Have you been/are you the parent of a teenager with depression?

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Please tell me your experiences. What did you do? Did you approach school or the doctor and what help was offered you? What services are there?

My son (only 13 yesterday) is so miserable right now - has been for some weeks now - and I am beginning to crack myself under the pressure of not knowing what to do for him.

So far, I have met his tutor at school (with him) and tried to understand what his problems are but he was not very forthcoming and nothing he said really accounted for his misery.

He is a very bright, high achieving, excellently behaved pupil in school so none of that is an issue. He has friends but does not see them enough in school as they are not in the same classes as him. I know that is a problem for him but not sufficient to make him as unhappy as he is.

He has started to have stomach aches every day, he never wants to go to school, he says he is unhappy all the time, and this morning he was crying. He is also not eating (eg lunch comes home uneaten although he is mainly eating ok at meals where I am watching over him.

Please advice me on what I should do. Go to the doctor? Ask for an educational psychologist to see him? What happened with your child?

Noooo he won't be parted with his long hair and I must admit I like it on him.

Using "bum" words is pretty much par for the course in boys. I don't think they ever outgrow it really. But I know what you mean - it is so unnecessary, especially if you are sharing what for you feels like a really special moment.

Good luck if you decide to go down the home ed route. My main concern about doing that would be what would happen about the social side of schooling? Can you be sure you will be able to give him enough contact with others his age?

Yes, I was told the GP was good with teens (though he slightly gave me the creeps if the truth be known! - must be sure to stay clear of him if I need a doctor!) And I agree it is good if ds can talk to him but I am not really happy with the thought that he might know something about my son which I don't know myself. I know I have to accept I am not going to know everything about ds any longer, but the thought that the GP might have been told something really important which I will never know is really bothering me.