Jul 03 2008
Finding help for an adolescent with depression
Friends of mine have a child who experienced some very frightening psychotic episodes with their depression. They were very motivated and financially able to access the best support, but still found it incredibly difficult to find a competent doctor to advise them on the best course of action.
One in 12 children suffer from depression each year
In an article I have just linked to the News section of www.IamBackFromTheBrink.com it shows that 1 in 12 children between the ages of 12-17 in the US had a major episode of depression in the last year. So what are parents to do when faced with this very difficult issue?
In my new book, “Back from the Brink Too” (in bookshops in September) I give some insights based on my years working as a headhunter. In essence, a head hunter has the task of finding someone with a very definite set of skills and personal qualitites. My suggestions for finding the right mental health professional are:
Compile a list of people that can help you
Think of people or organisations that may know the right person, or may know a respected opinion leader who themselves may know the right person. This would include your GP, a clinical person at your local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, your child’s school counsellor, Parentline, the beyondblue helpline, and so on.
Prepare your script
This is a succinct way of describing the the type of person you are seeking. You want a brief one or two minute description of the situation and symptoms and the type of specialist you are seeking.
Make the calls
By going through this process you will hopefully start to get a few names. Remember to listen and probe.
“What makes Dr Smith so good?”
“If he is too busy, is there anyone else you would recommend?”
I’m not saying this will be easy, but as a loved one, the greatest service you can provide is getting them to a skilled specialist who can make an accurate diagnosis and prepare a treatment plan.
If you have any other tips on finding the right specialist help for an adolescent, I would love to hear them.
KInd Regards
Graeme
