How can I tell my parents that I think I'm depressed?

It is so hard to get the courage to tell your parents about any mental health issues, especially if they aren’t very understanding. However, it is usually worth it to open up to them, as it allows them to see into your world and often brings you closer. Telling parents about mental health issues could help you to get the right help you need, such as attending therapy sessions. It depends on your specific relationship with your parents, but I would suggest to tell them in a private place (or even one-on-one) so that you feel more comfortable. If your parents are unfamiliar with depression, it could be helpful to find a way to explain it in simple terms and clearly state the things you are feeling and symptoms you are experiencing. Some parents automatically assume depression or depressive symptoms directly correlate with circumstances and might be confused as to why youre feeling this way. Be prepared to explain that depression is not always circumstantial. These are just things to keep in mind, but please don’t overthink it! You’re parents should love you and want to help you through anything you’re going through. Even if they don’t react to your struggles in a supportive way, it is worth it to be honest and begin seeking help. Eventually, they will be thankful you opened up to them and hopefully it will bring you closer together as well as closer to getting the help you need.

Just sit down with them and tell them the truth. Parents may be annoying but they will always be there for us. You may not feel as if they care but they do. You have to remember that they were young once too. I told my mom and she understood because a lot of wha I was feeling was what she went through as well. Telling them the ruth may not be easy but jus know that they will always be there to support us. You are not alone and you are always going to have someone by your side wether you know it or not.

Find a time when they can give you their full and absolute attention. Make sure they are relaxed and not stressed , so that they can help you out to their maximum ability...... Its really important to tell them exactly how you are feeling...and when it started. Your parents are their to help you out and look after you so dont feel guilty about telling them anything. You have to trust you parents and think that they will be able to help you. Trust gives you confidence which is important for you to tell them everything... I hope this helps.

It is best to be as honest as possible. Your parents may feel like they did something wrong or not know the “right” thing to say. They may try to downplay what you’re feeling, and going into the conversation knowing that’s a possibility may make it easier to not be disheartened by it. Sometimes it also helps if you can have a friend or sibling there to support you while you open up to your parents. No matter what happens, the listeners on 7 Cups are here to share the burden and let you know you are not alone.

It depends on how you talk about your feelings in your family. If feelings are conveyed in more direct way in your family, then you can simply tell them that you feel depressed. If feelings are conveyed in more indirect way, then you can tell them that you don't feel well and that you need some rest maybe. If you can't talk to them about your feeling at all, it can be more tough to tell them about how do you feel. But if your feelings affect your performance in school, in household chores and so on, they will see that something is going on with you and maybe ask you what is the matter. Then you can maybe tell them that you don't or didn't feel well.

If you are looking to tell your parents your depressed, just go straight for it. don’t keep feelings bottled up as that will make your mental health even worse. try to say it when you guys are alone if that makes you feel better. start by saying you have been feeling down recently and just generally haven’t been happy and your looking to seek medical help. hopefully this will convince them to refer you to a mental health professional! if that’s not the case try telling them the symptoms of depression you are suffering and hopefully that can help them understand.

First thing is to know that there is nothing wrong with asking for help. Telling parents that you are facing something that feels really big, like anxiety or depression, can be tough. But it is a parent's job to help you out, and they are almost always more sympathetic, and less judgmental, than you imagine. You're likely to be more important to them than you realize, and they are not really feeling happy if you are not happy. But you need to let them know you how you are feeling. Just tell them that you want to see someone who can help.

My mom used to always call me a “drama queen”. I was very scared to tell her when I thought I was depressed. But knowing her, I tried to find the moment when she was in a calm state, and I sat her down and explained what had been going on in my life. A lot of it she wasn’t aware about, so after explaining everything, I ended it with “I really feel sad all the time, and I don’t know how to make it go away. I don’t want to feel sad anymore. Can you help me?” She tried to give me advice, and I tried to take her advice, but kept communicating with her that I was still sad and unhappy. She finally took me to a therapist and it helped a lot.

I can understand that it is hard to confront your family on some of your personal issues. It might be frustrating to know that my parents who observe me on a daily basis have also not noticed my feelings. I would also feel sad and frustrated if that were the case but only if we sit down with them and understand what is causing us to feel like this then we can definitely overcome our fears. Trust me once you emotionally connect with your parents to discuss your problem you'll be so relieved because now you don't have to deal with this problem alone. :)

Communication is key in any relationship. Talking to your parents about your mental health can help both parties better understand each other. Educate yourself on the signs/symptoms of depression and talk with your parents about the symptoms you are experiencing. Allow them to ask questions without responding defensively. Ask them questions about their observations of your behavior to see how apparent you signs/symptoms are. Also ask them about possible treatment options to prevent any further or future downward spirals. It may surprise you how aware or unaware your parents are of your depression and treatment options you find or they find may be beneficial.

It’s always good to speak to someone you trust about how you feel. When you feel comfortable enough to share with your parents, it will be a good time to share. You can than slowly getting into more details as you feel more and more comfortable. If your parents are being tough on you or giving you a hard time... it’s important to discuss your feelings with them. If they know how you feel or have been feeling maybe they’ll understand you better and they might not be as harsh on you like they were before. You should always communicate your feelings with someone.

With all the honesty. They're your parents, they're there to support you and help you when you're in need. Depression isn't something you can solve by yourself, so the help of your parents or other people you trust will be vital to get better. Your parents will probably have many questions, you can give them all the answers you have and then work together towards you getting better. If you feel that it's too much to tell both your parents at once, you can talk to them separately, or just tell one of your parents if that seems more doable.

Know that you're parents want what's best for you, even if it's not what they want to hear. I recommend asking your parents to sit down and have a conversation about it free from any siblings or distractions by having this conversation at a dining table. Your parents might not understand t first and feel that merely cheering you up is the solution to the problem when in reality it doesn't work like that. The fact that they know and you are having to struggle alone can help tremendously and make it feel like there is hope. Your parents knowing will also allow you to not worry about having to hide it and you may be able to get medication or partake in activities that help you overcome whatever sort of depression you are feeling.

You have to be open with them and tell them everything you feel. They will not judge you, they are your parents and they love you and will be with you. As a first step you can tell them that you want to consult a psychologist to make sure you are suffering from depression because it can be something else. I'm sure they'll understand you. No parent wants to see their child suffer. Parents give everything to make their child happy. They can't help you if you don't talk to them and explain how you feel. Everything will be fine!

There's no easy way. Depends on your parents. Most of the parents are loving and caring, but this is not the case always. First, you need to prepare yourself. Get yourself in a state of mind, and be ready to be asked questions. Next, gather your parents at a time when they are calmer and less stressed. Could be a weekend, or a couple of hours after they are done with work. When you talk with them, be straight and simple. Express the reasons why you think you are depressed. Ask for professional help. Your parents have good intentions, but they are no professionals. Make sure they understand this.

It's always good to think of a plan on how to tell them. Ask them if you could speak with them and slowly mention how you feel until you are comfortable sharing that you are depressed. It's always good to ask them if you can get mental health support such as therapy. Telling you're parents that you are depressed can be difficult and make you feel anxious, however, it is important that information like this is addressed so you can be supported by your family or through external support. Know that you're parents may not fully understand and that is okay! Try to explain to them how you are feeling and how you wish to be supported.

Telling your parents that you feel depressed can be a difficult experience. I had trouble speaking to one parent as is and still haven't spoken to both. At some point, I begin to feel that the suffering I faced in depression was interfering with other areas of my life such as my relationships. I think from that point, I really started to feel it was necessary. I'm not saying that this is the case for you as well. You may have very different circumstances and may not decide to speak with your parents. This was what worked for me in speaking about depression. 1. Talking to one parent first before speaking with both. 2. Speaking about things that onset my depression or make it worse. 3. Making it clear that this was the topic I needed to discuss by getting to the point.

Every family is very different. How do you think your parents would react if you told them you were depressed? Do you think they would be supportive? Try and think of the way you are going to tell them, such as over a phone call, in person, or maybe even writing them a letter if talking out loud is too nerve-racking for you. Let them know that you have a serious topic that you'd like to have a conversation about, and do it at a time where the people in your household are calm and prepared to have a serious talk.

Telling parents about one's mental health is never easy. If it is too painful to do face-to-face then I suggest texting, emailing, or leaving a letter for your parents. Another helpful tip is to rehearse what you are going to say and how to answer their questions. Being prepared is the best way to convey your message and get the help you need. Additionally, if there is another adult that you trust you can always inform them. Finally, you can make an appointment with your primary care provider to discuss mental wellbeing. Your provider can offer support and speak to your parents as a neutral party.

If it's hard for you to have a face to face conversation about your possible depression with your parents, it can helpful to first get comfortable with talking about mental health in general, by occasionally bringing up the topic in conversations. If this is still too uncomfortable, something that I have personally done when I need to have a serious conversation with my parents is to write them an email or letter, so that I can get all of my thoughts out without physically needing to say them, and then scheduling a specific time to have a discussion with them later.

You can tell your parents that you have been feeling more sad and you have lost interest in what your hobbies are. But only tell them this if it is the truth, you shouldn't lie to your parents about feeling this way. You should ask them to take you to the doctor and you should start talking to a therapist. Even if you feel uncomfortable talking about this to your parents or anyone else, you should keep in mind that you might end up feeling better and feeling happy is better than being depressed. So talk to your parents about how your feeling, go to the doctor so they can help you and talk to a therapist or trusted adult.

As a parent I can assure you that your parents would very much want to know if you are experiencing depression. They will be MUCH more stressed if you don’t tell them, and they find out later. Think….if you were a parent, would you want your child to tell you if he or she was sad? As you already know, at least 50% of clinical depression is genetic. It has nothing to do with lack of willpower. Also, as in my case depression can be caused from an insult to the brain (TBI). All efforts to control your anxiety/depression should be initiated by medical personnel. Too, a great majority of the time if you have anxiety, you also have depression. The number one health problem in the world today is stress; consequently, all steps should be taken to control it.

You could try to start with sitting them down on the couch and explaining why you think you're depressed. Be prepared with research and symptoms that you can relate with. If they have more questions than you do not have the answers to at the moment, tell them that you will get back with them when you can or tell them to look up their questions for more insight on the symptoms of depression. Make sure that they are in a good mood before you start the conversation, it will impact the result positively if you do. Hope this helps!

Make them understand what you have been feeling, don't hold anything back. I know most parents think of depression as a first world problem but the truth is it can happen to anyone anytime. Make your parents sit down, talk about whatever you have been facing and feeling and how it might be affecting your productivity or your performance at school or work. Then tell them why you think you are depressed. Just don't go saying, "Hey mom and dad, I am depressed". Probably, they won't take you seriously and might yell at you or make fun of you or just say that it a mere phase and happens to everyone. If you think you do not have the guts to face them, maybe try sending a whatsapp message or an email. Last of all, if your parents still do not understand, try contacting someone you trust like school counsellor, your friendly teacher or maybe an older friend.

Just tell them! I understand there may be a generational gap sometimes and they may be a bit shocked or surprised at first or prefer if you were "more positive and bore it", but if they really really care for you and love you they will get over any previous assumptions they have on mental illness and try their best to listen to you and help you. It may not be smooth sailing but they will be willing to try and learn. Also be totally honest with the details because that's the only way that they will be able to understand your point of view first and foremost!

Telling our closest people might be sometimes much more difficult then telling a stranger, cause it makes us more vulnerable. I am sure your parents love you and want what's the best for you and you also want them to be near if you're thinking about sharing your struggles with them. It's always best to have an open and honest conversations, but it's also very difficult. You can try telling them in different ways- write them a letter where you explain how you feel, watch a movie about mental health and then start a discussion... there are many option, just choose which one suits you the most and always remember, that it's your parents and you can share with them not only your good times, but also your struggles. good luck :)

Before saying anything at all, you must know that it's going to be hard to convey these feelings no matter how much you practice or prepare. There's many options you may go for, but taking the direct, no beating around the bush approach may be the best choice, as it leaves little space for guesses and (usually wrong) assumptions. It's important to remember that they might not process this right away, or might even be left in denial, so sitting down with them and telling them exactly how you feel, for how long, why, etc. is sure to help clarify the situation. Best of luck!

This is very important, you need all the support and help you can get, since they are your parents, don't be afraid to let them know about your depression, you can try invite them to discuss about this matter, how you feel, how's it's affecting you and the reasons that are causing your depression and how you'd like to be helped, know that you have the right to receive help and support, your parents should be the first people you can count on. There is no perfect timing to bring this up since depression is an urgent matter, you can also help them understand about this condition by sending them an article about depression. If you're hesitant to tell them upfront, you can try by email if that's going to make you feel at ease but whichever way you choose, it's important to let them know at least. I hope this helps.

Your parents will know something is wrong. You might not think this is true but it is! When I was going through depression my mom would ask if something was wrong. I would deny it at first but then when I felt it was debilitating my life I had to say something. You will feel more comfortable with one parent more than the other. Once you start expressing how you feel, or even your demeanor right away they will know. Also, if you are having eating problems either eating too much or little they will see that as a problem. Little hints they will see and will keep asking questions.

It can be difficult to open up to anyone, not just your family on how you’re feeling. Depression is unfortunately a silent killer amongst us all. For some people it comes and goes, and for others it’s a life-long battle that leads to taking medication, seeing a therapist or in less happy ways death. The BEST advise I could give anyone who is feeling depressed, is to tell SOMEONE. Even if it’s your 70 year old neighbor across the street, a stranger on the subway. If you don’t feel comfortable/ready to address this with your family, that is 100% okay. Your mental, physical, and emotional health is important and you don’t want to comprise it because you’re under more stress and emotion when you disclose this with your family. From personal experience; I use to write down my feeling in a diary. It’s old-school, but years went by and I read through it and it was incredibly shocking to see my struggles and how I overcame them or how minuscule they really were. It’s not for everyone, but as long as you can either find a person to talk to about this or something that you know hands down, without a doubt cheers you up - do it. It’ll help relieve the mind of thinking of what’s bothering you for the time being. Doesn’t mean you won’t be depressed anymore, but it could potentially solve the underlying issue or keep you from making any irrational decisions. I wish you the best, you’re always welcome on 7Cups, we’re here for you.