My 17 year old had a nervous breakdown last night. She’s been severely depressed since lockdown and it’s all been building up but she was sent over the edge when she was scrolling FB and saw her boyfriend of 5 months had changed his status to in a relationship with another girl before they’d even split. The breakdown was absolutely horrendous, broke some glass off a mirror and ran it down her arm. Thankfully only left a scratch. Tried looking my codeine tablets which I had to had. Her body was physically collapsing into just screaming on the floor that she didn’t want to live anymore. She was on the floor for 2 hours and eventually ended up rocking back and forth not saying a word. In a catatonic state. It was utterly terrifying to watch as a mother and I’ll never forget the sight. I ended up packing a bag and making her go to A&E at midnight.
A&E assessed her (I waited in triage) and she was in there talking to one of the doctors for an hour. I was hoping they’d keep her in as I didn’t know how to help her. But then she comes back having been given a sleeping pill and 2mg diazepam, as well as a 4 more diazepam to use when needed. They are going to have a mental health home team contact her and they will arrange to come and see her. We then went home and she was so drugged up I had to help her into bed. It was devastating.
Today she’s been in bed all day but I have managed to get her to have a shower, brush teeth and wash hair. She won’t eat anything, she says it’s not that she is worried about eating it’s just that she has no desire to and feels sick. She was told to take 3 of the diazepam today and the last one tomorrow. She has taken one morning, afternoon and evening and she already is panicking about using the last one tomorrow. She says they’ve been extremely effective already and is talking about consulting the GP for more. I’m worried she’ll get addicted and I don’t know what to do to help her. When they begin to wear off she gradually starts getting worked up and hyperventilating again and once the next one kicks in it shuts it down.