Last partial update: September 2015 - Please read disclaimer before proceeding.

 

Introduction

The most important issue in treating depression is recognising it in the first place. This is especially the case with adolescents and males. Parents who are concerned that their child has depression should discuss it with them and organise medical help via their GP or a mental health clinic. People who are concerned about another person's child should bring it to the attention of their parents or primary carer or discuss the situation with their GP if they are unsure how to proceed. All GPs see many depressed patients and most are well skilled at treating this condition. They really can help, but only when they know there is a problem. Tell them!

The majority of patients can be successfully treated with psychotherapy (usually cognitive behavioural therapy) and in some cases medication.

Treatment relies in most cases on psychotherapy, with medication being added in more severe cases. Unlike in the treatment of adult depression, medication is used only very occasionally in young people. Other factors, such as sleep and alcohol and illicit drug use also need to be addressed.

Part of treatment includes having a crisis plan that can be implemented if things deteriorate quickly and there is concern for the adolescent’s safety. This may include going to casualty.

With treatment about 70 per cent can be expected to be impairment-free after six months.

 

How can a parent help a child they suspect might suffer from depression?

  • Initiating discussion about concerns regarding a child with possible depression is a delicate matter, so try to choose a mutually convenient occasion when there is sufficient time to have a long conversation. Also choose a low stress location with no distractions. (Not in front of the TV.) Tell them they seem to have changed and that it is causing concern. Try to ask general, open-ended questions, such as ‘What is troubling you?’. Try to do more listening than talking / giving advice. Often what the child initially likes to do most is express the way he or she is feeling. Try to show empathy and understanding by listening carefully and looking at the child and resist the temptation to be judgmental. Leave advice for later. Discussing such issues can make the person become irritated and aggressive. In this situation, the parent needs ensure he or she remains calm, fair and in control.
  • Encourage and assist them in getting professional help and accompany them on visits to health professionals involved. (The parent may need to be persuasive as the feeling of hopelessness that is often part of depression will mean that the child feels no one can help them.)
  • If suicidal thoughts are mentioned do not dismiss them or avoid talking about them. Show sympathy and understanding. Try to emphasise that their situation is NOT HOPELESS and they have a well recognised, common and very treatable illness. Hopelessness is a very distressing symptom and one that needs to be overcome quickly. It is obviously important to get medical help as soon as possible and someone should stay with the person if there is immediate concern for their safety.
  • Don’t be afraid to talk with them about their depression and how their treatment is going.
  • Help them in controlling their social alcohol / other drug use if this is a contributing problem.
  • Encourage friends and family to be similarly supportive.
  • Encourage them to exercise and eat well.
  • Encourage them to become socially involved and help them organise social activities.
  • Children taking medication for depression need to be encouraged to continue taking it as prescribed or, if they are having problems with side effects etc, see their doctor. Try to ensure they don’t just stop the medication as abrupt cessation can have detrimental side effects as well as increase the likelihood the depression will recur.
  • Part of treating adsolescent depression includes having a crisis plan that can be implemented if things deteriorate quickly and there is concern for the adolescent’s safety. This may include going to casualty.

Being the primary carer for a depressed person is often a difficult task and it is important to remain in good mental and physical health by having time off and doing some enjoyable activities. Everyone will be better off. Ask family members and friends to help.)

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1. Psychotherapy

As stated above, psychotherapy is the mainstay of treatment in all adolescents with depression. Psychotherapy needs to be individualised and thus it is probably not helpful to discuss this topic in detail here. A general guide to psychotherapy is provided in the boxed section below. 

Psychotherapy techniques

In the past, psychotherapy for depression and anxiety focused on trying to identify the underlying causes for problems that people faced in their everyday lives. These causes are often deep seated and often commenced in the person’s distant past. The psychoanalysis therapy used to uncover these causes and reverse their effects was very time consuming (and therefore expensive) and required great patience from both patient and therapist.

Over the last ten to twenty years, these techniques have been largely replaced by cognitive behavioural therapy / structured problem solving and, to a lesser extent, interpersonal psychotherapy. These therapies work equally well for treating depression and anxiety.

A. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Recurrent negative thoughts when faced with life’s every-day problems, such as negative expectations and self-derogation, are in part responsible for depression and it is the aim of CBT to overcome such ‘automatic negative thoughts’ by teaching the person to understand that such negative responses are responsible for initiating poor solutions to problems and for depressing their overall mood. Once unhelpful thoughts and responses are identified, solutions can be sought through challenging the validity of the original negative thoughts, seeking more helpful thoughts beliefs and in doing so finding more positive, and thus beneficial, alternative responses.

A ‘thought diary’ is often helpful at identifying such negative thoughts and brings to the patient’s attention how big a part they play in their thinking. With the help a trained therapist, CBT assists people learn ways of dealing with their psychological problems so that they can manage their problems by themselves. They learn to become their own therapist.

All psychologists are well trained in CBT, as are many GPs. (As there is a shortage of trained psychologists / psychiatrists in some regions, especially in the country, GPs often find themselves as a community’s primary CBT resource. The fact that they often have a long-standing and trusting relationship with the depressed person and know their social circumstances well means that they are usually very well placed to fulfill this role. Such relationships have been shown to be very beneficial in treating patients with depression.)

CBT involves the following.

Education:
People need to understand the nature of the mental health problem they face. This includes the negative thoughts and feelings to situations / challenges they face and the effect these thoughts and feelings are having in determining their responses to these situations / challenges. It also includes education about the physical responses anxiety; for example, it is important to explain the nature of acute anxiety symptoms, especially those that occur with panic attacks, and how they can be avoided. (See anxiety section.)

Challenging automatic negative (unhelpful) thoughts:
Most people with depression and/or anxiety have negative thoughts that automatically come into their heads many times each day. They may occur in association with a specific problem, such as a specific anxiety causing situation, or with most activities the person does, as is often the case in depressed people. They develop over many years and become as second nature as teeth cleaning.

Without consciously thinking of them, they actively shape responses to the daily problems that the person faces. Such thoughts fall into the following broad categories; catastrophising, where people take the worst possible scenario as the only possible outcome; all or nothing thinking, where everything is seen as either black or white and no middle ground exists; setting unrealistic expectations, where only the best (usually unachievable) outcomes are seen as satisfactory and anything else is seen as failure; over-generalising, where a problem associated with a specific activity is seen as applying to other present and future activities; loss of perspective, where a person unrealistically focuses on negative aspects of an activity, ignoring other more positive aspects; and inappropriately blaming oneself or others for problems that are unavoidable.

The anxiety that these thoughts cause leads to unhelpful responses, such as avoidance behaviours and obsessive/compulsive behaviours, and ultimately to depression. Helping to identify the existence of these negative thoughts and challenging their validity allows people to recognize and challenge such thoughts when they occur in real life situations. They are then able to make more appropriate and beneficial responses. (For example, people who feel / believe that they are poor at public speaking and never have anything worth saying anyway will fear speaking in public and naturally try to avoid it. Questioning these beliefs may well show them that there is little evidence for such beliefs and allow them to approach the problem with more confidence.)

Graded exposure:
This technique is used in people with anxiety who have adopted avoidance behaviours due to their anxieties; for example, avoiding crowded places. The person grades (out of ten) a variety of related situations according to their ability to provoke anxiety. The person then exposes themselves to the least anxiety provoking situation. Once this is mastered, the next situation is challenged and so on up the list until the problem has been overcome.

Under the supervision of a trained practitioner, all the above techniques have been shown to help in the majority of depressed or anxious people. However, success depends on the patient gradually taking over the major role as they practice their newly learned techniques in real life situations. The therapist’s role is to act as a guide. As with almost all the lifestyle changes suggested in this book, motivation is the key to success and the person must be ready to start therapy.

Often cognitive behavioural therapy can be used alone. However, in more severe cases, medication also needs to be added; usually for short periods.

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B. Structured problem solving

Structured Problem Solving is a method designed to work logically through problems. It is particularly useful for people who feel overwhelmed by life’s problems and is a useful therapy for all manner of psychological problems, not just those directly related to depression (e.g. relationship, financial, employment, medical, drug and alcohol problems etc).

The Structured Problem Solving approach to problem resolution follows this general format. Firstly, with the help of the therapist, the person is asked to list the problems that are worrying or distressing them. These problems are written down and the problem(s) that is causing the most stress is identified.
The person then works out what possible options are available to deal with the problem (brainstorming) and these are listed as possible solutions. The advantages and disadvantages of each possible solution are then also listed, taking into account the resources the person has, such as friends, other people to talk to, finances, health etc. Doing this actually helps the person identify what has caused feelings about a problem and the supports and personal strengths available to him / her for resolving the problem. It can also show how the person coped with similar problems in the past.

Having done this, the best solution is selected and a list of the steps needed to carry out this option is made. This includes setting out an acceptable time frame for their implementation. Having carried out this solution, a reassessment is made at a subsequent consultation. If it hasn’t worked out, the process can be done again (with the benefit of hindsight) and another solution tried out. Initially this process needs to be done in conjunction with a counselor. However, the person can soon learn this way of problem solving and they can then use it to help with future difficulties. This increases the person’s feeling of control over their life.

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C. Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT)

Counselling is almost always needed to help with psychological problems / relationship problems. A form of therapy being increasingly used to help psychological problems is interpersonal counselling.

Relationships with family and friends are an integral part of day-to-day life and problems with these relationships account for many of the psychological problems people face. They lead to disruption of the social networks that are very important in providing support and encouragement during challenging and stressful times. This lack of support can lead to more serious problems such as depression.

The emphasis of IPT is on bringing about change through focusing on improving current relationships or changing expectations about them. IPT focuses on careful assessment of the patient’s relationships, examining the way communication occurs within the relationship, including indirect communication, and attempting to identify conflicts, differing expectations and transitions (i.e. changing dynamics) in these relationships. The main aim is to improve relationships through better communication and these improved relationships will assist the person in coping with other current life stresses, such as job loss or bereavement.

To assist with therapy, interpersonal counselling attempts to separate the reasons for the relationship problems into four categories. These are grief / loss, interpersonal (role) disputes, role transitions and interpersonal deficits (relationship inadequacies). Often several problems exist at once and problems can fall into more than one category. For example, death of a spouse will cause both grief and role changes.

Grief:
Grief can be any loss experienced by a person, such as death, job loss or injury. While grief is a normal part of experiencing loss, excessive grief is inappropriate and will affect a person’s ability to communicate with partners and friends. Rebuilding damaged existing relationships and establishing new ones, often through establishing new interests, helps in overcoming the grieving process.

Interpersonal disputes:
Interpersonal disputes develop when people communicate poorly or have unrealistic expectations of their relationship. Therapy requires assessment of whether the disputes are capable of resolution. If they are, then compromise needs to be the aim. Reassessing expectations and improving communication and problem solving skills are integral parts of this process. Many of these issues are covered in this book’s section on relationships. Unsalvageable relationships need help so that a peaceful dissolution that minimises further psychological stress can occur.

Role transitions:
Role transitions occur when changing life circumstances cause changes in the functions the person has to perform and these changes in function will change the way the person relates to others present in the ‘changed environment’. For example, divorce will drastically change a person’s family roles. Therapy needs to promote adaptation through emphasising the positive aspects of new roles and negative aspects of old ones and encouraging the person to develop new skills that will enable them to replace old roles with new ones.

Interpersonal deficits:
Some people have characters that make it difficult for them to establish and maintain lasting quality relationships. These characteristics are often founded in poor past relationship experiences. People then impose characteristics of past relationships onto new ones. These expectations are often incorrect. They distort the person’s view of the new relationship and limit the relationship’s potential. The issues involved are often complex and require more specialized counselling before interpersonal therapy can be of benefit.

Interpersonal therapy usually only requires a short course of therapy, about six to ten sessions. (It can also be used for longer periods.) A short course of therapy encourages the person to make relationship changes quickly. The initial session of about an hour assesses current relationship problems and how these are affecting the person’s coping ability. More serious problems, such as significant depression, that need other treatment modes are also identified. The following shorter consultations attempt to probe the person’s perception of the problem, identify possible effective solutions, slowly implement these solutions, and review progress. This is similar to the approach taken in cognitive behavioural therapy, but in CBT the treatment focuses on the person’s underlying thoughts rather than their relationship dynamics.

 

e-MentalHealth Therpay - A new way of delivering psychotherapy for depression

Historically psychotherapy has been delivered by fae-to-face contact between the clinicial and the patient. While this is still by far the most common method of delivering therapy, numerous, very effective e-Mental Health options have been / are being developed. They have the advantage of being cheaper for patients and being avilable in areas where mental health resources are relatively scarce, a common problem in Australia. They are available in two general forms:

  • automated self-help services such as online CBT
  • clinician-supported online services

It is important to realise that there are many programs available on the net and that program quality will vary. Indeed, some may not be helpful at all. Also, different programs will suit different people. Thus, it essential to ask your GP for advice when selecting a program. Also, as people using these programs obviously have mental health issues, they need regular ongoing review both during the course of therapy and afterwards to see how they are faring as almost all mental health problems tend to be recurring in nature / fluctuate significantly in severity.

General mental health educational resources for young people

These websites present online CBT and positive psychology strategies designed to reduce distress and build resilience in a youth-friendly format.

  • The Black Dog Institute - Bite Back website (www.biteback.org.au)
    • designed for those aged 12–18 years and is based on the principles of positive psychology.
  • ReachOut (http://au.reachout.com)
  • Headspace (www.eheadspace.org.au
  • youthbeyondblue (www.youthbeyondblue.com)

e-mental health treatment programs for adults available online

Numerous highly regarded and well-resourced Australian organisations have produced excellent e-mental health treatment programs. These include:

  • The Black Dog Institute - myCompass www.mycompass.org.au
    • Used for mild-to-moderate distress, anxiety and depression
  • Australian National University, Centre for Mental Health Research - MoodGYM www.moodgym.anu.edu.au
    • Used for mild-to-moderate distress, anxiety and depression
  • Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression (CRUfAD) - This Way Up www.thiswayup.org.au
    • Used for mild-to-moderate panic disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, depression, social anxiety, mixed anxiety and depression and obsessive compulsive disorder
  • Macquarie University - Mind Spot www.mindspot.org.au
    • Used for mild-to-moderate obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, stress, anxiety and depression
  • Queensland University of Technology - On Track www.ontrack.org.au
    • Specific programs for depression, alcohol and for depression combined with alcohol use
  • Melbourne University, Deakin University - MoodSwings www.moodswings.net.au
    • Used for bipolar disorder programs aimed at both consumers and carers
  • Swinburne University - Anxiety Online www.anxietyonline.org.au
    • Specific programs for a variety of anxiety disorders

General mental health educational resources

There are also many mental health educational resources available online

  • Australian Government - Mind Health Connect (www.mindhealthconnect.org.au)
    • Provides information about mental health problems and access to all the Australian mental health services available online. A guided search tool helps users find the most appropriate resource.
  • Australian National University -
    • Beacon (www.beacon.anu.edu.au) - This site rates online resources for a variety of health issues and is helpful in selecting appropriate resources to use.
    • Blue Board (www.blueboard.anu.edu.au)19 and Blue Pages (www.bluepages.anu.edu.au)

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2. Medication - Treatment using fluoxetine - an SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) medication

In young people under the age of 18 years, there is considerable controversy about the use of all types of antidepressant medication, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which is the most common  type of antidepressant used in adults. The main problem is that there is little evidence that medication provides an overall advantage. With this in mind, it is recommended that psychological therapy, including cognitive behavioural therapy and interpersonal therapy, should be first line treatment in most cases, with medication being considered when such psychotherapy has been unsuccessful. (In some young people with severe symptoms, medication may be started initially in conjunction with psychotherapy.)

The only medication that has been shown to provide any overall benefit in treating young people with depression is the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor  fluoxetine (Prozac, Erocap, Lovan, Zactin, Auscap). For this reason, this is almost universally used as the first choice medication for treating depression in young people. SSRIs work primarily by increasing seretonin levels in the brain (via inhibiting its reuptake by brain cells), although there is recent evidence that suggests they may also act by increasing the production of new brain cells in certain parts of the brain that are primarily associated with memory.  fluoxetine has a half life of up to two weeks, which is helpful with adolescents who forget medication. (Other SSRIs have much shorter half lives of about one day.)

About 80% of children and adolescents taking fluoxetine will experience mild transient side effects, the main ones being abdominal discomfort, nausea, agitation, sleep disturbance, headaches and occasionally dizziness due to low blood pressure. About 8% suffer more serious agitation symptoms and have to be taken off the medication. Doctors often start on a lower dose and increase the dose gradually to reduce the likelihood of side effects. Generally adolescents start on about half the adult dose but often need to increase this dose. Children start on about a quarter of the adult dose.

Sexual dysfunction also occurs in adolescents and is especially a problem for young adult males who need to be warned about this potential problem.

Sudden withdrawal should be avoided as it causes unpleasant symptoms including agitation, poor concentration, fatigue and insomnia.

 Fluoxetine is safe in the event of overdosage.

There is, however, an important factor that complicates the use of SSRIs in younger people. Unfortunately, the SSRI group of drugs has been associated with an increase in the incidence of suicide ideation and behaviour in young people. This association is minimal and there is some controversy about whether it exists at all. However, it is obviously of concern when the person taking the medication has depression. An increase in feelings of restlessness / irritability is an indication that such a problem may be developing and requires immediate assessment by a doctor. This may mean going to casualty.

The attitude of governments to this dilemma varies, with the UK government only allowing the use of the SSRI fluoxetine in younger people while the US government allows the general use of SSRIs; all with appropriate warnings etc.

Australian health authorities advise that, while SSRIs are used widely in treating depression in younger people, none have been approved for this use. As fluoxetine is the only SSRI with evidence of overall benefit, it is the preferred choice where a drug is considered necessary. It should only be used as part of a well-coordinated treatment plan where there is close monitoring by the carers and treating doctors for any signs of increasing suicide ideation / intention. Carers should also have a plan for what to do in a crisis situation. It is important that the young person and his or her carers are informed of the risks involved before they consent to using this medication. If a problem is going to occur, it usually does so early on in treatment; the first month or two. Signs indicating increased suicide ideation that carers need to be aware of (and report to treating doctors) include: increased irritability, impulsivity, anxiety, agitation, restlessness, excessive excitement, impulsive or reckless behaviour, overt suicidal thoughts, talk about suicide and self-harming actions. (Such thoughts and actions are common in young depressed people whether they are taking medication or not. If they do occur or there is concern about the risk of a young person inflicting self-harm, help should be sought from a doctor immediately.)

Two important considerations when taking SSRIs.

Other types of anti-depressant medication (including tricyclic anti-depressants, an older group of medications) are NOT recommended for use in younger people.

Untreated, depression usually lasts for six months or more. For this reason, treatment usually needs to be long term (often at least 12 months) and the most important part of treating depression is that there is consistent long term follow-up by the treating practitioner.

Use of SSRIs for anxiety without depression in children and adolescents
Three SSRIs have been shown to be useful in the treatment of anxiety conditions and two of these, fluoxetine and sertraline (Zoloft), are approved for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders in this age group. There has been no association with suicide when the medication has been prescribed for anxiety alone.

Evidence and recommendations re these medications are constantly changing and people obviously need to consult their doctor regarding their use.  

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3. Other factors in treating depression

Promoting activity

Promoting activity is also an important part of overcoming (and prevent the recurrence of) depression. A common feature of depression is reduced motivation to do all activities and this often translates into reduced physical and social activity. The resumption or continuation of normal activities keeps the young person in their normal routine and in contact with their friends and physical activity helps overcome mental and muscular tension and in doing so reduces depressed feelings. A good way to start is to help the young person in writing a list of the things that are going to be done each day.

Start with the normal activities, like showering etc, and then add in some physical activity in the mornings and late afternoon. Activities should include at least one thing that the young person likes to do each day; ‘pleasant event scheduling!!!’ Depressed young people have often ceased doing these activities and reintroducing these activities will increase life enjoyment. There should also be at least one activity that gives a sense of achievement. Social isolation makes overcoming their depression more difficult and thus it is also important to accept invitations received from friends and family, even though they may not feel like doing these it.

Improving sleep

Improving sleep can have a significant impact of improving depression and may also help prevent its onset in some young people. Reducing access to TVs and computers etc in bedrooms can assist, as can establishing a normal sleep routine. (Going to bed a 2am and waking at midday prevents access to many normal activities.)

Accessing help from school

Making the young person's school aware of the situation (if they are not already) is very helpful as they will have support staff that can help and can notify class teachers etc of the problem. This will help with feedback about progress or regression and help identify problems earlier on than would otherwise perhaps be the case.

Reducing life stresses / improving living conditions

Stressful living conditions are an important factor in many cases of depression and that many of these can be improved. Examples include providing financial support, identification of physical and / or emotional abuse within a relationship, and help with alcohol / other dug abuse either by the depressed young person or a parent. Making the young person's school aware of the situation (if they are not already so that appropriate support can be offered is important. It’s a long list and means that, in addition to therapists and schools, the successful treatment of depression often requires support from many other services, including government welfare services, local area health services and local church groups. A GP is often an ideal person to assist in accessing and coordinating these various services.

As mentioned in the previous section, acne is a life stress for many teenagers and its treatment can help. (Click here to access section on acne.)

Avoiding caffeine and nicotine, drugs that increase anxiety symptoms

Caffeine and nicotine both increase anxiety symptoms and thus are likely to exacerbate depression. They are best avoided.

Overcoming other substance abuse (alcohol and illicit drugs)

Substance abuse is common in young people with depression and needs to be addressed as part of the treatment of depression. Alcohol-use problems are the most common, followed by cannabis use. Both are drugs which cause depression of the central nervous system which exacerbates depressive symptoms. As well as their detrimental affect on the depressed person, these substances can cause problems by interacting with prescribed anti-depressant medication.

Relax and reduce anxiety through meditation / yoga

Some people find ‘stress-reduction’ techniques such as yoga and meditation can help reduce depressive symptoms. Music is also very helpful

Improving social performance

Some people are lacking in the social skills needed to maintain and improve relationships. Education regarding improving both non-verbal and verbal communication can be very helpful in these people.

Click here for detailed information on where to seek out quality counselling

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Relapse of depression

Unfortunately depression is often a chronic condition with 50 per cent of people experiencing more than one episode. However, the likelihood and frequency of recurrences can be reduced by the following.

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Further information on mental illness

Mental health resources

Mental Health Branch of the Department of Health and Aged Care  www.mentalhealth.gov.au
This site provides information about crisis supports and contacts, general mental health information, mental health information brochures / publications about specific topics such as depression, anxiety, information about suicide prevention etc.
Ph 1800 066 247

Beyond Blue: The National Depression Initiative www.beyondblue.org.au

ybblue (Beyond Blue’s youth program)  www.youthbeyondblue.com
Beyond Blue’s youth program

Black dog institute www.blackdoginstitute.org.au
Provides information for clinicians and patient education.

Black dog institute for young people aged 12 to 18 years www.biteback.org.au
Provides information for clinicians and patient education.

Sphere (For GPs) www.spheregp.com.au
Sphere is a national education health project aimed at increasing GPs rates of identification, effective treatment and management of common psychological problems.

Moodgym   www.moodgym.anu.edu.au
An interactive program of CBT, more aimed at depression, developed by the Centre for Mental Health Research at the Australian National University.)

Reachout www.reachout.com.au
A resource for young people with depression.

Self-Injury www.self-injury.net
A web site with information about youth self-injury; an increasing problem in western society. It is run by a young adult who has previously self injured and gives information about overcoming the problem.

Lifeline www.lifeline.org.au  Ph 13 1114
Lifeline provides an immediate counseling service for all people)

Kids Help Line www.kidshelp.com.au
A national 24 hour counseling service for children and young people)
Ph 1800 551 800

CRUfAD, The Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression www.crufad.com 
CRUfAD is a group of researchers and clinicians concerned with anxiety and depression. It is a joint facility of St Vincent's Hospital Ltd and the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. The self-help section of the web site has useful information about both anxiety and depression for the general public.

Anxiety Panic Hub www.panicattacks.com.au
A consumer web site with a focus on meditation / mindfulness.

The Panic Anxiety Disorder Association www.panicanxietydisorder.org.au 
Provides good consumer information

Toughin it out  www.toughinitout.com  
A program detailing survival skills for dealing with suicidal thoughts.

Mindmatters   http://cms.curriculum.edu.au/mindmatters/index.htm
A program that introduces mental health education to secondary schools.

Inspire Foundation  www.inspire.org.au/   
For people aged 14 to 25

National e-Therapy Centre Swinburne University  www.anxietyonline.org.au  
Help with all types of anxiety disorders

 

Further reading on mental health topics

Rapee, R., Spence, S., Cobham, V. and Wignall, A. Helping your anxious child. A step by step guide for parents. New Harbinger, 2000.

Macquarie University Child and Adolescent Anxiety Unit
This unit runs 12 week courses for anxious children in the 6 to 12 year age group.
www.psy.mq.edu.au/muaru.

Rapee, R.M. (2001). Overcoming shyness and social phobia: A step by step guide. Sydney: Lifestyle Press.
Deals with social phobias and shyness

Wells, A. (1997) Cognitive therapy of anxiety disorders; a practice manual and conceptual guide. Chichester. John Wiley and Sons, 1997.
  
Beating the blues by Susan Tanner and Jillian Ball. Published by Susan Tanner and Jillian Ball. Distributed by Tower books.
A good book for issues dealing with the treatment of depression.

Don’t panic. Overcoming anxieties, phobias and tensions by Andrew Page. Published by Liberty One Media.
Deals with panic disorders, phobias and anxiety.

Aisbett, B. Living with it; a suvivor’s guide to panic attacks. Pymble, NSW. HarperCollinsPublishers, 1993.

Aisbett, B.Taming the black dog. Pymble, NSW. HarperCollinsPublishers, 2000.

Calrk, S. After suicide: help for the bereaved. Melbourne. Hill of Content Publishing Company Pty Ltd, 1995.

   

Further information on parenting

The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network (includes The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.)

This hospital network's web site (https://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au) is a great source of information on children’s health topics. It provides fact sheets about many child health issues that are free and downloadable and lists books on most child health topics that have been assessed by members of the medical staff at the hospital. These books are available for purchase from the Kids Health Bookshop at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead (Phone 02 – 9845 3585) or they can be purchased via the ‘e-shop’ on the web site. Any profits go into supporting the work of the hospital.

Some suggested books on parenting children

Every parent. A positive approach to children’s behaviour  by  Matthew R Sanders, PhD.

More Secrets Of Happy Children  by Steve Biddulph

Raising Kids- A parent’s survival guide by Charles Watson, Dr Susan Clarke and Linda Walton.

Bully Busting by Evelyn M. Field

Raising Boys  by Steve Biddulph

Your Child's Self Esteem  by  Dorothy Corkhille Briggs

(All these books and many more appear in the ‘self esteem, behaviour and family life’ section of the books section in parents section of the Children’s Hospital at Westmead web site. https://kidshealth.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/bookshop-and-products) There is information about each book on the web site; just click over the title.) Better still, for parents able to visit the hospital, most of the books are available to view and there will be someone there to help with book selection.)

Some suggested books on parenting adolescents

What to do when your children turn into teenagers  by Dr D. Bennett and Dr Leanne Rowe (This is a wonderful book that is unfortunately now out of print. Second hand copies may still be available.)

You can't make me  by Dr D. Bennett and Dr Leanne Rowe

I just want you to be happy. Preventing and tackling teenage depression. by Professors Leanne Rowe, David Bennett and Bruce Tonge. Published by Allen and Uwin, 2009.

Puberty boy  by  Geoff Price

Puberty girl  by  Shushann Movsessian

The puberty book  by  Wendy Darvill and Kelsey Powell

Teen esteem by Dr P. Palmer and M. Froehner

Most children suffer anxieties at some time and another book (not on the above list) that is very useful for parents is - Helping your anxious child. A step by step guide for parents. by Rapee, R., Spence, S., Cobham, V. and Wignall, A.New Harbinger, 2000.

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