Published · General parent information from Inclusive Therapy Centre. This page is awaiting individual clinical review.
Choose a private, ordinary moment
Avoid beginning during an argument or in front of relatives. A simple opening might be: “You seem exhausted and you have stopped seeing your friends. I want to understand how things have been for you.” Describe changes without assuming their cause.
Allow pauses. If talking face to face is difficult, ask whether writing something down or speaking to another trusted adult would feel easier. One conversation may not reveal everything.
Listen before trying to solve the problem
Take withdrawal, irritability and loss of interest seriously. Avoid comparisons with siblings, lectures about gratitude or assurances that life is easy at their age. Reflect back what you understand and ask what feels hardest at home, school or with friends.
You can say that help is available without promising a quick recovery. Persistent low mood can affect sleep, energy and concentration; interpreting every difficulty as laziness can make it harder for a teenager to ask for support.
Discuss help and safety openly
Ask whether they have thoughts of hurting themselves or ending their life. Take an answer about self-harm, suicide or feeling unable to stay safe seriously. Do not promise secrecy about danger. Stay with them when there is immediate risk and seek urgent local medical help.
For ongoing concerns without immediate danger, arrange an assessment with a qualified health professional. Include the teenager in decisions where possible: who they will meet, what the appointment is for and what questions they want answered.
Make the next step concrete
Offer to help arrange the visit, travel with them and explain your observations. Ask the clinician how private time with the teenager and parent involvement will work, including the limits of confidentiality when safety is at risk.
Keep ordinary contact going while help is arranged. A shared meal or short walk may make connection easier, but family support does not replace assessment or prescribed treatment. Inclusive offers child and teen psychological consultations for ages 3–16; older teenagers need an age-appropriate provider.
Sources and further reading
These sources support general information. The appointment questions and planning examples are discussion aids, not an individual diagnosis or treatment plan. International service arrangements may differ from those in Pakistan.
For local care, fees and scope, read depression and low mood: support in Multan.
Depression and low mood: your next step in Multan
Ask about a psychological consultation for persistent low mood. Tell us if a doctor or psychiatrist is already involved so the next step fits the existing care plan.
First consultation: Rs 1,500 · up to 50 minutes. Model Town, Multan · Mon–Fri, 2 PM – 6 PM. Ongoing therapy is planned and priced separately.
Our psychology service works with children and teenagers aged 3–16. We do not prescribe medication or provide emergency psychiatric care.
Contact Muhammad Salman Afzal, clinical and child psychologist, first to confirm the appropriate clinician and service. How fees work.