SD medication to feel better

There's also the risk that she might not seek help from a dr in future for the fear of you finding out and questioning (judging her) about it

I would guess USA as it's common to be on your parents health insurance until age 25, when you go onto your own - unless you are earning well at a young age!

I didn't know parents could see what the adult children were taking though. Surely a breach of confidentiality

Really? Kindly OP, this isn't coming across in your posts at all.

I hope all goes well for your DSD, OP.

I'd be worried too.

Just keep an eye on her and be ready to help is she asks for support.

Less reassuring in the UK some NHS trusts (the typical anti psychiatry ones...) describe long-term use as over one month.

There's a huge difference between prescribing and deprescribing in literature depending on whether it's written in neurological spheres or psychiatric / anti psychiatric spheres.

There's also a whacking discrepancy on Folic Acid supplementation for cross over meds between these two groups as well (which drives me absolutely full of rage due to the risk to unborn children which can be life long).

WHO states over 180 days (c. 6 months) would be long term use of Benzos so hopefully that reassures some of you, given that the prescription is for that period (and we don't know the dose or whether its intermittent).

Age of an adult in South Africa is 18. So we are talking about an adult here.

Also in South Africa "The age at which a person is able to consent to treatment in South Africa is 12. Provided they have the maturity “to understand the benefits, risks, social and other implications of the treatment”, children of this age may consent to medical treatment on their own behalf."

OP- can I just ask, was your SS medicated when he was diagnosed with chronic depression?

@stuckinthemiddlewithyou1

She does not inform us when she goes to the dentist or to the optometrist which I also see on our family medical records as we use the benefits. I do not question her then and she knows we have visibility.
Is it not possible that she views taking medication such as this so lightly and casually that she thought she didn’t need to inform us?

She doesn't 'need' to inform you of anything. If she had wanted to, she would have. She didn't want to as she thought you'd react the way you have.

Have you considered that there maybe more to her feeling the way she does than she's told you - perhaps because of how you'd react of perhaps she just doesn't want you to know? She's entitled to complete privacy regarding her own physical and mental health. You have to right to question her.

I've been on clobazam for months - a super high dose (epilepsy), and I had no withdrawal effects as I was under guidance to taper appropriately (which has been somewhat lacking in NHS mental health systems)...

Proper tapered deprescribing is advocated by everyone to reduce the risks - not everyone who takes medication long term become addicted to them.

It a calculation of benefits vs risks which none of us are privilege to in this circumstances.

There is nothing helpful with defining medications as black and white for anyone.

I agree with the medication as a last resort for me, and I think we are too quick in prescribing medication. However, your SD is an adult who has bodily autonomy and can make her own decisions. Whilst you can discuss and give your opinion, it is up to her.

Ultimately, you are not her parent and as she is an adult you have no say in her medical care, unless you pull the insurance. All you can do is discuss the fact that it is normal to feel sad sometimes and that it can last a while, this does not always need to be medicated unless acute.

She has a repeat prescription for six months for a benzodiazepine, @stuckinthemiddlewithyou1? That is beyond concerning.

I've just checked the half life of clobazam (urbanol): 36-42 hours which is relatively long, increasing the risk of dependency.

This isn't perfect as it says withdrawal symptoms after a "long time" on the drug, but then clarifies they mean over 2 weeks, but it may help:

www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/sleeping-pills-and-minor-tranquillisers/withdrawal-effects-of-benzodiazepines/

I don’t think the OP is looking for ways to take the decision from her.

She’s asking is she’s been unreasonable for being worried and as a responsible parent of course she isn’t.

You're not her Dr. You are not this young woman either. Your preference is irrelevant.

No wonder she doesn't want to tell you anything. You've breached her right to medical confidentiality. Posted her business on a foreign public forum and been pretty horrible when replying to responses because you aren't in the UK and you are so experienced in everything about your country and culture. Why post in a UK forum if you judge UK replies?

It's none of your business. Keep interfering and your SD will rightly stop telling you anything. Also sounds like you get to control her because you pay for her.

I think you could make her aware that as she's on your insurance you are getting notified of her health decisions. I don't take that medication but it does sound like overreacting to prescibe if those are the only issues. Missing someone and being stressed over finding a lift aren't a big deal and par for the course for most of us, if it is just those things I would see that as something to just deal with as adulting. Perhaps have a chat with her and check in.

SD may yet have lessons to learn about the dangers of anxiety medication.

And the OP may have lessons to learn about the BENEFITS of anxiety medication as well... it works both ways, regardless, it's not the OPs decision to make for a 19 year old, particularly a 19 year old that didn't disclose this to the OP.

Sorry but I find this attitude quite naive.
Of course she's legally an adult but that doesn't automatically confer emotional maturity or the wisdom of life's experience.
Adults at every stage of life can often benefit from the concern of loved ones, but this is particularly so for younger people.
IMO, OP is rightly aware of the dangers of addiction to these drugs and correct to be concerned, as evidenced by her taking the trouble to post on MN.
I guess she may now be questioning this decision, but it just goes to show that life is always teaching us all lessons and SD may yet have lessons to learn about the dangers of anxiety medication.

It's not your decision to make though, it's your SDs decision.

I knew what the drugs were, and others did too.

And it's not true these drugs are only prescribed in dire cases here too - we have plenty of medication prescribing issues here.

We need a system that removes this pro / anti black and white thinking to make it a system that is safe for everyone to access health care for mental health in a range of modalities (including medication).

I think part of the problem here is that in the UK, these drugs would only be prescribed in absolutely dire cases. Therefore, people are thinking, based on our system, that your SD's situation must be much worse than she is letting you know. However, I appreciate that other countries have different systems and attitudes to prescribing. Also, as drugs are not branded here, the early posters probably didn't realise what they were.

you describe as "self medicating" - it's been prescribed, whatever your opinion of your health system.
If your concern is the lack of talking therapy in the equation, can you ask if she thinks counselling would help, can that be covered by your medical insurance, or health services at SDs university?

Also, AIBU is not the place for a sensitive, nuanced issue like this. You could start a thread in Mental Heath and might get more informed responses there, @stuckinthemiddlewithyou1.