Has anybody got through adolescent mental health issues and can give me some hope?

[inHospNeedAdvice]

Dc 13 has worried me since they were about 7.

Anxious a lot of the time, very sensitive, unable to settle at night, with fears that just got bigger with age. We were not able to relieve their fears in the usual, age-appropriate manner.

Mental health issues in family so I was always mindful of it in my children as I know it can be hereditary.

After a long journey, finally Diagnosed with anxiety, depression and given a referral for asd last year.

Prescribed sertraline at first, which had no effect, changed to citalopram which also had no effect, dose upped which seemed to make them worse, DC was very reluctant to continue meds, so psych agreed to stop all meds for a period. With a review in jan.

Fast forward to now and after an initial period of a few good weeks, the anxiety has really got unmanageable again, as has the depression. DC expresses no desire to carry on, sees no point in anything.

Have psych appt this week for meds review and wondering if anybody has any positive tales of similar situation and how they got through it?

I had severe mental health issues at 15. It started off quite mild, most likely hormonal and then just escalated to severe self harm and suicidal behaviour. No trigger, it just happened. I can't remember an awful lot about that period of my life very well as I think I've repressed it but I did come out of the other side. I couldn't tell you how I'm afraid I just did. I was on medication which did help (after being prescribed the wrong thing - seroxat... whole other story, and having a terrible reaction to it, I was eventually put on citalopram). I recovered and didn't have any issues until I suffered post natal depression and had to go back on citalopram but nowhere near as bad as it was when I was a teenager.

When you say the meds had no effect... how long was DC taking them? It takes a good 2-4 weeks to have any effect and they can make you feel like crap at the start so I can see the reluctance to continue but I would certainly recommend continuing as they do help. Have they been referred for any psychotherapy?

My daughter has had MH issues since age 14 she's really struggled. However, she passed her GCSEs on 48% attendance, her A2s on 65% at Senior School and went to university away from home aged 18. I had many midnight trips to her accommodation in the first couple of years of uni to bring her home when desperately ill, but over time the instances got fewer. She struggled after graduation but moved 100s of miles away from home for work. Fast forward 4 years now aged 26 she's traveling the world for work. Holds down a full-time demanding job in journalism. She's happy which is something that I never thought would happen. I lost so much sleep over the years but thankfully she is now more in control of the runaway bus of MH. She still has social anxiety and her mood falls still but she recognises these symptoms and reacts accordingly. She cares for herself. (Pm me if you want to read some of her articles about being a teen with MH issues, she's published a lot about what she found helpful)

It'll be the stress of living with ASD I'm afraid. It's exhausting and relentless. I know exactly how she feels.

Thanks for the replies

4cats... I've p'med you.