Depression is increasingly common, with an estimated 21 million adults across the United States having experienced at least one depressive episode as of 2021. However, while depression can feel incredibly isolating, its effects are rarely truly confined. Parents living with depression will have to balance their mental health and depressive symptoms with their parenting responsibilities, increasing the risk of intergenerational depression. Understanding intergenerational depression and its effects on children is the first step toward creating a healthy and supportive home atmosphere.Â
What Is Intergenerational Depression?
Intergenerational depression is the transmission of depressive symptoms from parents to children, involving not just a genetic predisposition to mental health disorders like depression, but also environmental and behavioral practices. A parent living with depression can have their parenting styles affected, and children can be keenly aware of the changes or inconsistencies in a parent’s care. This can facilitate feelings of depression in entire families, and across generations.Â
Parents may introduce unhealthy depressive symptoms to children inadvertently through various situations, including:
- Normalization of unhealthy coping strategies
- Inconsistent emotional availability
- Compromised or inconsistent communicationÂ
- Pervasive negativity or pessimism present from a young age
- Feeling a lack of emotional support from parental figures
Furthermore, parents experiencing depression as a result of external stresses, such as in their professional lives, financial stability, or other environmental factors can also pass on these stresses to children. This further normalizes unhealthy ideas and can be associated with depressive symptoms in children.Â
Children of parents living with depression can adopt any number of unhealthy ideas. For some, a genetic predisposition and an emotionally challenging home atmosphere can facilitate the development of depression itself. In contrast, others may adopt unhealthy coping strategies, such as substance use, or adopt a negative worldview themselves, creating a cycle of intergenerational depression that may be further passed down.
Healing From Intergenerational Depression
Many parents live with depression, and navigating its symptoms is challenging. However, understanding its effects on children is the first step in healing. Family programs can be essential for effective healing, with professionals like those at Avalon Malibu being able to help develop communication strategies to use at home to create an open atmosphere.Â
Destigmatizing language and attitudes regarding depression is also essential to having an honest conversation about healing, empowering parents and children to be more honest about their feelings, needs, and approaches to support and self-care.Â
At-home mindfulness practices can also help to identify sources of intense stress that may affect feelings of depression that can further impact children. Professional treatment programs through Avalon Malibu can help each person embrace new mindfulness practices and grounding strategies and create a plan to address stress, symptoms of depression, and model healthy coping strategies that can help entire families heal.Â
Understanding the effects of intergenerational depression is the first step in challenging the damaging cycle it can create. At Avalon Malibu, we understand the need to address not just the symptoms of depression and other mental health disorders, but also explore how these effects can impact entire families. We combine proven therapeutic modalities with a community of peers to help you explore truly holistic and transformative healing within our walls and at home. For more information on how we can help you, call us today at (844) 857-5992.
