to be utterly furious with the GP for putting my DSD on sedatives?

[goldenteapot]

She is 16 and finding her GCSEs very stressful - but she is fine the rest of the time, and happy with her hobbies etc.

She sees her mother every other weekend (with whom she has a difficult relationship) and her mother has taken her to the GP about the stress, to see if he could advise about taking exams in a separate room etc. or refer her to CBT.

He has put her on sedatives, twice a day (beta blockers) with no end in sight.

She now thinks she is 'mentally ill' and needs daily sedation. I just want to cry. I hate being a step mother and having no control over this sort of thing. She is so young and vulnerable and I feel that this could be the start of her unravelling. She is spaced out - with no offer of counselling.

AIBU to be furious? What can I do?

As said Beta Blockers aren't sedatives so the OP is way out.
They can make you a bit tired.

Do coursework? No exams? Hahahahahahahahaha

Agree with a separate room. This would be down to the school or college usually. It is a facility for this with a disability..but don't see why it could not be appropriate for someone suffering from an unusual amount of stress.

Would taking her exams in a smaller room remove her anxiety about the actual exam though OP?

OK - I've spent most of my career working in the third sector managing housing projects for the long term mentally ill

I now work in the NHS in a more service-user facing role

and I'm the devil natch

Sitting in a smaller room won't make a difference because she will still have the stress of the preparation for the exam and the sitting of the exam.

Show me a GCSE that is all coursework. I don't think you will find one. AFAIK coursework is counting for less marks from this year.

You are coming across as a very unempathetic person. I feel so, so sorry for your DSD and I am really surprised she is stressed.

Yes she went to the GP hoping for the separate-room solution and CBT for general worries

I think it will be fine with the exam board anyway

You have no idea what she went to the GP for, or what conversation was had. You were not there.
And even if that was the exact conversation, maybe the person with medical qualifications thought she'd be better off with medication and therefore offered it to her.

Hmm. Ok, unsurprising.
My son has ASD and anxiety. I meet hcp, LEA and council staff regularly who have worked in that area for years and know fuck all.

What is the Third sector?
What is a service user facing role?

I'm wondering why the OP namechanged for this thread.

Service user facing role Is brilliant. It's like something Tery Gilliam made up.

Idiotdh, I think the OP is a receptionist.

Third sector = charity/voluntary sector
Service user facing role = actually speaking to people face to face (I think!)

Service user facing role is actually a term used. Odd though it is.

gobby Our admin team man the 'phones when workers are out of the office and they have far more understanding of MH than the OP does....thankfully!

I would call social services over ANY child being abused.

Whether my current partner or husband agreed or not.

You are a drama queen and nothing more.

The third sector means charities, advocacy groups, voluntary organisations - as opposed to the public sector or the private sector. Hence the imaginitive moniker.

Someone working in a service user facing role works directly with service users. Someone who works in the council office dealing with face to face housing applications (for example) is working in a 'service user facing role'

In the time it took me to type that out, someone has probably answered the question already!

Look, I have no idea if you posted for a rant or if you actually want advice but can I suggest you simply support your step daughter right now?

She is obviously going through a lot right now and your unnecessary disapproval is the worst possible thing for her.

The best case scenario with this medication is that she starts feeling better, the worst case is... Nothing.

They won't harm her and she won't become dependent on them.

You need to stop making this about you and your experiences.

Epic cross post with everyone else there!

OP you do realise that have posted on here that you are aware of DSDs mum abusing her but you are not going to involve SS because her dad/your partner said not to?
You work with vulnerable adults.
You have had safeguarding training.
You have a duty of care to report this to SS yourself, never mind what your boyfriend/partner thinks.
Failure to do so could bring your ability to safeguard in a professional capacity into question and you could be the subject of a Poistion of Trust meeting with your employers and the police.

You clearly have never suffered a panic attack or felt like you were going to pass out because your hear was racing so fast you couldn't catch your breath. Or daily heightened anxiety that has gone on so long you suffer daily physical pain because of it that has caused your stomach to turn on itself and make you develop a severe physical illness.

No no. Anxiety is just life and isn't an illness at all.

Do fuck off

Epic cross post!

So you're simply a floating support worker?

OhFlippity, I said upthread that I take beta blockers (and other stuff) for a cardiac condition. I was misdiagnosed for 6 months (with anxiety/panic attacks) because the symptoms are so similar that they could be confused.