Ds1 has anxiety

[FreakinScaryCaaw]

Ds1 is almost 18. He's very bright and seems so confident.

For a long time he's had terrible problems getting sleep. He had blood tests done that came back normal. Today he returned to the gp and filled in a questionnaire to see if he has anxiety. He scored highly.

The gp has prescribed meds and he's on the list for counselling.

Ds1 was almost in tears. He said he's felt like this since before he can remember and worries a lot.

This has come as such a shock. You'd think he was so confident if you met him. His teachers think so too.

It's good he's opening up. I just feel pretty helpless right now. I suffer from anxiety and panic myself so can relate. I'm not a huge worrier though but get anxiety attacks and take meds.

There's a lot of anxiety in my family and I wonder if it's hereditary?

If anyone has any advice I'd be grateful.

Ds2 is back at cahms for his social anxiety. He's doing ok at the moment and is tackling it whilst waiting to see a counsellor.

I'm feeling a pretty shit parent right now. I do everything I can to support them but am feeling bad they're both suffering.

[timeforabrewnow]

Sorry to hear you are going through this, but at least your son is now getting the right sort of help. Don't blame yourself as we all do our best as parents, and we're all human too.

My ds1 had problems with his exams this year and is having to see an educational psychologist as he shut down during some exams. a year before his GCSEs- I'm not looking forward to next year much..things don't always turn out how one expects, but you just have to go with it and do the best you can

[FreakinScaryCaaw]

Thanks for your reply Timeforabrewnow. Best wishes to your ds1.

[NatGeo]

Best wishes to your son. Hang in there!

[FreakinScaryCaaw]

Thanks

[FreakinScaryCaaw]

He seems a bit brighter today? Maybe because he's being proactive?

[NatGeo]

I'm so glad to hear he is feeling brighter, it just makes you too feel brighter doesn't it? i hope it continues. Has he seen the counsellor yet?

[FreakinScaryCaaw]

Thanks NatGeo. He'll probably have a long wait to see a counsellor?

He didn't sleep much last night so read a book I'd got him on Kindle called the Worry cure. It gets good reviews and he's found it useful.

I took him to see a physio today as his shoulder is injured from the gym. Gps have fobbed him off not really knowing what it is. The physio knew straight away, said he sees same thing a lot with lifters. Ds1 was so happy when we left and is going again next week. He's been given exercises to do with an stretchy band.

Ds1 has been really open today. Said he's always worried about others opinions of him. It's pretty shocking as he's always seemed so confident. He said he hid it well.

A friend trained as a counsellor so I may see if she can help? She was working at a school so is used to teens.

[NatGeo]

Funny about the physio, DH has a similar problem with his shoulder and was first given a piece of equipment to do the stretchy hand exercises with. After lots of toing and froing, he went private, they did an ultrasound of his shoulder which showed he had torn something in his shoulder..ligament??? can't remember, they said the only thing that would cure it would be to have a steroid injection to help it heal. H had the injections and it helped tremendously but still hurts from time to e.g when swimming. I don't want to alarm you, but just so that you keep an eye on things, sport injuries can take quite annoyingly long time to heal.

Make sure he see a good counsellor, as the wrong counsellor could make matters worse!

[FreakinScaryCaaw]

Thanks I'll keep an eye on it.

You're right about the counsellor.