Dear Counsellor:

My daughter is 20 years old and she is depressed. She is isolating herself, sitting alone and being withdrawn. She says she lacks energy, initiative, drive and motivation. She has resigned her job and is at home looking quite dejected and despondent.

- Mark

Dear Mark:

Depression is becoming a common diagnosis. It is recognised that there may be no identifiable trigger for the depression. However, many people have stressors that precipitate the depression. Take your daughter to a psychiatrist, who will evaluate her for the cause of the depression.

Science tells us that depression is cause by malfunctioning of the neurotransmitters in the brain. The current medications target these neurotransmitters and correct the imbalances.

Some people who have physical problems also get depressed. Does your daughter have diabetes mellitus or thyroid problems? These conditions are associated with depression, either as a result of the illness or coexisting with these illnesses.

She will require talk therapy to help her deal with negative thoughts, attitudes and behaviours. This negativism will hold her back and prevent her from reaching her full potential and having joy and happiness.

We encourage people to become thankful and express gratitude to God for the many blessings and achievements. When we are depressed, we lack positivity and see everything through the lens of doom and gloom. We need to start counting our blessings and being appreciative of the things that we have.

It is not easy to switch from negativism to optimism and positivity. We need to try a little bit at a time and persist and persevere. Life is full of both good and bad experiences. Deal with negative thinking and celebrate your achievements, however small. In life, change is constant and we need coping skills to deal with life's transitions. Tell your daughter to speak with the psychiatrist about her emotions and feelings.

Is it ADHD?

Dear Counsellor:

My son is 10 and not doing well in school. He is hyperactive, fidgety, inattentive and impulsive. He is easily distracted and not reading well. I was told he most likely has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and a learning disability.

- Cousins

Dear Cousins:

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disability (LD) are common conditions and account for poor school performance in boys. He needs to be comprehensively assessed to identify what else is happening and to confirm the diagnoses.

The awareness of people about those conditions is increasing. This is a good thing as more children are being assessed and treated. Your son needs to have his eyes and ears tested. His handwriting and reading skills need to be assessed.

Many conditions co-exist with ADHD. He might be depressed or suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Many children developed conduct disorder alongside the ADHD.

Children who are doing poorly in school have behaviour problems. They are labelled as dunce and problem children. We need to increase the awareness of teachers about ADHD and LD. These children benefit from small class sizes and individual attention.

You might have to employ a tutor to teach him phonetic and reading skills. He needs to practise picture reading and storytelling. He needs to practise writing stories and compositions. He will need to learn the spelling rules, with the exceptions. Usually, mathematics is a problem, especially multiplication tables.

Having personal or family problems? Email questions to Dr Yvonnie Bailey-Davidson at yvonniebd@hotmail.com or call her at 978-8602.