DAD’S DEPRESSION MAY AFFECT CHILD’S BEHAVIOR

DAD’S DEPRESSION MAY RAISE
KIDS’ RISK OF EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS

www.webmd.com - Children of depressed dads are more likely to have emotional and behavioral problems, compared with kids whose dads are not depressed, according to a new study.  Much has been written about how a mother’s depression can affect her children. But less is known about how depression in dads affects a child’s emotional development.  The new study looked at more than 22,000 children from two-parent homes. It showed that depression in dads increases kids’ risk for emotional problems.  The researchers measured depression and more general mental health problems among parents using two standardized tools.  According to the findings, a child’s risk for emotional or behavioral problems was still much greater if their mothers, rather than fathers, were depressed or had other emotional problems (19% vs. 11%, respectively).

Children were even more likely to display emotional or behavioral problems if both parents were depressed. One-quarter of children with two depressed parents had emotional or behavioral problems.  Study researcher Michael Weitzman, MD, breaks it down this way: “There is a doubling of the risk if the father alone is depressed, a tripling of the risk if the mother alone is depressed, and the risk increases fourfold if kids have a depressed mom and dad.” Knowing the signs and symptoms of depression can help you catch it early, Alan Manevitz, MD, a psychiatrist at New York City’s Lenox Hill Hospital, says. Men and women may express their emotions differently. Women traditionally have been more open to admitting they are sad, but men suffer quietly and don’t share as much, Manevitz says. “Men may get angry and or drink more alcohol,” he says.

Study shows impact of fathers’ depression on children’s emotional development.  Children whose fathers are depressed are at higher risk of emotional and behavioral problems than children whose fathers are not depressed, a new study has revealed.  The study examined over 22,000 children from two-parent homes and found that children whose fathers were depressed had an increased risk of emotional problems.  There are many causes that may bring about a feeling of misery in a person, and what is worse, if the depression is not remedied, it can escalate to feelings of suicide.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?  

Depression, according to recent statistics, is practically an epidemic, with over 70 million people suffering from its affects, such as a feeling of moroseness, uselessness, lack of energy, inability to sleep, and a poor attitude toward life in general, among other symptoms. Depression causes a pessimistic view of things. It also discourages enthusiasm and stifles one’s initiative. It may also produce despair and bring about sickness in the mind and body. ... Thus, it is imperative that we help cure depression so that people can live with more happiness, ingenuity, energy, and are thus able to reach a higher potential in life.  ... Although spirituality may not be able to cure all forms of depression completely, it will certainly help. In many cases, developing oneself spiritually can lay the groundwork so that if you are depressed, you may change your view which may allow you to rise above a depressed state of mind.

Stephen Knapp (Śrīpad Nandanandana dasa) :
“Curing Depression with Spirituality”
‘How to Overcome Depression’
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/curing_depression_with_spirituality.htm
http://www.stephen-knapp.com  -  http://www.stephenknapp.info/