Hi, I am caring for a teenager with depression and other parents experiencing this may relate to problems i encounter in trying to keep him engaged with school. The education process requires motivation and this is absent as part of depression. There is some understanding from teachers but they are busy and generally overlook the needs of a student that is absent. A student with a physical illness will get sympathy, phone calls about how they are, cards from the tute groups, facebook posts saying " get well" . A student with depression is ignored ( my experience anyway) . Maybe unable to explain to teachers and other students why they are absent or not able to get work done because of the stigma attached to mental health illness.
Meanwhile, life is busy for teenagers, the expectation is they progress through school years, participate in sport, attend parties and have lots of friends. Also that they will know what they are going to do on leaving school, be able to select subjects and plan career pathways. So the teenager that is unwell with depression is left out, left behind and deals with reminders of this exclusion from social media, ignorant teachers and even extended family who might ask something simple like " are you going to the formal, what are you going to do when you finish school, do you have a girlfriend/boyfriend? ".
So I feel sad for what my teenage child is missing and feel angry at times that our school is ignorant of his needs.
i don't know that there is a solution but if you have read this, thanks for "listening" .
