advice for 18 yr old student

[mylovelytulips]

Our young person is at university 300 miles away and suffering from depression/anxiety, She has had CBT in the past which didnt help. The GP has done bloods but will not prescribe to her until she is 20 ,and told her to engage with the university's mental health provision. She has reached out to them but they have no appointments,
She is utterly defeated- doesnt eat , disordered sleep crying all the time and can increasingly not muster the energy to keep up with her course ( 20+ contact hours) she feels hopeless that she will ever feel any better. This is a last ditch attempt before i think she will have to withdraw from the course before we have an anorexic or self harmer on our hands.

If I’m honest, I’d probably go and collect her now. I’d get her home and provide all the love and support she needs. Then once home I’d continue to look into different support groups in your area and go back to the gp! I was prescribed anxiety medication when I was 19.

Is there anyway that you could contact the university on her behalf and explain the situation? She could do a gap year so she can focus on her wellbeing before contemplating returning.
It sadly sounds like she’s being failed by others even when she’s trying her hardest and reaching out.

I'd contact the university explaining your concerns - they usually have a form you can complete and then someone will contact her to discuss support available. I work in student support for a university and this is common across all universities.

If her GP at home won't prescribe her medication might be worth her changing to the uni GP or vice versa to make a plan longer term.

If she doesn't want to be there right now can she come home? Withdrawal isn't the only option she can look at interrupting until and if she feels well enough to continue.

Can she self refer to nhs CBT, some areas even offer it online?

Definitely get her to see another medical professional, my son had a breakdown, aged 17, at college and was prescribed antidepressant medication by the MH doctor.

That's so hard. I feel for you and your dc.

My ds has ocd and is on his second ssri - has also had 3 courses of CBT since he was 15 and he's applied to a uni on the other side of the country for sept. I'm already anticipating the worry.

I would say that the medication has taken the edge off though- he is generally calmer and doesn't have major meltdowns. He also self harmed for a while and ended up having disordered eating.

We had to get an AD prescribed from a private psychiatrist in the end as the GP wouldn't prescribe.

I would agree with others - she should come home for now, she can apply again for next year. Her health has to come first.

Do let us know how you get on.