Depression

Depression

A depression is far more than an off-day or “the blues”. Children suffering from depressions often feel isolated, lonely and misunderstood.

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Does my child suffer from a depression?

Although depression is a serious illness, it can be treated. A depression is far more than an off-day or “the blues”. Teenagers and young adults suffering from depressions often feel isolated, lonely and misunderstood. Normally, they will show signs of neglect: at school, at home, at the sports club. Some may even resort to alcohol, drugs or pornography. Each child is different and it will also display different symptoms at different times in different settings. It is not uncommon for children to be diagnosed with both depression and an anxiety disorder, or depression and general anxiety. About half of the people diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

Symptoms of depression:

Do you think your child might have or develop a depression? Get to know the symptoms first.

  • Vocal outbursts or crying
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Irritability or anger
  • Increased sensitivity to rejection
  • Changes in appetite — either increased or decreased
  • Changes in sleep — sleeplessness or excessive sleep
  • Physical complaints (such as stomach-aches, headaches)
  • Reduced ability to function during events and activities at home or with friends, in school, at extracurricular activities or in other hobbies or interests
  • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
  • Continuous feelings of sadness and hopelessness
  • Social withdrawal
  • Impaired thinking or concentration
  • Thoughts of death or suicide

Maxime

"In a way to lighten up my emotions I started self-harming and then I started to feel a little bit better."

Maxime was treated at Yes We Can Youth Clinics for her depression

What causes a depression?

A depression can have several causes. Some young people or young adults have a predisposition to depression. Negative events in the past (for example sexual abuse or psychological abuse) or negative social events (bullying or exclusion) can also be the cause of depression.

Treatment of depression

We specialise in dealing with multiple problems (co-morbidity) at Yes We Can Youth Clinics. Our intensive treatment programme helps young people overcome depression and the other issues they face so that they can look forward to a bright, new future. Warmth, sincere attention and involvement are central to our approach.

At Yes We Can Youth Clinics, we are available 24/7 to provide warm and professional guidance. We help young people, whom we call 'fellows', to deal with their problems and become empowered to function well in society again. We do not look at the 'labels' they have received in the past but rather at their talents, qualities and possibilities. The clinical treatment programme lasts ten weeks. Our follow-up care programme continues to help and guide these young people in their recovery and further development. For example, finding a fulfilling way of life plays an important role.

Various forms of therapy

In group sessions, fellows learn to acknowledge their problems and give each other feedback. These sessions are led by expert-by-experience counsellors who, like the fellows, have also struggled with these problems. They can empathise fully with the fellows and prove that change is possible. There is a lot of recognition, which makes fellows realise they are not alone.

In addition to group sessions, daily sports and outdoor activities teach young people to work together and push their boundaries. Our programme focuses mainly on systemic therapy and relapse prevention, and cognitive behavioural therapy and motivational interviewing can also form part of the treatment. The fellows have different one-on-one sessions with their regular therapist every week.

Depression and medication

The young people may already be taking medication before they come to our clinic. For instance, anti-depressants, such as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), may have previously been prescribed for certain types of eating disorders. However, Yes We Can Youth Clinics aims to treat 'the real person' instead of the person under medication.

Responsible phasing out

We try to reduce any medication the person is taking to zero or as little as possible. This is done responsibly, under the watchful eye of the psychiatrist. The safe treatment climate at Yes We Can Youth Clinics, the positive environment and the entire treatment team that is present 24/7 to motivate, support and confront the young people, where necessary, all ensure that the withdrawal or discontinuation of medication is usually successful. After they have left the clinic, these young people are often able to cope with much less medication or even none at all. 

Contact us

Yes We Can Youth Clinics can effectively treat teenagers and young adults who are suffering from a wide variety of mental health issues. If you have any questions, any at all, you can always contact us. We cannot stress enough that we are always there for you, whether you sign up for a treatment in our clinic or not. 

You can reach us by phone from Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (GMT +1) via phone number: +31 (0)85 02 01 222. After business hours – weekdays after 6:00 p.m. and on the weekends – your call will be forwarded. Please note that it might take longer than usual to answer your call. If we cannot answer the call right away, please leave a message and we will call you back as soon as possible. You can also fill in our contact form.

Register for an intake interview

Would you like to register a teenager or young adult (aged 13-25) for a treatment at Yes We Can Youth Clinics? Please fill in our intake form and we will contact you to schedule a personal intake interview.

Intake form

Why it works

For young people aged 13-25, Yes We Can Youth Clinics offers 10 weeks intensive residential treatment. During the treatment there is also 4 days of family coaching & counselling for parents/carers. Upon completion, an extensive tailor-made aftercare programme will be devised, in collaboration with our partners all over the world.

Our unique approach