Should I put my 15year old DS on antidepressants

[LesleyDy]

Hi,
Looking for advice. My 15 year old son is suffering from social anxiety. He has gone from being a quiet but happy lad who would meet up with friends, to in the last year not wanting to go anywhere or see anyone apart from communicating with friends on his xbox. We found out that he has been the victim of some fairly prolonged bullying at school continuing at home as cyber bullying however as he wouldn’t talk about it the school were reluctant to act on it. We had a bit of school refusal but he is doing his GCSE’s and he’s managed to go in for revision and exams. He tried counselling but says it doesn’t help and is refusing any more. The Cahms wait was so long we have taken him to a private paediatrician who has suggested antidepressants, does anyone else have any experience of this as we are slightly concerned about it. Thanks

Didn't want to read and run but don't really have much advice.
However I was offered them at a young age (a little older than your son) and refused. Counselling didn't really work for me at that age either. I ended up on them anyway about 10 years later and do sometimes wish i'd took them when first offered as unfortunately things only piled up for me leaving me with a tonne to deal with. But that's just me and everyone is different.
Sending you op

My dd is 14 and has been prescribed Setraline by a private psychiatrist for anxiety (she is also likely ASD though not fully diagnosed yet). They have made a huge difference. Before, she rarely went anywhere or did anything and was unwilling to try and meet up with potential friends. She is not out every week now but certainly more often and is coping better with school etc. Shes trying and succeeding to connect with people she likes and had her first sleepover since she was about 10 this week. She said to me just last night that she thinks the medication has "changed her life". That says it all to me.

Also meant to add the very experienced psych reassured us that she knew many young teens whose lives had been transformed by medication like this. My dd had a few side effects initially when she started but none at all now.

What does your son think? I'd use that as a starting point.

Thank you, that is so reassuring. It’s actually sertraline that they’re recommending. He’s recently been diagnosed as ADD didn’t test positive for ASD but I think they overlap regarding the anxiety part. It’s heartbreaking seeing him like this. Thank you

CBT can be really effective for social anxiety - definitely worth a shot.

Hi OP I have a 17 ye old who has been on sertraline since Feb for severe depression and is now being tested for ADD and ASD. I wouldn't wish the last few months on anyone but for what it's worth, this is my take on it:

The meds are SSRIs so not addictive and frankly won't work if there is no underlying problem to solve. My DC is extremely resistant to therapy having had some failed sessions, and although it would help she's just not in the right head space for it yet.

I would never forgive myself if I didn't try everything. The meds came from a psychiatrist so I followed advice.

They rarely get the dose right straight away. We have climbed in increments from 25 -150mg so don't expect a sudden improvement. In fact each time the dose alters there is a dip. They also affect sleep so some experimentation is needed to find the best time.

Sertraline is not licensed for tennis if you are in the UK so some GPS can be less than supportive. Prozac/fluoxetine is, but that made my DC have some very dark thoughts and had to be stopped within three weeks.

My DCs problems are centred around poor social skills and poor time management (dyslexic and dyspraxic) and these are problems that often manifest themselves with increasing severity as they go through the final years of school and public exams. I would say do your reading but only you really know your DS. If he is up for trying medication AND he realised that it isn't a rapid solution, then I would say go for it. Our situation is still grim, but it would otherwise be far worse. Good luck.

Licences for teens, that should say!

If he’s been diagnosed with ADD would they suggest medication for that first before medicating the anxiety with AD’s. My DN has ADD and anxiety - very common together - and her ADD medication really makes the anxiety so much more manageable

I have two friends both of whom had dds with depression. One set of parents chose the Antid route as advised by doctor . She finished school, went to college began a career all the whole taking them. She is doing well. The other parents were dead set against medication and went against doctors suggestion. Their dd dropped out of school, stayed in bed half the day, got no job and generally never improved. The issue was depression not anxiety but the medication was vital for change. I would go with meds. It's such a vulnerable age and just to get more settled in school etc they would help. Maybe some CBT as well. Also exercise is really helpfulfor anxiety so getting a multi pronged approach would be good.

Thank you for all your positive feedback I’m feeling much more positive about it. @Lara53. He is on meds for ADD started them in January. He was really low when he started them so much so that paed wanted to start AD’s at sametime but at that point DS refused he is however happy to now. I think he is definitely in a better place than he was then, he doesn’t seem to be so depressed, just struggling more with social anxiety. We were thinking that once his exams finish and he changes schools that things may improve but are worried that although he’s better than he was 6months ago if we don’t address it now it will continue and hinder him at his new school. How long did it take for your child to improve? @BCBG that’s helpful thank you, my DS also has mild dyspraxia diagnosed this year at the same time as ADD. Everything just imploded for him this year. Just wondering where any of you managed to get any support re ADD and dyspraxia. As we went private and not through CAHMS we have not been referred to any other services. Is there anything worth us trying to access? It’s all very new to us. Thanks

DD was diagnosed with dyspraxia at 8 years old and it forms part of her IEP for access arrangements. We went private as well for the psych referral as was urgent and we are now also paying for the ADD and ASD assessment.

Avoid medications as much as possible. They may ruin his future career choices

Avoid medications as much as possible. They may ruin his future career choices

Please explain this, because it sounds like utter balls to me.

Fish, don't talk bollocks.

OP, I have a DD with severe depression and an eating disorder (anorexia nervosa). She is 16 and has been on medication since last December. Fluoxetine in her case. It does really seem to be helping in conjunction with her weekly therapy sessions at the clinic.

She is now getting back on track at school, and has gained some weight (although it would be very premature and naïve to think that we are out of the woods, it is a long term thing).

I think it is worth a try if the psychiatrist recommends it. I don't like to think what might have happened if my DD had not been prescribed her meds, or if I had been minded to refuse them. She might not even be here today.

Good luck to you and your DS. I hope you find something that works for him.

Another teen on medication here.

My DD16 was put on Citalopram over a year ago for anxiety & depression. It has made a big difference to her. Neither of us were keen initially on medication, but she had a full year of CAMHS counselling before deciding that, while helpful, it wasn't working and that she wanted her life back.
She is now doing GCSE's and looking forward to the future instead of wondering what the point of it all is.
Good luck