Feel slightly annoyed with the GP for suggesting sertraline to my teen

[Mumofone200]

My 18 year old son says he has been suffering with anxiety. Heart palpitations and worry about his future mainly during lockdown and up to now. He has attempted to start 3 college courses at different colleges but has dropped out after a short period of time. He now spends a lot of time at the gym working out; sometimes with friends and time on his Ps5; he’s not that active as in Going out. We had a heart to heart and i suggested that he maybe talk to the GP which he did tonight. I feel slightly annoyed with the GP offering sertraline and not encouraging him to change his routine etc as a starting point. I know doctors prescribe medication to heal but isn’t 18 just too young to start medication for something that could be improved by therapy or a change of lifestyle. He is currently not engaged In Education employment or training and this is also a worry. I’ve e tried sitting him down to job hunt and have even applied for jobs on his behalf but nothing is changing. I really think he is. It stimulates hence the mental health decline. I’m really worried. Any suggestions

Morningstarling, so sending her son to the doctor is not enough proof she takes things seriously?

So you sent him to the GP for advice, the GP gave their advice, but now your son doesn't want to take the medication because you've scared him off with a heavy handed "think very carefully!" approach. Such an irresponsible attitude, despite coming from a desire to help. Its an antidepressant, not crack.

YABU
Your 18 year old teen adult can make his own choices about medication and your not doing him any favours by applying for jobs on his behalf!

I had to go to citalopram at 20 and I needed it. I wasn't well. I'd already had terrible mental health as a teenager. If he needs medical intervention then that's what he needs. Mental health isn't something that can just be corrected with fresh air and exercise no matter how much people claim it is.

Dd was on sertraline, seemed quite effective (but she as normal came off cold turkey because she couldn't be bothered to go to the gp after a few months - leading to her in crisis! She's been on another drug since and stopped taking that, waiting for next crash)

@usernameshistory

YANBU but unfortunately so many people are hooked on ssri pills as GP'S dole them out like smarties.... But don't care about the long term impact, or the reliance, and really the avoidance of actually dealing with the nitty gritty of mental health to be able to find a path and sort out life as the alternative. That's too expensive an option.... And the anti depressants make pharmaceuticals lots and lots of money.

GPs have ten minutes a patient...op has already stated her son doesn't want to engage with counselling, changing his routine etc. No GP can enforce that. I'm sure in the consultation this was all suggested but they can't make him change his lifestyle that's down to him.

@gunnersgold that's the process we are about to start but dd is so low that dhe says she won't engage with that either. I actually don't know what to do for the best

How dare the GP suggest a possible solution

@scooterbear it's so awful isn't it ! 😞 how old is your dd ?

14

@Mumofone200 I sympathise with your concern. However, my parents had the same view as you when I became depressed at 15 and so I didn’t go on anti depressants until I was 22. I’m now in my mid 30s and have been on and off meds for the last 15 years, with horrendous periods of mental illness along the way, and much of the research suggests that my mental health is worse because that first episode was so prolonged. I’m now likely to be on and off meds for the rest of my life, and I wish with all my heart that I’d done a short course in my teens which might have made things a lot easier for me.

Titomojito, that's your experience, not everyones

It’s hard to understand that mental illness means different things to different people. It varies in severity hugely.

Sometimes it can be helped by life changes, and sometimes medication is necessary.

I think people who have recovered their mental health through life changes should count themselves very lucky.

I’m a trained psychiatrist. I’m on citalopram because of chronic illness in my children causing depression in me.

I know all the right behaviours to adopt to combat ‘depression’, but it didn’t stop the suicidal thoughts and avoidance behaviours.
I don’t really care if citalopram is just an Elastoplast for depression, it helps me cope, and that lets me get more out of life. And do the other things that help combat depressive symptoms

I agree in that you dont know what he has said to the doctor it could be much worse than he is letting on to you. An antidepressant will bring up his serotonin levels which will in turn ease the anxiety and this may mean he can focus on what he wants to do with his life rather than it being controlled by his anxiety. When anxious it's hard to think logically everything is ruled by emotions. I have had my DS now 21 to the doctors many a time for anxiety and heart palpitations. We have been to the hospital twice for echoes and ECGs and he has been assessed by CAHMs as he has ASD. No medication prescribed but he also struggles and your son does much more than him in some ways as he has freinds and goes to a gym. I would be supportive help him manage possible side effects and discuss how medication is just one of many options to help. But of it helps then it helps

You're being unreasonable. He's an adult and the doctor has advised him. It's stupid attitudes to antidepressants like this that put me off taking them for years. Once I did take them they were life changing and I wished I had tried them before rather than always thinking medication was the worst option.

He may find he is able to engage better with life, college, getting out and seeing people once he is on the right medication and it becomes a positive cycle.

@Mumofone200

Of course I believe in medicine and natural remedies. I’ve managed to control blood pressure with medication and lifestyle diet changes. I’m not silly enough to not recognise when medicine is necessary. I also have never discouraged my son from doing anything in his life.

FFS

@Flowers500 that's exactly what I said when I read it!

"I’m not silly enough to not recognise when medicine is necessary"

and yet.....

YABU I was put on those tablets at the age of 16 for depression I now also suffer from anxiety and they are the only thing that helps me. Your DS is 18 it's up to him if he takes the medication or not it doesn’t matter what you think if you wanted him to try counselling then why did you tell him to see the GP?

Your son sounds really sensible OP and you sound like you have a good, trusting, open relationship in that he can talk to you about how he feels, what steps to possibly take etc. This is all fantastic support that you are giving him. He's lucky that you are suporting him and you are lucky that he is receptive to your support. So many young people self medicate through the anxietys and lows of their teens and this can be a whole new magnitude of disaster. Alcohol is way more of a crutch for many, and that crutch can start in early adulthood and have devasting life long effects. Similar with smoking. There's a whole plethora of non-prescribed drugs out there that young people are tempted to try to make themselves feel better when they are suffering with mental health problems. This is clearly dangerous territory. Keep him close and keep talking. Give him space too. I hope that makes sense!!

@pointythings

I think you are BU - my 18yo DD was prescribed Sertraline in August and it has transformed her life. Yes, it has side effects and it takes some time to adapt, but instead of sitting in a dark room all day thinking about suicide, she's at university, spending time with friends, having a good time, loving her course and doing well academically. She has some physical health issues that she's addressing, but once she has dealt with those she will be starting the process of engaging with therapy. Which she would categorically not have been able to do without the medication.

This ^^

I think it’s important that the medication is coupled with some kind of therapy and not just prescribed as the magic bullet. My husband has been on and off anti depressants for years and it’s only now, with therapy, that’s he’s fully able to move forward in his life. I really wish he had access to this 10 years ago. Good luck. It’s so hard when your kids are struggling. Sending love x

My DD started taking Sertraline around a month ago. The difference in her is absolutely astonishing. She had a lot of mental health issues throughout her teens and I wish she had started them much sooner. She's 23 now. I am so happy and relieved to see her happy and balanced. It's been very tough. She had symptoms similar to your DS. The palpitations have stopped and the anxiety has gone. I think YABU to not accept that your DS may need some medication. I'd give it a chance and remember it can always be changed if it doesn't work for him. It's very difficult to make lifestyle changes as you suggest if your mental health is on the floor.

Talking therapy is obviously helpful, but not necessarily available on the NHS. I’d also be wary of which counsellor you use, if any. The one title ‘Counsellor’ covers a multitude of levels of training, varying approaches of therapy.

My daughter has had Counsellors that have given very bad advice. Her current one seems good, but is not cheap at all.
I have acquaintances who claim to be counsellors, and they have very basic training; and a friend who’s also called a counsellor- but she has many years of training and qualifications and now presents to other therapists.

It’s not a straightforward choice. But I also maintain that the right medication also plays a part in an individual’s recovery to mental health.