Help for teen in mental health crisis

[notaflyingmonkey]

I'm at my wit's end and need some advice on where to go.

DS17 is going through a mental health crisis, where he is virtually catatonic for days on end. His anxiety levels peak and cause this. CAMHS were useless, and discharged him. The GP gave him ADs which he said made him feel worse, and he therefore won't continue with them. I am seriously worried at the level of risk he is to himself.

He goes to see a counsellor once a week, but I don't know how honest he is about things.

This has been going on for a couple of months now, and I think I need
to change tack, but have no idea where to go next. Can anyone offer any advise?

(Before anyone points it out, I know this is down to me being a shit parent).

[blimppy]

HI. That sounds really tough and I didn't want your post to go unanswered. Firstly, assuming there is no horrific backstory, this is not down to you being a shit parent so please, please stop beating yourself up. My own DD has had mental health issues too and one thing I learnt was that blaming myself only got in the way of helping her. I strongly advise taking your son back to the GP and asking for an urgent re-referral to CAMHS. It sounds like they were premature in discharging your son. With regard to medication, finding the right AD can be trial and error and there is a risk with teenagers of getting an adverse reaction which makes them worse (happened to my DD). It may be worth trying a different AD and monitoring closely. But they do need to be given a reasonable chance to work.

[kikashi]

Why is your sons anxiety peaking? Is it to do with college/school? Pressure of work/social life etc/ What can you do to address it? Do the school/college have counselling your son could access? I know he sees a counsellor, is it helping?

Re refer to Cahms perhaps he'll get someone better this time around. What AD's was he prescribed?

Be very kind and accomodating to your son, lots of cuddles and making the food he wants etc. Basically, letting him know he is loved and cared for.
Does he get some exercise. Would he go for walks with you., even short ones when he can manage it? My DS always opens up more on these.

[notaflyingmonkey]

Thank you both for your replies. I think I was posting out of fear and frustration, as I know there are no magic bullets.

blimppy he has high functioning autism, but college weren't following his EHCP, and so he started to get anxious and I didn't realise until it was too late and I was dealing with the fallout of a period of high level anxiety. College excluded him, and that's when the depression started.

I think the counsellor he is seeing is helping, but I understand that this is a slow process.

Kikashi the CAMHS where we live is notorious for being like this, so I really don't think it's worth dragging him back through the process as it just leads to massive anxiety on his part.

I have womaned up since I wrote the first post, and am contacting every agency etc that I can find to ask for help and support. I have said that once it is the end of term on Wednesday he can have a break from worrying about college over xmas, and hopefully that will give him some mental space.

But I feel like I am mending a broken leg with nothing more than a poultice.

[SexNotJenga]

If you haven't already, I would suggest posting on the SN boards for advice on dealing with his college.

Will he be transitioning to adult services when he is 18?

Can be go back to the GP to say that those meds didn't help and he needs something different? People respond differently to such medications and they don't always get the right one first time.

'Catatonic' sounds more like low mood than anxiety, although the two often go hand in hand. I agree with pp advice to get some exercise. He needs to get out of the house every day, even if it is just for 5 minutes. Anything is better than nothing, and when he is feeling like this getting out of the house for 5 minutes will be an achievement.

In terms of risk assessment - has he ever harmed himself, or thought about doing so? If you become seriously concerned about him on this level you can take him to A&E.

for you.