New adolescent depression and anxiety treatment program
Depression and anxiety are related problems that commonly affect adolescents, but until now treatment for each had to be conducted separately - something particularly problematic for adolescents who often suffer in silence.
But thanks to a National Health and Medical Research Council-funded research project, the Macquarie University Anxiety Research Unit (MUARU) is running a new program that will enable adolescents to be treated for both disorders at the same time.
"This is a difficult group to get to because they tend to internalise a lot of what they're going through," says MUARU Director Professor Ron Rapee. "But teenagers commonly suffer from both disorders and we are hoping that this new treatment method will be a more attractive option because they can get help for both conditions at once."
Symptoms adolescents may display include worrying a lot about things, being very shy and withdrawn, having few friends, getting very upset or concerned about school work or sport, and worrying what people think of them, along with being quite depressed and very sad.
"Sometimes with teenagers this comes across as irritability rather than sadness," Rapee explains. "But the issues they display will be well out of proportion to what is usually expected in a normal teenager. They will be a lot worse."
Other symptoms include sleeping difficulties or sleeping constantly, having low energy and being unmotivated, and being down on themselves.
The MUARU treatment program involves groups of six over 12 weekly sessions and parents are involved, although adolescents will be able to choose how much they wish their parents to be involved. There is a small fee and participants will need to attend the sessions at the MUARU treatment rooms at Macquarie University in North Ryde.
"Some may find the group sessions daunting at first, but they will get to meet other teenagers who have similar issues and realise they are not alone. Plus being encouraged to mix in is part of the therapy for shy or withdrawn kids," Rapee says.
By the end of the sessions, participants should notice they are feeling less anxious and less depressed, and they should have begun making changes in their lives that will keep them improving over the months to come.
Chief investigator on the project Dr Carolyn Schniering explains that this is the first time that both depression and anxiety has ever been treated at the same time.
"The new program is based on scientifically demonstrated principles and we will be testing its effectiveness and determining how it may be improved," she says.
If you are interested in finding out more about the new adolescent depression and anxiety treatment program, or if you wish to participate please phone (02) 9850 8711.
For more information about the Macquarie University Anxiety Research Unit, visit www.psy.mq.edu.au/MUARU/index.htm