Adolescent Depression

by Mondimore, Francis Mark

• ISBN13: 9780801870583
• ISBN10: 0801870585
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-08-21
• Publisher: Johns Hopkins Univ Pr

Summary

Until recently, psychologists and psychiatrists believed that adolescents did not experience true depression in the way that adults do. Medical experts now realize that young people can and do get seriously depressed, and that depression and bipolar disorder may be more serious and more difficult to treat in adolescents than in adults. Depression may also be harder to recognize as an illness, both because moodiness is considered universal among teenagers and because parents often resist having their child treated for a psychiatric illness that they think--and often hope--will be "just a phase." In Adolescent Depression: A Guide for Parents, Johns Hopkins psychiatrist Francis Mondimore helps parents understand that serious depression in adolescents is an illness--an illness that can be effectively treated. He describes the many forms of depression and the many ways it can appear in young people--from intensely sad feelings to irritability, anger, and destructive rages. And he answers parents' questions, including: What are the danger signals of serious depression in teenagers? How are mood disorders diagnosed? How do medications work? What about talking therapies? How does depression relate to other problems, such as drug abuse, ADHD, and eating disorders and other self-injurious behavior? Of the one in five adults who go through a period of serious depression during their lifetime, many had their first experience of depression as teenagers. This comprehensive and compassionate guide detailing the symptoms, treatments, complications, and causes of adolescent depression provides parents with the information they need to ensure that their children receive the best possible treatment and become happy and healthy adults.

Author Biography

Francis Mark Mondimore, M.D., is a psychiatrist and member of the clinical faculty of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His books include Depression: The Mood Disease and Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for Patients and Families, both available from Johns Hopkins.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xv
Introduction	p. 1
Symptoms, Syndromes, and Diagnosis	p. 5
Depression: Some Definitions	p. 7
Normal and Abnormal Moods	p. 9
The Symptom of Depression	p. 9
The Syndrome of Depression	p. 10
Associated Symptoms of Depression	p. 16
Mood Disorders: Real Illnesses	p. 17
The Chemistry of Mood	p. 18
Normal Adolescence and Depression in Adolescence	p. 21
More on Symptoms	p. 21
More on Adolescence	p. 23
When Is Depression "Serious"?	p. 29
The Mood Disorders of Adolescence	p. 33
Psychiatric Diagnosis	p. 33
Major Depressive Disorder	p. 35
Dysthymic Disorder	p. 43
Bipolar Disorder	p. 46
More on Diagnosis	p. 55
The Importance of Treatment	p. 59
Mood Disorders: A Summary of Diagnostic Categories in the DSM	p. 62
What Is the DSM?	p. 62
A "Multiaxial" Diagnostic System	p. 64
Mood Disorder Categories in DSM IV	p. 67
Controversies in the Use of the DSM	p. 71
Treatment	p. 73
Medication Issues in Adolescence	p. 75
Pharmaceuticals and the FDA	p. 76
Dose Adjustments and Other Differences for Young People	p. 78
How Psychiatric Medications Work	p. 79
Antidepressant Medications	p. 89
Tricyclic Antidepressants	p. 89
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors	p. 95
Other New Antidepressants	p. 97
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors	p. 98
Antidepressant Therapy: Some General Considerations	p. 100
Mood-Stabilizing Medications	p. 103
Lithium	p. 103
Valproate (Depakote)	p. 113
Carbamazepine (Tegretol)	p. 116
Lamotrigine (Lamictal)	p. 119
Other Mood Stabilizers	p. 121
What Do Mood Stabilizers Treat?	p. 122
Other Medications and Treatments	p. 124
Antipsychotic Medications	p. 124
Benzodiazepines	p. 129
St. John's Wort	p. 129
Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Fish Oil	p. 131
Electroconvulsive Therapy	p. 134
Other New Treatments	p. 141
Counseling and Psychotherapy	p. 145
The "Biology-Psychology" Split in Psychiatry	p. 145
Is Psychotherapy Alone Sufficient?	p. 147
Is Psychotherapy Always Necessary?	p. 149
Matching the Psychotherapy to the Patient	p. 150
Choosing a Therapy and a Therapist	p. 157
The Psychiatrist-Psychotherapist: An Extinct Species?	p. 158
Variations, Causes, and Connections	p. 161
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder	p. 163
What is ADHD?	p. 163
Treatment Issues	p. 167
Mood Disorders and ADHD	p. 167
Alcohol and Drug Abuse	p. 171
Adolescent Substance Abuse	p. 171
Alcohol Abuse	p. 174
Marijuana Abuse	p. 176
"Ecstasy" and "Club Drugs"	p. 177
Mood Disorders and Substance Abuse	p. 180
Treatment Issues	p. 182
Eating Disorders	p. 185
Anorexia Nervosa	p. 188
Bulimia Nervosa	p. 189
Understanding Eating Disorders	p. 191
Mood Disorders and Eating Disorders	p. 193
"Cutting" and Other Self-Harming Behaviors	p. 195
Self-Mutilation	p. 195
Adolescent Suicide	p. 199
The Genetics of Mood Disorders	p. 205
Genes, Chromosomes, and DNA	p. 205
Genetic Diseases	p. 207
What We Know	p. 212
The Search Continues	p. 212
Getting Better and Staying Well	p. 215
Strategies for Successful Treatment	p. 217
Diagnosis, Diagnosis, Diagnosis	p. 218
Choosing the Treatment Team	p. 221
Eliminating Pathological Influences: Mood Hygiene	p. 228
The Role of the Family	p. 238
Recognizing Symptoms	p. 238
Getting Involved in Treatment	p. 239
Safety Issues	p. 241
Arranging Hospitalization and Involuntary Treatment	p. 243
Getting the Support You Need	p. 246
Planning for Emergencies	p. 249
Know Whom to Call for Help	p. 252
Insurance Issues	p. 254
More on Safety	p. 257
Looking Ahead	p. 259
Resources	p. 263
Suggested Reading	p. 263
Support and Advocacy Organizations	p. 264
Internet Resources	p. 265
Notes	p. 267
Index	p. 283
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