Depression in Kids

It’s estimated that 1 in 30 kids (youth up to age 18) are depressed. Teens especially have it rough, but is it because of just the emotional things that happen in life like a family member passing, parents getting divorced, or being bullied at school? Honestly, those circumstances have been happening for a long time. Even more honest, raising awareness on those things doesn’t improve the effect it has on the by standers.

I don’t want to down play those life experiences as they are very traumatic to a child, but I think we have to look deeper into all life aspects, not just the emotional triggers that will contribute to a higher sensitivity of pushing a youngster over the brink into depression.

The human DNA blueprint has 1 goal and outcome. Keep you functioning for about 120 years of life. Our job is to provide that blueprint with the proper building materials. The constant is the DNA. The variables are the materials.

Our choice of materials can be classified into 4 categories: toxic, pure, deficient, sufficient. The more pure and sufficient materials are used, the better the building process occurs. The more toxic and deficient the materials used, the worse outcomes.

Toxicity and deficiency can be filed under the main label of ‘stress.’ Stress can be emotional like your parents getting divorced or getting bullied. We often ignore and downplay the physical and chemical stress that can lead to depression in kids.

50% of pregnancies in North America are not planned. Many women don’t even know they are pregnant for 5-8 weeks and by that time the primitive nervous system of the embryo has developed. If there are missing requirements, the body has an amazing ability to adapt but has to work harder to adapt and takes longer to adapt making kids more susceptible to certain ailments, especially with neuro-behavioral ailments.

Other stresses to a developing mind and body include: birth trauma like c-section, forceps, and ptosin, solid foods too early, TV, medications and vaccines, not enough fruits/veggies, not enough healthy fats, not enough movement, food sensitivities like gluten and dairy, and list goes on in this thing called the ‘perfect storm.’ If there is deficiency and/or toxicity, there is stress.

I want you to think of these stresses (physical, chemical, and emotional) like facing a mountain lion while hiking Pike’s Peak. A host of physiological changes will occur to save your life. Your blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol, and respiratory rates will increase. Blood sugar increases to boost energy. Muscles contract to produce power.

In order for your body to do those things it needs to pool energy away from things like digestion, fertility, immune function, and cognitive function. Sensitivity (pain, touch, sounds, worry, fear, etc) increases at the expense of serotonin production, concentration, learning, memory, and logical thought.

Our bodies are designed for short term bouts of stress. You sprint away from the lion and you’re good. It’s when these stresses build upon each other without that period of growth, healing, and repair that takes a toll on our kid’s health. With new experiences and emotional maturity developing, the nervous system is an easy target in a stressed youth. As a result, not only is depression sky rocketing but ADHD, sensory processing, autism, bipolar are also on the rise.

The obvious things have to be addressed but just like the damage after a hurricane, there are many little things that aren’t so obvious that need to be addressed when rebuilding. As a parent, you’re going to have to push to get the not so obvious uncovered.