My son

[RubyBluesey]

My son is 23 and I think depressed. He has just been in floods of tears saying he feels worthless and empty but he refuses to see the doctor because he thinks they will just prescribe ADs. He has had problems with drugs in the past and still does sometimes which doesn't help.
I just want him to get better

I'm sorry. It must be terrible to see him like that. Unfortunately, first and foremost he needs to want to get better...

This EXACTLY describes my OH even the age and drugs usage. He went to the doctors when he was having panic attacks and they prescribed anti depressants that just stabilised his moods so he wasn't having the extreme highs and lows that the excessive drug usage had unfortunately left him with.

It took a big panic attack for him to realise that he needed professional help. Now he regrets ever touching drugs to start with. All I can suggest is to stand by him when he's having his low days and hopefully he'll come to the realisation that he needs help.

Hope it gets sorted asap I know how awful it is seeing someone you love feeling so low.

Oddly enough... seeing as he used/uses drugs, he should understand the value of meds.. After all drugs like sertraline and citralopram are designed to affect your brain chemistry in order to deliver a desired mood effect.

The advantage of getting meds instead of drugs from a dodgy dealer is that meds from a chemist are a certified quality and have not been cut with something cheap and nasty. All he needs to do is to get his head into the idea that the GP is really a dealer..

The other thing is that if the meds work, he has to use them. It's a bit like a diabetic taking insulin. You are OK as long as you keep shooting insulin.

Thanks for replies.... he says he has heard or read about the side effects of ADs and thinks they just make you worse or don't help, but I just don't think he will get better without them. He promises not to take drugs again and then goes back to it, he is stuck in a destructive cycle and I don't know how to help him.

Please tell No 1 most depressed son that from experience, AD's do work.

OK, there is a lot of trial and error in getting to the best one for each of us, but they do do what they say on the tin...

Anti depressants saved my life in my 20s, they definately do work for a lot of people. Also his GP may offer a therapy referal and be able to offer information on support for drug cessation too. He has to be ready to ask for help though.