Herbal meds etc for autism / anxiety / adhd

[Annaannaannab]

My son is autistic , 19. Suffering with anger - he hates it but sometimes can’t control it . Not hurt anyone but can hurt himself ( not severely - bites himself , hits his head ) he’s like a bomb … I feel I’m tip towing around him . Getting worse as he gets older and I think anxiety isn’t helping - he’s always worrying . Worries about having a meltdown which leads to him trying to hold it in then flipping over something small that affects him then for days .

I don’t want to go down the medication route - going to doctors etc . I also think he shows lots of signs of ADHD .

Are there any - legal , obviously - herbal medications , supplements etc that might help him ?

I suggest you look into sulforaphane, broccoli sprout extract

CBD too

No. Herbs which have a measurable impact on health and behaviour are called medicine. Anything else is snake oil.

Your son should be supported with therapy, medication, occupational therapy etc. Stop looking magic beans on the internet and encourage him to see a doctor.

I don’t want to go down the medication route - going to doctors etc . I also think he shows lots of signs of ADHD .

What does your adult son want?

If he’s not capable of making that decision, you are being negligent in not at least talking to the doctor about his symptoms.

Make a doctor's appointment and get your son the help he needs. Good luck x

My 17 year old daughter with ASD is similar. Tried CBD oil but it did nothing. GP won’t prescribe anything for her anxiety because she’s autistic. Now falling between children’s and adult services. We’ve paid for a therapist recommended by another SEN parent. It’s really helped but not a cheap option.

He doesn’t want anyone to know , he’s embarrassed . I don’t think he has the capacity to make well informed medical decisions . Eg - a friend told him energy drinks are good for adhd ( he isn’t diagnosed ) so he wants to do that which obviously isn’t something I think he should do .

Obviously hard to be 100% sure, but I feel that omega 3 supplements (fish oil) have really helped my autistic DS with mood. People often recommend magnesium too. Not really any downside to trying these except cost

People suggesting the doctor are very naive. They will most likely do nothing. Or maybe refer for some CBT at best.

How did you find the therapist ?

im not keen on cbd - I know its not cannabis in the sense people think , but I don’t know enough about it .

Avoid herbal stuff altogether. Natural does not always mean safe.

What does your adult child want?. Does he need you to advocate for him as he is a vulnerable adult?. You both need professional outside support going forward.

That’s the thing and I don’t want him labelled with mental health issues , I have a lot of experience in this area - i work in the area too and I have seen it .

We have tried cbt , not helped . I think the anxiety is the root of it too .

Why on earth would you not at least talk to your doctor?

DD is an expert at Googling things relevant to her. If there was a reputable herbal medicine, she would have tried it and she hasn’t. She goes with medication. I don’t know why parents are so anti medication for ADHD. Let DS try it. If it doesn’t work, he can titrate off it! OTOH, he might find it nice to not be so impulsive, be able to concentrate like other people, calm down the fidgeting, etc?

Thank you - these are the things I mean . Things that are out there, not some weird things we’re not sure about from a dodgy site tiny know x

He is 19. Is he in full time education?.

He may well be embarrassed but that feeling is totally misplaced. And as for he wanting no-one to know, well one of his friends knows already (and likely others too). He cannot afford to listen to perhaps (or not) well meaning but uninformed lay person friends who could do more harm than good.

This OP. Self medicating with stuff like CBD oil really isn't going to solve this problem, if it would, no one would need the medications via prescription and there wouldn't be such difficulties getting ADHD meds atm.

We'd all love to be able to stop taking medication, having the hassle of getting repeat prescriptions etc, but all that other stuff is just junk that can't help with ADHD.

He has a triple diagnosis so any medications need to be planned carefully, what solves symptoms for one issue might make another issue worse, you really need a professional here.

Magnesium supplements can cause cardiac arrythmia if you take them when you don't actually have a deficiency. It can also cause a calcium deficiency because magnesium competes with calcium for absorbtion. Continuous usage is not recommended. This isn't "no downsides" at all. Please get professional input.

ASD is NOT a mental health condition.

And like it or not, your son is already being labelled by his peers.

It is no reflection on you as a person that he is the ways he is.

Read the book Brain Energy by Dr Christopher Palmer and yes there are many herbs that can help and a qualified medical herbalist will guide you. See the NIMH or the URHP websites to find a qualified herbalist in your area.

At what age was he initially diagnosed?. Did he receive extra support at school?.

What does he do of a day now?.

Your son has ASD and anxiety plays into this too. He needs extra help urgently and natural herbal stuff is simply not going to help him.

There isn't medication for ASD. Anger can be part of ADHD which can be medicated, but he will need a diagnosis. Can you afford to go private? Are you on an NHS waiting list?

There is some evidence around diet and ASD/ADHD. The age old good diet and exercise, not an easy or quick fix, but an important part of managing both.

So you don't want him to have tried and tested medication that may well help, rather you want to give him snake oil and woo-woo treatments?

Therapist was recommended by someone in my hobby group who has a daughter with ASD and had success with the therapist. I often go off recommendations from a local ASD/ADHD facebook parents group as well. Daughter is more able to regulate herself now. Therapist reckons she’s probably got ADHD as well as ASD. It was ADHD she was originally referred for (aged 6) but not diagnosed with.

I'd agree with @MyAmusedLemonMaker about seeing a medical herbalist.