We are not a crisis center. If you or someone you know is suicidal, please call 800-273-TALK or 9-1-1 immediately.
Depression and Bipolar Wellness Guides for Parents and Teens
These guides are designed to help you:
- Help your child get well faster and stay well
- Know what helps your teen and what doesn't
- Avoid hospitalizations and suicidal behavior
- Helps you communicate better with your child
- Understand how to respond to adverse reactions from the Food and Drug Administration's Black Box warning on antidepressants or mood stabilizing medications
There is one guide for teens with depression or bipolar disorder and one for parents of teens and children with these conditions. They help you and your child monitor your child's treatment with daily and weekly tools. They are for families with children who are already diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder and are in treatment (in talk therapy and/or taking medication).
We tested these guides with parents and teens across the country. Based on the feedback, we created a revised guide that includes bipolar disorder.
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If you have used our guides, please take our survey, and enter to win a free ipod!
From Parents:
"Gave me the RIGHT words to use with my daughter. Also explained technical terms in simple, plain, layman's terms." - M.D., Oklahoma
"The guides helped me to feel less alone in dealing with my son's depression, affirmed what I was doing, and helped me discuss it with family members. I am now starting a support group as a result of this experience to reach out to other parents." - N.L., Maine
From Teens:
"When I was really depressed, I used the Guide to talk to my psychiatrist and to explain how my symptoms were getting worse. Together, we realized that I needed to be hospitalized." - A.H., Texas
"Helped me to remember what went on. Stuff came out that I never told my therapist before." - R.S., Massachusetts
"Before I was always answering, "I don't know" or "maybe"...now I can better describe what I am feeling and thinking and know my parents will understand.We talked almost daily about how I was feeling, doing...Felt less weird or angry about having this illness" - M.L., Maine
Help us spread the word!
This TV segment on depression in teens shows how parents and teens can work together using our Depression and Bipolar Wellness Guides. It has been shown on local TV news broadcasts across the country.
