Prevention

There's no sure way to prevent depression. However, these strategies may help. Encourage your teenager to:

• Take steps to control stress, increase resilience and boost self-esteem to help handle issues when they arise
• Reach out for friendship and social support, especially in times of crisis
• Get treatment at the earliest sign of a problem to help prevent depression from worsening
• Maintain ongoing treatment, if recommended, even after symptoms let up, to help prevent a relapse of depression symptoms