How long did you lock away medicine after your child's overdose?

[elliejjtiny]

My son took an overdose when he was 12 and we were advised to lock away all medicines in a safe. We have done that ever since. Years later he is hopefully going to university in September. What do I do about medicine then. He doesn't take anything regularly but has paracetamol etc if he has a cold. Tbh I'm worried about him going to university at all as he also has asd and reactive mutism.

I'd keep it locked up at home, but realistically you can't control what he will do at University. He's an adult now.

It's not about the length of time, it's a risk assessment. Have the triggers from when he was 12 resolved, has he engaged with treatment, is he complying with treatment now, has he made any further attempts, what is his mental health like overall? If it all looks bleak then you keep them locked up with the knowledge that you can only protect an adult to a minimal extent anyway. If thing have moved on and (whatever his other issues) the suicide risk is reduced then in the interests of respecting his autonomy you should unlock them. It won't make that much difference anyway at this age. Whether he should go to uni is an entirely separate question.

Thank you. Camhs discharged him the day after he took the overdose because he couldn't engage with them. We never found out why he did it. There haven't been any further attempts.

We haven't had an overdose so far but there's been self harm and risk of suicide. CAMHS just told me to keep all the knives and medicine hidden.
Only now after 4 years do I dare to keep a couple of paracetamol out in case my teen needs them for period pain while I'm at work. It's never going to be easy.

I’m in this situation with my child who last took an OD 12 months ago but wants to go away to uni in Sept.

Her psychiatrist has said she should be able to manage her daily medication and when hits 18 we have no choice, but I can barely think about it I am so full of fear.

DD also has selective mutism, autism, and anxiety so I understand your fear.