Medication for depression at age 16?

[LightandAiry]

If anyone has any experience of this - did it help?

My ds is very unhappy and can't seem to get out this loop he's in. He's at 6th form college and doing well academically, has zero self esteem and confidence, also feels very angry at times. Calls himself socially inadequate and punches himself in the head. I know teenagers can have very low mood, but this has been going on since before half term - about 6 weeks.

Even being called in to see the Principal for a certificate and being told he's doing brilliantly at his studies didn't cheer him up; that's not his concern, he is feeling sad at having no social life but feels unable to do anything about it. He has made no new friends.

We went to see the GP, she has persuaded him to try counselling, which he will do through the college (I hope - it's up to him to commit to it). He will see GP again in a couple of weeks, but she did mention at the appointment if the counselling doesn't work she will refer him to CAMHS and they could look at medication.

Does anybody have experience of medication being prescribed for dc at age 16? I am very much hoping the counselling will give him some perspective and ideas to get him out of this sad time.

Dd 16 has been prescribed sertraline for anxiety/depression through CAMHS. Tbh I don't think it's mad a jot of difference so far but dose is low and will be increased steadily. We had endured a year of talking therapies first which were no help whatsoever. As you can probably tell I'm feeling pretty despondent just now.

fleshmarket sorry to hear the talking therapies didn't help. How long has your dd suffered from anxiety and depression? Were the talking therapies through college?

I hope your dd feels better soon. A work colleague of mine took Sertraline which really helped - she is 21 - and another work colleague's son is taking it, he's 20. It's been helpful both cases, they are feeling better.

Dd's anxiety has been out of control for more than eighteen months now, the depression only kicked in later tbh. Talking therapies were/are through CAMHS, she will have more when hopefully the sertraline is at a therapeutic level and hopefully they will be more successful then.
It's very difficult, we think they should be having all the fun that being a teenager can entail and perhaps don't appreciate the pressures they face. I know my own teens were far more simple and far less pressured and that was alongside having a terminally ill mother.
It's great that your son is still managing school so well, dd hasn't been to school in fifteen months, try and encourage him to do the things he enjoys besides as well as getting regular exercise and good food because I think school becomes all encompassing especially for high achievers (my dd was too before it all got too much)

Thanks for reply fleshmarket you've hit the nails on the head when you say we think they should be out having fun & exercise would be good, but he will only go out with us for walks wont play any sport because he was ridiculed in PE at secondary school. More walks for us with good weather here & lighter evenings.

I hope your dd gets better, and that CAHMS are helpful going forwards. Has she managed to maintain any friendships?

I found out via a healthcheck at work that my blood pressure is high; I hope you are finding ways to manage the stress I dont want my health to suffer but I under estimated the impact it would have on me so finding pockets of time to myself here & there.

Hi LightandAiry. Sorry to hear about your DS. I have some experience with this (unfortunately!) My DD (15) started self harming two years ago and was diagnosed with 'low mood' and anxiety. She has been having counselling with CAMHS which has been very useful. After a year though, she said couldn't deal with that alone and was put onto Citalopram. She started on 10 mg a day and after a few weeks went up to 20 mg. I have to say that although I had reservations about her going on AD's at such a young age it has worked for her. Within a short space of time everyone noticed a difference and she is now sleeping better, working for her GCSE's which start in a few weeks (though stress/anxiety levels are very high) and thinking about her future.

Good luck

Hi Parsley good to hear your dd is feeling better and the medication has helped. My ds's college offer x6 sessions of counselling. I am hoping that will give him perspective and the low mood will lift a little. Does your dd have friends and hobbies? My ds wont go out the door apart from college unless we get him out and will only meet up with friends if they organise something. Zero confidence.

His relationship with sister has broken down too. I would like to try & get them to at least tolerate each other or family holiday will be out of the question.

Good luck to your dd with GCSE revision. My ds has come into his own academically and I hope he will begin to see he has it all going for him.

I’m a CAMHS consultant psychiatrist.

The GP has made a bit of a leap in equating CAMHS with medication. Most young people who come to CAMHS get therapy but not medication. Only a minority - those who don’t improve with therapy, or are particularly unwell - get medication.

Fluoxetine has the best evidence as an antidepressant for young people. But only in the more severe cases. If your son is functioning academically, and is not suicidal, he probably wouldn’t be considered sufficiently severe to justify medication.

Hope that helps.

My dh was with CAHMS for 2 years before they agreed to medication, but she really wasn't functioning at all, unable to attend college for long stretches of time, suicidal, unable to engage with the CBT therapy though she desperately wanted to. She was put on Fluoxetine and started climbing out of the hole, working with the CBT, learning strategies for coping. Is now, as a young adult, on Sertraline and living independently despite anxiety and physical disability/chronic pain, and doing very well in the training of her dreams. She has tried coming off it but is unable to function without it, at least for now. No side-effects that we have noticed.

CAHMS were wise to wait, because there was a chance she could have managed without. In the event she couldn't.

Btw what the therapy will probably do is not to get him to see how much he has to be happy about: that would be like taking someone with a bad migraine and say "but that's a beautiful head you have there, I can't see why you can't be satisfied with that". Yes, it may be a lovely head but it still hurts.

What dd was taught was to accept that she did suffer from MH issues (and in her case, perhaps always would- she has a long history) but that there are tricks to manage it. A bit like a migraine: ways to avoid triggering it, but also ways of making it as bearable as possible while it is going on.

I have no faith in camhs. My daughter(15) is depressed & has such high levels of anxiety that she hasn't been to school in two years and barely leaves the house now. at our last cahms referral (third one) she was given an app to breath in time with a circle and told to get propanalol ( which im not sure of) from the dr. if in 6 months, it's not improved, then she has to do talking therapy for a year( which she won't do...she's tried and it doesn't help,) and after all that they might consider medication. She was diagnosed with Asperger's last year and have received no help with that either. Previous referrals have resulted in one apt then getting discharged as basically she wasn't self harming or suicidal so they wouldn't help

Hitting himself in the head is often a way to distract from emotional pain by creating physical pain.

You may need to help him learn how to vocalise his feelings better. It'll help anyway but important if he's going to get counselling otherwise he won't make the most of it.

Medication is often helpful as a bandage but won't fix the underlying issues, it's usually why medication & therapy are given at the same time. It isn't like antibiotics where after a short course the issue is cured.
Medication for depression works to hide the symptoms of depression and will also have side effects. Unless the patient's depression is limited to/caused by their current situation then it is likely a long term plaster.

The MH services within the NHS are really good, but unfortunately stretched and extremely limited which means long waiting lists and limited appointments (usually 12 sessions) and for many MH issues, 12 isn't enough in comparison other countries offer about 3 years. In the meantime the patient builds up trust with a therapist and start finding their feet then feel abandoned/cast out and have to wait to be re referred or referred on to a more specialised therapy (but still only 12 sessions).

Is this a completely new thing OP, or has he experienced social difficulties and problem regulating emotions before?

Thank you for all your replies. It is a while since I started this thread, but my ds has got worse, and I am very worried.

Ds had some counselling via college, but it is short term. He is going to start seeing the college counsellor again. He has closed down really, hardly speaks to us; I know this is common for age 17 but he is clearly depressed. Comes home from college and goes to bed. He half heartedly gets his work done. Had a stressful summer as he spent two weeks in hospital due to a collapsed lung. I don't know what to do, apart from knocking on his door and taking him drinks.

Does anyone have any experience of a private mental health assessment? CAMHS have a massive waiting list.

Tinko A long time ago, but if you are still around, my ds has experienced social difficulties before and problem regulating emotions from a small child. He finds change and pressure on him very difficult.

Sorry to hear this - it is so difficult to deal with. dr Tanya Byron sees people privately. Not sure how much you’re able to spend or where you live - but she will give overall strategic suggestions / recommend people to see and get you quick appointments and is very wise and helpful. She has a website and contact details are in that. There are often cancellations which mean you get in quicker than wait list time . Good luck.

Hi. So sorry to hear things aren’t good. My son also 16 just started 6th form. He was in a very dark place this time last year. Not coping with school, friendships issues and anxiety of exams. He has tried counselling before but it has t helped. I took him to see a lady called Dr Jo Jones a paediatrician her website is www.healthcare4kids.co.uk. She did a thorough assessment on him and prescribed sertraline. He wouldn’t take them initially but has recently started them and they seem to be helping. He’s not back to his old self yet, he still has social anxiety but now has a part time job which he is managing to go to. I’m hoping that as he gets better he might engage in some counselling. I really feel for you it is so stressful and you feel completely on your own trying to manage it. Hope this helps.

Thank you Helen and Lesley for replies. Things have moved along a little and now he is 17 the GP said she can prescribe meds. Counselling has also started again. Lesley I am glad to hear your ds is a bit better I hope he goes to counselling. I think it helps my ds but will take time.

Hi LightandAiry
I'm not sure about age limits, or where you live, but this group is for young men
andysmanclub.co.uk/