs, marital discord, sleep deprivation, financial stress, spouse with postpartum depression, and feeling overwhelmed by the added responsibilities of parenthood. How is it diagnosed? Most often, male postpartum depression is diagnosed through a clinical interview with a mental health professional. [...]

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What Does the Bible Say About Depression?

What Does the Bible Say About Depression?

Kate Motaung2025-04-22T06:54:01+00:00January 11th, 2023|Depression, Featured, Individual Counseling, Spiritual Development|

Although it’s not always possible to find Bible verses directly related to what we’re going through, depression is an exception to that. If you’re wondering, “What does the Bible say about depression?” this article is for you. Of course, a diagnosis of depression didn’t exist in Bible times, but there are many examples of biblical characters suffering from sadness, hopelessness, weariness, and other depressive symptoms, along with passages about how they related to God during their depression. Whether you’re experiencing grief, temporary sadness, situational depression, major depressive disorder, or another form of depression, the Bible offers hope. So while on the one hand, we can ask, “What does the Bible say about depression?” on the other hand we can also look for what the Bible says about hope. They are two sides of the same coin since depression steals our hope and hope can overshadow sadness. The Bible also offers many comforting words about God’s love for us during difficult times in life. Even when we are walking through suffering and sadness, we don’t have to go through it alone. Scripture informs our depression treatment, and it’s the only inspired tool that connects us to God. There are many ways to connect with Scripture, including through music, Christian meditation, prayer, and more. Carrollton Christian Counseling can help you incorporate these practices into your healing journey, offering support rooted in faith and Scripture Keep reading to learn more about a Scriptural approach to depression that is informed by evidence-based therapy techniques. A Definition Here is a clear explanation of depression from Psychiatry.org: “Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think, and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss [...]

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My Husband is Depressed. How Can I Help?

My Husband is Depressed. How Can I Help?

Kate Motaung2025-04-22T06:23:18+00:00December 12th, 2022|Depression, Featured, Individual Counseling, Marriage Counseling, Men’s Issues, Relationship Issues, Women’s Issues|

Loving someone who is depressed can be hard. Many times, spouses feel helpless as they watch the person they care so much about suffering. It is difficult when all you want to do is help and it feels impossible to know how. If your husband is depressed, perhaps this article will help. Additionally, people who are depressed sometimes release their feelings and frustrations toward the people they feel safe with, often a spouse or a loved one. This can mean you are juggling the longing to help your spouse as well as your feelings about how you are treated. Carrollton Christian Counseling can help both you and your spouse navigate these difficult dynamics, offering guidance to support your relationship and emotional well-being during challenging times. If your husband is depressed, it is not just their struggle. You have your own experiences and feelings to navigate. What is depression? Before you can look at how to help your husband, you need to understand what depression is. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.” Sometimes referred to as major depressive disorder or clinical depression, daily activities can become difficult for those suffering as depression affects how you think, feel, and behave. It is important to understand that being depressed is more than an occasional feeling of sadness or having the blues. It is not something that patients can simply turn off. Depression is a medical condition that requires treatment. Medication, therapy, or a combination of the two often have a positive impact on treating depression. Common signs of depression can include sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, changes in sleep or eating habits, anger, difficulty concentrating or completing tasks, unexplained physical ailments, and even suicidal thoughts. People with depression can [...]

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