Depressed 15 year old

[Isittooearlyforwine]

Have a 15 year old daughter who has recently been diagnosed with severe depression and prescribed fluoxetine unfortunately had adverse reaction to the drug and ended up worse with suicidal thoughts. Doctors have prescribed more anti depressants but dd now terrified that she is "so screwed up" (her words) that she is beyond help. She has school and friendship issues and has now not been in school for a while - CAMHS have been supportive but it all takes such a long time and it is hard walking on eggshells with a teen who is so low. She says she wants to get better and then in the next breath that it is all too hard and she wants to give up or run away. Any advice gratefully received.

Have a 15 year old daughter who has recently been diagnosed with severe depression and prescribed fluoxetine unfortunately had adverse reaction to the drug and ended up worse with suicidal thoughts. Doctors have prescribed more anti depressants but dd now terrified that she is "so screwed up" (her words) that she is beyond help. She has school and friendship issues and has now not been in school for a while - CAMHS have been supportive but it all takes such a long time and it is hard walking on eggshells with a teen who is so low. She says she wants to get better and then in the next breath that it is all too hard and she wants to give up or run away. Any advice gratefully received.

Is she getting regular counselling?

Hi, Isit. I'm so sorry to hear about your DD. My DD was also prescribed fluoxetine, but it seemed to work for her.

I really do sympathise about the school and friendship issues. Perhaps you could read the thread about anyone having a DD that's been in a psychiatric unit in this section of the boards? I've written a couple of long posts on there and there have been a few other really helpful posts, too.

I also have experience of the wanting to get better and then saying that it's all too hard. DD was in a unit for three weeks recently and is still saying that she is kind of "planning" other stuff.

If you think about it, as the staff at the unit told me, it's taken a long time for your DD to get to this low place, so it's going to take ages for her to get to a well place. We cannot just expect things to happen quickly. My DD has an EIS (Early Intervention Service) counsellor who has just recently told me that DD will be having counselling from them for three years! I did not expect such a long timeframe.

It is hard, being and dealing with a DC who is so low. Talk to her and ask her how she wants to be treated. Does she still want the normal jokes, etc that you get with family life? My DD did. We usually discuss stuff at the dinner table, too.