Teenagers and anti-anxiety medication - does anyone have any experience

[JamiesJammy]

My dd 14yrs was diagnosed with anxiety and depression last year. She did a course of CBT which helped. I would say her depression is improved. However, she has just started her GCSE courses and her anxiety has returned. She is under the care of a child psychiatrist who is now suggesting that we try anti-anxiety medication. Dd has only partly engaged with the CBT and doesn't really believed it has helped (although it has). Her psychiatrist says things will not improve with her anxiety over the next few years of increased pressure at school without us doing something.

Dh and I are very concerned (but not totally dismissive) about medicating a child of her age and some of the side effects on adolescents of anti anxiety medication - SSRI's in particular - (suicidal thoughts) are very worrying.

Does anyone have any experience of their teenager taking anti-anxiety medication and could offer any insight? Thanks.

My daughter is nearly 17 and is really suffering with low mood and anxiety and the self harm has started again . We have been told for years now ( since she was 13) that she cannot have anti depressents because she is too young . They say she must wait until she is 18 ....so howcome some of your children are on these medications ....she needs help but they arent helping.
We have waited for 5 months so far for a referral for CBT ....its been so long that she has now lost interest. She has tried counselling 2 times and doesnt feel it help .
So my question is how do i get the gp to give her medication ?

GP: CAMHS are useless and won't see her. Find a counsellor off the internet. Did refer to CAMHS. CAMHS closed case. Totally uncaring and incompetent.

DD was cutting and taling small o/d's and wanted help. Also eating issues.

Read riot act to GP, referred to counsellor didn't connect.

Referred to consultant psychiatrist privately - v helpful. Recommended CBT. Didn't connect.

Propranolol - helped.
Fluoxetine 20mg helped.
Occasional Lorazepam helped in crises 3 1/2 tabs.

Anxiety linked to school work and exams v clever girl. Small crisis, small O/D. A&E disgraceful, again CAMHS couldn't be arsed to provide support that was adequate.

Psych assessed for ASD and ADHD. DD had ADHD ADD. Ritalin. Bingo.

CAMHS counselling course 10 weeks after mediocre. Meanwhile gound private counsellor with whom dd did connect.

Small wobble psych increased fluoxetine to 25mg. Incredible response.

DD got 3 A* A'Levels dropping 5 UMS points and grade 8 distinction for her instrument.

She now has a confirmed offer from Cbridge.

The system is a disgrace. Under 18s are 20%-25% of the population. They receive about 6%-7% of MH budgets. That is due to decision making in CCGs and Mental Health Trusts.

If young people are not helped it impacts their life chances and society gets liwer conyributions via taxation. Further one of their parents may have to stop working to keep them safe.

The system is completely fractured. Parents must make an enormous noise continually.

Our dd recovered because we could pay privately. The NHS did nada, zilch, zero, nothing to help her. IT IS VERY VERY WRONG.

My 12 yr old dd is struggling with anxiety particularly school related and the cruel/inconsiderate behaviour of others. She can't concentrate on her work, says she doesn't understand some of it but daren't approach teachers for fear of being targetted by other kids, or not being believed. She's always been bright and never had any problems but last few months she's not been herself, says she doesn't know what to do anymore, feels she is a bad person and wants to die so she doesn't have to put up with her thoughts anymore. Really worrying. She started her periods in December ... could this be B12 deficiency, GP said it was anxiety

Reading this thread with interest as my 15 year old is suffering with severe anxiety and depression. We were referred to CAMHS who can’t see her for 6-8 months so we’ve gone private. She saw a psychiatrist who prescribed an increasing dose of sertaline which caused her to lose touch with reality and after 3 weeks, she took an overdose - not enough to kill her luckily.

I think she needs something but not sertraline so may suggest fluoxetine as some of you mention above. At least I feel we’re not alone!

I suffered depression and anxiety and OD'd when I was 11. I was put under the care of CAMHS and they helped me so much. I was prescribed some anti-anxiety/anti-depressant medication to help me focus on the day-to-day. I would recommend it :).

We saw the camhs psychiatrist yesterday who mentioned Sertraline for my DD14. she is out of school because of severe anxiety, she has been given 4 sessions of CBT by a charity that has the contract with Camhs, whilst its good, its not enough and she still can't use the techniques herself without me talking her through them. We have previously tried counselling (privately) psychologist (privately) CBT (privately)
none of that helped.
She really wants to be back in school and I fell the medication may help her cope