Parental Depression: 5 Tips To Deal With Parental Depression on Children

Introduction

Parental depression extends beyond mere sadness or being overwhelmed; it can severely hinder a parent’s capacity to be fully present for their children, potentially harming their overall well-being. Various manifestations of depression exist, but typical signs encompass feelings of sadness, helplessness, hopelessness, and a diminished ability to experience joy. Individuals grappling with parental depression confront substantial obstacles that can impact their parenting experience, potentially endangering their children’s welfare.

Exploring the Factors that Contribute to Parental Depression

Parental depression can be caused by various factors, including:

1. Genetic predisposition: Evidence suggests that depression can run in families, indicating a genetic component.
2. Life stressors: Stressful life events such as financial difficulties, relationship problems, and traumatic experiences can trigger or exacerbate depression in parents.
3. Hormonal changes:Pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause are all periods of significant hormonal changes that can increase the risk of depression in parents.
4. Chronic medical conditions: Chronic illnesses or disabilities in either the parent or child can contribute to depression in parents.
5. Lack of support: Parenting can be challenging, and parents who lack support from family or friends may be at a higher risk of developing depression.

 Signs of Parental Depression

It’s important to note that parental depression is a complex condition with multiple contributing factors, and it may not always be clear why a person develops the issue. It’s essential to seek professional help if you are experiencing symptoms of depression and recognize signs of parental depression

1. Persistent sadness or hopelessness: A parent experiencing depression may seem consistently sad or hopeless, even in situations that should bring them joy.
2. Lack of interest or pleasure: They may lose interest in previously enjoyable activities or find it challenging to feel joy in anything.
3. Changes in appetite or sleep patterns: Depression can cause changes in eating habits, leading to weight loss or gain. Sleep patterns may also be affected, with some parents experiencing insomnia, while others may oversleep.
4. Difficulty concentrating: Depressed parents may have trouble focusing on tasks or making decisions.
5. Fatigue or lack of energy: Depression can lead to physical exhaustion and a lack of energy, making it challenging for parents to complete daily tasks.
6. Feelings of worthlessness or guilt: Parents with depression may feel a sense of worthlessness, guilt, or self-blame, even if there is no reason to do so.
7. Irritability or anger: Depression can lead to irritability or anger, even in situations that wouldn’t usually provoke such emotions.

It’s important to note that these symptoms can vary from person to person, and not everyone with depression experiences all of them. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s essential to seek professional help.

How Parental Depression Impacts Parenting

Parental depression can drain a parent’s physical and emotional energy, making it difficult for them to be present with their child.

• Unhealthy Coping: Parental depression can impair self-care and weaken the parent-child bond, but treatment can improve it. It affects the ability to cope with challenges, can lead to unhealthy coping, and hinder children’s development.
• Impairs decision making: Parental depression can affect decision-making and consistency in parenting, negatively impacting children’s emotional well-being. Finding a suitable parenting style can be challenging for parents with depression.
• Overwhelming guilt: Parental guilt is familiar with depression. It causes feelings of worthlessness and excessive guilt, making parenting more difficult. Overwhelming guilt may lead to a struggle to be present for the child.
• Parental burnout: Parental burnout is similar to depression and can lead to exhaustion, disconnection from children, and self-doubt. Treating depression can help address and minimize symptoms of parental burnout.

How Parental Depression Affects Children

Parental depression can negatively impact children’s emotional well-being, academic performance, and future mental health, and it can also affect their relationships.

Parental depression can have various adverse effects on children. For instance:

• Increased anxiety: Children may develop anxiety due to unpredictable behavior from a depressed parent.
• Unhealthy attachments: A child’s ability to form healthy attachments may also be compromised, as a parent’s mental illness may derail the standard attachment process.
• Low self-esteem: A child’s self-esteem may suffer, as their parent’s inability to engage with them and provide positive feedback may reflect feelings of worthlessness.
• Poor physical health: Poor Physical health may also be a concern, as a depressed parent may be unable to attend to a child’s needs.
• Inability to build trust: A child’s ability to trust may be affected, as their early experiences with an untrustworthy caregiver may lead to difficulty trusting others.

Parenting through the Blues: Tips for Handling Parenting Depression

Parenting depression can make it challenging to be a good parent, but it’s essential to prioritize your child’s well-being.

• Seeking therapy: Seeking therapy for your child can help them feel safe and build trust, even when you’re struggling. Creating a support network of family, friends, and professionals who can help you care for your child is also essential.
• Maintaining self-care: Self-care is essential for battling depression, including daily routines, emotional self-care like journaling, and other activities that make you feel good. Staying social, getting outside, and practicing self-compassion, are also essential.
• Eating a healthy diet and regular exercise: Eating healthy and exercising can help alleviate depressive symptoms. Doing good for others can boost your mood, and educating yourself about depression and postpartum depression can help you feel more empowered to manage your symptoms.

Overall, parenting with depression requires extra effort and support, but it’s possible to be a good parent even when struggling with mental illness. Prioritizing your child’s well-being and taking care of yourself are the most important things you can do.

Don’t Suffer Alone! Types of professional help for parenting depression

Parents with depression lasting over two weeks should seek professional help. Therapy can improve personal functioning, parenting skills, and child outcomes. Seeking help is essential for getting back on track.

Various therapy options are available, including:

• Parent coaching:  Parent coaching  focuses on teaching parents practical communication skills and improving relationships with their children.
• Couples therapy: Couples therapy is beneficial for couples when depression is causing problems in their relationship.
• Family therapy: Family therapy  allows all family members to share their perspectives and experiences.
• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: Cognitive Behaviour therapy is one of the most effective treatments for mood disorders, including depression, and helps clients change their behaviors by changing their thoughts.
• Group therapy: Group therapy can normalize mental disorders, provide support, and allow for sharing of coping strategies among adults and children.

Conclusion

Parental depression is a common mental disorder that can affect any parent, regardless of their child’s age. Parenting challenges can become overwhelming, and when combined with symptoms of depression, it can be challenging to cope. It is essential to seek help as soon as possible, not only for your well-being but also for the sake of your child and relationships. This applies not only to new mothers but to all parents.

For any help and guidance, you can contact our  expert counselors or explore more content at United We Care! At United We Care, a team of wellness and mental health experts will guide you with the best methods for well-being.

REFERENCES

[1] “Parental Depression: How it Affects a Child,” Yale Medicine, 26-Oct-2022. [Online].Available here:. [Accessed: 04-May-2023].

[2] National Research Council (US) and Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Depression, Parenting Practices, and the Healthy Development of Children, M. J. England, and L. J. Sim, Associations between depression in parents and parenting, child health, and child psychological functioning. Washington, D.C., DC: National Academies Press, 2009.

[3] A. Beeston, “Parents’ depression can impact their children’s mental health and school performance,” National Institute for Health Research, 2022.