My 18 year old isn't coping with "lockdown".

[ThisMustBeMyDream]

My son turned 18 in March. He has a girlfriend, is studying at college and had planned to do an apprenticeship come September. He had been toying with the possibility of uni also.

Over the last few weeks, his life, as he feels, has "turned to shit". He can't see his girlfriend. He is stuck in the tiniest box room. There are are barely any engineering apprenticeships, and those few there are he hasn't got - huge competition for the few that may trickle through. He found out that his college had enrolled him on to a course that was not the one he originally applied for - so doesn't give him ucas points even though it is at level 3. He originally did 1 year at level 2 as he didn't quite meet the minimum requirements for level 3. His 2nd year was supposed to be the 2 year level 3 course. He has been enrolled on a 1 year level 3 course in the same subject. All his level 2 coursemates were transfered to this same course. He can't transfer to the other level 3 course (I asked). He would have to do 2 more years at college if he wanted to to uni basically.

So tonight he has basically had a breakdown, there has been screaming, swearing, shouting, throwing an open can of coke at the walls, running off in just pj bottoms, and once I got him back home he is saying he wants to die. He won't access GP help (will try and revisit that again tomorrow). He feels he has no future right now, and that everything has been taken from him.

I'm at a loss. Wtf do I do to try and give him some hope. He wants to see his girlfriend, and wants to know he can move on to his future in September.

Is anyone else parent of a young adult in a similar situation? How do I help him cope through this?

@cologne4711 will anyone on MN ever use the term ‘virtue signalling’ correctly?

I’d try any MH support crisis number and see if there is help locally available. There might be. He could do with talking to someone who is not you in the nicest possible way. He’s snapped at you as there is no other outlet for his low mood. Try whatever possible to let him see his girlfriend- joint shopping but 2 m apart - he needs company. You are obviously supporting him as best you can. He sounds a good lad with positive plans. Hopefully the crisis helpline will give him additional encouragement

I’d try any MH support crisis number and see if there is help locally available.

In the nicest possible way, this is nowhere near the threshold for a MH crisis team. Having dealt with them previously, while supporting a friend, we didn't get to that stage until I found him with rope and googling how to make a noose out of it. That is, he didn't meet the threshold for help until he was making active plans to kill himself.

This is (very understandably) low mood, frustration, anger and a lot of negative emotions. But it's not a MH crisis.

A few years ago my DS applied to university and was given an unconditional offer as he was doing a level 3 btec in engineering as part of his apprenticeship. At towards the end we found out by chance that the btec wasn't the one he thought it was which would have given him th3 required ucas point, but a lesser level 3 with fewer ucas points. We were furious with the college for misleading him, but they could do nothing. However, DS was honest with the university and, despite the unconditional offer, told them about the problem. They kindly stood by their offer and he went to university.
This is a roundabout way of saying that all is not lost and universities will look at students who do not achieve the required points.