dd 17 massive panic attacks refusing treatment

[amberjane]

had to call ambos out xmas day as she was so bad, could not get breath, shaking head to toe. She has a brown and blue inhaler as also has chest problems so had been over using blue on xmas day thinking it was her chest!
When crew came out they said lungs clear and it was panic but it took them 1/2 hr to sort her.
She has been to gp who offered her meds and camhs but she refused both due to a bad experience with camhs and dislikes meds.
my sister who she confides in has offered to go back to gp with her after xmas hols over to see if they can talk her into it but think she will still say no, the panic attacks are quite often now. Its not helping college or her part time job and she has a history of self harm.
thankyou for reading, will not be online today till later to reply, so worried, thankyou.

[GRW]

This must be really stressful for you- panic attacks are horrible, but not dangerous. It certainly sounds like she needs to accept support from a mental health team. Would she agree to see someone different from CAMHS, or when she is 18 she coud be referred to the adult mental health team? I realise that you need support for her now.
I hope someone else can help with personal experiences.

[oiwheresthecoffee]

Just thought id say hi - severe mental health problems as a child/teen which i still have but better controlled. Panic attacks are horrible (had those too :( ) and i feel for your DD. However as im sure you know at 17 she is in charge of her MH and after a bad experience i can understand why she is agaisnt seeing anyone or taking anything.
It took me many many years to be able to go back and see someone after the way it was handled for me at at young age. However i did eventually..so even if she wont now she might seek help in the future.

From my point of view its more important to find out why she has them and if she can learn to control them at all then to take anything..not saying she shouldnt take anything though , just that it wont make them go away forever unless you can pin point whats causing them.

Has she considered speaking to mind or any forum/organisation for people /teens with MH issues ? It might help to hear other peoples experiences.

[amberjane]

thanks so much for the replies, she is very quiet at the moment but I will pick my moment to chat to her. Hoping she will see gp still with my sister??
Yes will try the mind website thanks for sharing .

[ThatsNotYours]

Amberjane also try
www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfoforall/problems/anxietyphobias.aspx

[xxPollyxx]

In very similar position, college and gp have helped with camhs referral for our dd 16. Now on a six week course of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) feeling like there is light at the end of the tunnel. They have suggested that she keeps a diary of her panic attacks - how she feels, before during and after. This may be worth considering doing.

Our DD did also attend an anxiety workshop where she met others her age with anxiety/panic attacks. She found this really beneficial as she said for the first time she could talk to others of the same age that really understood.

The best thing we did was to speak to the college they were able to speed up the gp's referral. They also new the local camhs team. Everything is confidential so no worries about other students at college.

I really do understand exactly how you feel and the impact that this has. Take care