Teen with Depression – Get Help without Side Effects
If you are a teen with depression, take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. There are millions of teens diagnosed with depression every year and for most of these teens, traditional medical approaches have failed miserably. Fortunately, there are now 100% natural treatment options available which offer teens and their families a much more effective alternative.
Teenage depression is a very troubling condition. Teens are already subjected to the overwhelming stresses of puberty and peer pressure, which can make the teenage years miserable. Throw in the very real effects of disrupted brain chemistry and you can have a volatile combination. In fact, depression is the leading cause of teen suicide, drug use, and other damaging behaviors such as cutting.
Because life can be so difficult for a teen with depression and their entire family, parents will often jump at the easy solution offered by prescription antidepressants. While these medications can control symptoms, they do nothing to treat their underlying cause and they can carry very serious side effects, including the threat of becoming addictive.
Rather than automatically opting to go the traditional route, many parents are now considering natural remedies. This is an important step in treating teenage depression because it offers the ability to treat the cause of the condition, namely chemical imbalance in the brain. By addressing this imbalance, natural remedies can help to restore mental equilibrium and control mood swings, and they do so without significant side effects.
Made from a unique blend of herbs and other plant based ingredients, natural remedies offer safe and effective treatment for a teen with depression based on centuries old healing principles. Ingredients such as St. John’s Wort can control mood swings by stabilizing the levels of various brain chemicals while others like Passion Flower serve as nerve tonics, to produce a sense of calm and relaxation.
Of course, like any treatment, these natural remedies are just one step in combating the difficulties of teenage depression. Along with restoring proper brain chemistry, making healthy lifestyle choices and seeking support are extremely important. A healthy diet, plenty of exercise and the right amount of sleep are all vital to promoting good health of mind and body.
Perhaps nothing is as crucial to a teen with depression as realizing they are not alone. Have a strong support system around them can make a huge difference. Sometimes what is needed most is a friendly ear. Be sure to listen to what they have to say and reinforce the point that their feelings matter. The more you can do to buoy their self esteem, the better they’ll be able to fight off feelings of depression.
As depression continues to be a real issue for teenagers, it is important that family and friends do everything they can to help battle the problem. This means remaining open to all treatment options, including natural remedies to help maintain good brain chemistry. Depression doesn’t have to take over you teen’s life, together you can make the right choice and help them feel better naturally.
Laura Ramirez is a dedicated to helping others achieve health and a sense of emotional and physical well-being. Learn more about her findings on natural ways to treat depression and anxiety by going to www.cure-depression-naturally.com
James Lehman – A Tribute to a Real Man and His Life
Recently, I learned that James Lehman, creator of the Total Transformation, died after battling a long illness. Although I never knew him personally, he made an impact on my life and on the lives of many parents and teenagers around the world. I want to take a moment to pay tribute to him.
James Lehman, who was abandoned as a child by his birth parents and then adopted by a caring family did what we all should aspire to do in life. He rose out of the ashes of his circumstances and created himself anew. Once a defiant, troubled teen, he grew up to become a therapist who helped countless young people turn around their lives and reconnect with the people who love and champion them more than anyone else on earth—their parents.
Why was James Lehman able to do this? Because he understood the experience of troubled, defiant teens from the inside out. He’d lived it. He knew the pain that comes from alienating yourself from the outside world, while secretly yearning to be a part of it. He knew that deep inside, these defiant teens wanted to do better, wanted desperately to feel better about themselves, but just didn’t know how.
As a young man, James worked to better himself and become a productive member of society. And as he did, he learned the steps and strategies that would ultimately become the Total Transformation and allow him to share his techniques with parents, so they could help their teens turn in a positive direction and ultimately, become productive members of society.
James Lehman’s story is a testament to the challenge of living. Within our circumstances, however bleak, are the gifts of strength, courage and self-knowledge that come when we strive to improve ourselves, to reach for better lives. These gifts are not for us alone—they are intended to be shared with others. This is what it’s all about.
Today, I am humbled by the great gifts that James Lehman left behind. Because you see, it’s not about what you acquire in life, but what you give to others.
I only hope that one day, I will see that I have risen as mightily to the challenge.
About the Author: Laura Ramirez is the author of the award-winning parenting book Keepers of the Children: Native American Wisdom and Parenting which teaches parents how to raise children to develop their strengths, think for themselves and lead productive lives. The book won a Nautilus Award from Martha Stewart’s company, Omnivision, which honors books that promote conscious living and social change.
The Most Effective Defiant Teens Programs for Turning Around Troubled Youth
If you’ve been researching defiant teens programs, then you may be confused by all the options. In this article you’ll learn about the three types of programs available, so you can get help for your teenager as soon as possible.
Before we look into the different programs, let’s take a look at parental guilt. Many parents feel bad that their teens can’t seem to respect or get along with others. These parents feel like they have failed their children somehow, but dealing with troubled teens is an area of expertise that is usually the domain of trained professionals. Since feeling guilty doesn’t help the situation and can actually prevent parents from taking action, this does not serve you or your child.
Researching defiant teens programs and finding the one that is the proper fit for your teenager will assure that your child gets much needed treatment. It is crucial to do the research and then follow through because rebellious teens usually do not get better on their own. In fact, delaying treatment can make things worse as your child grows in strength, size and confidence when rebelling against authorities. In fact the research shows that chronic teen defiance can lead to criminal behavior in adults.
The most expensive of the defiant teens programs is teen boot camp. This is typically considered a drastic measure because the child is sent away so that others can deal with him to create a behavioral turnaround. Although most parents who take this route feel that they have no other options, it’s important to recognize that for teens, this often feels like an abandonment. While camp counselors are prepared to deal with this common issue, it’s important that you consider its impact on your child.
While there are many effective teen boot camps, some use techniques to turn kids around that might be considered questionable or even abusive. Teens have become seriously dehydrated or even died in these camps and even though such instances are rare, it pays to do your research. Find out about the techniques used and the basic philosophy behind the program. Although these camps need to have strict rules and consequences to turn around troubled teens, they do not have to put kids in danger. Also since these camps can be expensive, make sure to find out exactly how much it will cost (including any hidden costs or extras) and factor this into your decision.
The next possibility is to get a therapist who specializes in dealing with troubled teens. Go to the school counselor or your pediatrician or family doctor and ask for recommendations because not all therapists are cut from the same cloth. It takes a smart therapist to break through the defenses of a troubled kid. Make sure the therapist uses a cognitive-behavioral style which means that he or she will use techniques to create measurable changes in behavior.
Like boot camp, therapy can be expensive. Sessions can cost anywhere from $100 to $300 per hour. Since it takes awhile to figure out the best way of dealing with troubled teens who may be resistant to treatment, it is reasonable to assume that your child might require weekly visits for anywhere from six months to one year. Check with your insurance company to find out how many sessions your policy allows, so you can figure out what your share of the total costs will be.
Since many insurance policies only allow for up to ten therapy sessions per year per person, therapy might not be an option for some families. This is why many parents use an at-home behavioral program instead. These programs come with CDs and a workbook and teach the parent step-by-step how to turn around a defiant kid.
The benefit of taking a do-it-yourself approach to helping your teen is that number one, you will learn how to deal with your teen and not have to rely on experts outside the family. (The makers of many of these at-home programs do have toll free numbers that you can call when you have questions about how to use the techniques in their programs.)
Second, you will learn how to motivate real changes in your teen’s behavior. This is powerful because as your teenager starts to realize that you are helping him create a better life, his respect and appreciation for you will grow.
Third, the act of helping your teen learn how to help himself will strengthen your bond and make your relationship much more satisfying. Plus, you’ll learn a lot about motivation and personal change as well.
For many parents, out of all the options for defiant teens programs, this makes the most sense because it puts them at the helm and is both effective and affordable.
Laura Ramirez is an award-winning author and family advisor who helps parents find defiant teens programs and cope with other family issues. Read her review of the Total Transformation program, an at-home behavioral program for the parents of troubled teens that was designed by a therapist who understands the process from the inside out because he was once a troubled youth himself.
