Info
RxDepression
Depression is more than just feeling blue, down, or having a bad day. It is a form of mental illness that affects the entire person - it changes the way one feels, thinks and behaves. Symptoms include: persistent sadness and/or irritability; change in appetite; disrupted sleep patterns; change in activity level; impaired attention and concentration; and markedly decreased feelings of self-worth. It is not a personal weakness or a character flaw and a person will not just snap out of it. Below is a list of resources that can be helpful in understanding those experiences as well as how to support those around you.
Community Partners
You can contact the partners below to get more information and assistance.
-
ACCESS Mental Health
Clinicians work over the telephone to help people navigate the addiction and mental health system. They are familiar with both Alberta Health Services and community based programs and will explore options and direct/refer clients to the most appropriate resource to meet their needs. Access Mental Health is a non-urgent service.
Phone: 403-943-1500 (extension 1 for child and adolescent services)
Web Content
General
-
Canadian Mental Health Association
CMHA champions mental health and provides quality information about depression and bipolar disorder.
-
National Institute of Mental Health
NIMH provides a general overview of both depression and bipolar disorder.
-
Help Guide
Help guide has articles for both parents and teenagers about teen depression as well as information about bipolar disorder.
helpguide.org/articles/depression/parents-guide-to-teen-depression.htm
-
Mental Health Literacy
If you are looking for evidence-based resources for youth, parent, educators, and healthcare providers about depression visit mentalhealthliteracy.org.
Family
-
notMYkid
notMYkid aims to empower and educate youth, families, and communities with the knowledge and courage to identify and prevent negative youth behavior. You can get the facts about depression and self-injury from this website.
-
COPMI - Children of Parents with a Mental Illness
COPMI provides information for parents, friends, and children of those with mental illness.
-
FAMpod - Families Preventing & Overcoming Depression
FAMpod offers the Family Talk Preventive Intervention course which is designed to help support families with parents who have depression.
-
Kids Health
Kids Health has easy to read articles on a variety of health topics. Search depression or bipolar disorder, to find a lot of useful information.
Teen
-
ConnecTeen
ConnecTeen is a Calgary based support service for youth to confidentially reach out for help.
-
Foundry BC
Foundry offers young people ages 12-24 health and wellness resources, services and supports. It includes personal accounts, general information about low mood and depression, tips for mood management, and advice for supporting family or friends.
-
DWD
A resource for teens with depression, DWD uses an interactive tool to teach teens coping skills for dealing with depression and stress.
Kids
-
Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone offers support for children and youth all across Canada. It is a 24 hour bilingual and anonymous phone counselling, web counselling and referral service for children. Many articles about depression and sadness are available on their website.
Book List
These resources are available to borrow in the Family Library. You can also check with your local library to see if they are available.
You can download, print, and share this PDF, or our Destiny Collection List.
-
Depression and Your Child : A Guide for Parents and Caregivers
Using her personal experience and clinical expertise, Serani has created a book for parents to better understand pediatric depression.
-
Navigating Teenage Depression : A Guide for Parents and Professionals
This book helps parents learn how to support their depressed teenager.
-
Teenage Depression : A CBT Guide for Parents
This guide written for parents of teenagers experiencing depression provides strategies for parents to help their teenager.
-
Depression : The Ultimate Teen Guide
Written for teens, this thorough guide addresses many aspects of teenage depression.
-
Welcome to the Jungle offers realistic insight into bipolar for teens and young adults.
-
Boy Meets Depression : Or Life Sucks and Then You Live
In his memoir, Breel shares his experiences with depression and how he has coped with his mental illness.
-
What to Do When You're Cranky & Blue : A Guide for Kids
Kids are given advice and assurance for handling blue emotions in the book written by a counselor and clinical psychologist.
-
The Princess and the Fog : A Story for Children With Depression
For children aged 5-7, The Princess and the Fog helps with coping and understanding their depression.
-
Can I Tell You About Depression?: A Guide for Friends, Family and Professionals
Written for elementary aged children, this illustrated book follows Julie, a mother with depression, who shares her perspective.
-
Can I Catch It Like a Cold? : Coping With a Parent's Depression
Young children's fears and/or concerns are addressed in this book about Alex, whose father has depression.
-
The Color Thief : A Family's Story of Depression
Written for children, this picture book depicts a father's depression through his son's eyes.
Contributors
Thank you to our friends from Calgary Public Library, Mood, Anxiety, and Psychosis Services and Healthy Minds/Healthy Children - Outreach and Continuing Education for their contributions.
Current as of: January 12, 2024