Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Teen DD dropping out of university

53 replies

MagB · 11/12/2020 20:02

DD first year of university, now saying she wont go back after Christmas, but wont work either and no way of supporting herself, which is putting a big strain on the household and relations with DP as we cant really afford to keep her, as it is we struggle to pay rent/bills and we're both in debt, me more than him, I have a lot of credit card debt which DP has been trying to pay off and managed about a 1/3 but its still gigantic.

I suggested changing courses but she says she's depressed and doesnt want to do anything, has no career goals, isnt fussed about having her own place or being independent, and shes got it easy at home as everything is done for her. She wont do chores, again because she says she depressed. Have exhausted the GP route as she didnt take her meds before, even though she was telling me she was but found full packets in her room, and she is adamant they dont help. Same with counselling, I got her a few private sessions with someone who was highly recommended but that didnt work either, she didnt like this woman, said she was setting her goals like homework and she didnt 'get her' she says.

If I leave her alone she just stays in bed or will sit on her phone all day, but am tearing my hair out, and I can tell DP is exasperated too but doesnt say that outright, but he works hard and has a very high stress job and I feel like Im dumping my problems on him and out relationship is definitely suffering too as a result of DD's issues.

I cant figure out if shes just being lazy or is genuinely depressed, shes never worked but has always been quiet and living in her own world, and Ive always done everything for her, maybe that hasnt helped, I guess she doesnt grasp that she has to do something, than doing nothing isnt an option, but when Ive tried to get through to her she says I dont understand depression and Im putting pressure on her so I back off because I dont want to exacerbate the situation and hope she'll snap out of it at some point.

OP posts:
FATEdestiny · 11/12/2020 20:08

You could direct her to the local job centre and she can see if she if she qualifies for disability benefit on grounds of her depression.

She probably won't, but it will get her into the real world of having to earn or study, unless certifiably ill

Ohalrightthen · 11/12/2020 20:09

Tell her she can't come home unless she works. Simple as that. She can make these choices, but she has to make them by herself.

FATEdestiny · 11/12/2020 20:10

As an aside, I don't understand your point that you can't afford for her to come home. Surely she was living with you previous to September?

QueefBee · 11/12/2020 20:13

Sod the partner your dd in her hour of need is the priority. Yes to applying for benefits.

Bagelsandbrie · 11/12/2020 20:14

She can’t come home unless she works or gets help with the depression - and that also means signing on / claiming benefits as if she was any other adult with mental health issues. It’s very hard and I feel sorry for all of you but she does need to learn how to be an adult.

MagB · 11/12/2020 20:14

She's already home! I was let go by my company in June, so am relying on DP's income. Ive managed to get a few cleaning jobs since but it barely pays anything

OP posts:
Ohalrightthen · 11/12/2020 20:16

So, she has to go back, or she has to get a job, and either way she has to get help.

Gettingthereslowly2020 · 11/12/2020 20:16

I think you need to make it clear to her that she is now an adult and you are not going to baby her anymore.

Her health is her responsibility. It is her responsibility to seek help from and engage with her GP and mental health services. If she is unable to work, it is her responsibility to claim disability benefits and make a contribution to the household bills. If she is not prepared to do that, she will need to leave your home and find her own accommodation.

Letting her do whatever she wants and cause financial and relationship problems for you isn't actually going to do her any favours. If you get further into debt because you're financially providing for another adult that you can't afford and end up further in debt and lose your home, what's she going to do then?

DotBall · 11/12/2020 20:17

DS dropped out of uni after 8 weeks. He was made to sign on for UC, we took 20% of that every month as keep and he had to job hunt or they would stop his UC.

If she wants to drop out, that’s not a problem. What you must be firm about though is the sponging off you. Even if you have to drive her to the JobCentre, that’s what you do. The depression is a sideshow and can be managed in time.

Fairybatman · 11/12/2020 20:17

If she isn’t fussed about being independent because everything is done for her then stop doing anything for her. No spends, no phone, no snacks treats clothes.

Make it uncomfortable to mooch off you.

pumpkinpie01 · 11/12/2020 20:20

She has got to do something, surely the longer she just stays in her room the worse she will get . It sounds like you're trying to help her - meds, counselling but she isn't even trying to help herself. It must be very tough I know how fragile teenagers can be and being a first year at uni has been particularly hard this year but you may have to show some tough love.

Aquamarine1029 · 11/12/2020 20:20

She certainly has you dancing to her tune. She's being manipulative and knows exactly what to say to get you to shut up. This nonsense needs to end. Tell her she looks for a job and give her a list of household responsibilities she has to do. I assume you pay for her phone and internet, correct? Well, those two luxuries should be taken away if she refuses to get her act together. Tell her her depression can't be used as an excuse when she has done absolutely nothing to help herself.

TeenPlusTwenties · 11/12/2020 20:22

If she's depressed then you may need to oversee taking of meds, they take a few weeks to kick in. Also encouraging walks etc.

LindaEllen · 11/12/2020 20:23

She has five options that I can see here:

  1. Stay at university
  2. Come home and get a job
  3. Stay at university while getting help for her depression
  4. Get a job while getting help for her depression
  5. Get help for her depression and claim benefits (if she is entitled to disabled for her condition).

However, you need to make it clear to her that just coming home and doing nothing isn't option. She needs to work on something - whether that's her university course, a job, or improving her mental health.

Each will then play off the other.

It's been an awful year to start university. I can't imagine my university experience if it'd been this year.

I don't know if she is genuinely depressed, but the options I've presented above really are the only ones, whether she is or not. However, what isn't an option is simply coming home, saying 'I'm depressed' and not doing anything to contribute or to help herself.

anniegun · 11/12/2020 20:23

If she is genuinely depressed many of these suggestions will not help. Depression can be a complex and serious illness and the behaviour that comes with it does not always attract sympathy. Focus on getting her to engage with her GP and take her meds. That might get her to the position where she can engage on the more practical issues of where next.

mineofuselessinformation · 11/12/2020 20:25

You may well need to take the lead here to find out what is really going on. (And my dc2 suffered from anxiety and depression for over two years to a degree that was incapacitating, so I speak from experience.)
Make her an appointment with your GP - and tell her you are doing so. Let her know that if she is suffering, you want to get her some help. That will at least get her started in accessing some form of help it that is what she needs.
It sounds like you suspect she may not be unwell though, but still go down the same route - if she says she doesn't need help, then that is your perfect opportunity to follow it up with an expectation that she finds employment of any kind, at least to start with.
Whichever way it goes, don't sugar-coat it - tell her you need her to contribute financially towards the cost of her being there, whether that's through pay or benefits that she might be entitled to.
For your own sake, you need to be firm and insist she do something, whether that is gaining mental health help or a job, but do tell her you will help her if she needs you to.

HopeClearwater · 11/12/2020 20:25

Is your DP her dad?

MagB · 11/12/2020 20:29

Yes I pay for her phone, internet, everything really. Im scared if I push her too much and insist she has to sign on it'll tip her over the edge. I already suggested maybe signing on til she decides what she wants to do but she looked at me like I was crazy and said theres no point talking to me because I dont understand depression.
Shes insisting she's not going back, she already cleared out her room, all her clothes are here and unfortunately it didnt work with the counsellor who I found even though she specializes in older teens, and now she says its all a waste of time. I cant get through to her, and worry about upsetting her even more. DP tried talking to her, even suggested a friend of his mothers who could get her a part time job, but that just seemed to make her more withdrawn and now she barely even speaks to him, avoids him if hes in the house, so that backfired massively

OP posts:
MissBPotter · 11/12/2020 20:29

She doesn’t understand depression if she thinks staying in bed all day will help her. She should get up at a decent time each day, exercise, do housework and then set herself goals - get help from gp, get a job or claim benefits. Having a job and a routine and exercising will help her feel less depressed. You must stop doing everything for her - she does own washing and you set her a list of chores, plus she must contribute to the household - non- negotiable.

Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket · 11/12/2020 20:29

She could talk to her personal tutor and take a suspension of studies for a term/semester if that's something she might want to resume once she's feeling less depressed. It's something students of mine have done in the past. They don't always come back but often they do. In the meantime she can try to sort out her MH, try to get a job and see what life might be like without doing a degree.

motherf88 · 11/12/2020 20:31

Word of warning. My SIL did this. MIL didn't want to force her to do anything so it's now 12 years later and she's still not working or claiming benefits. She's 30

userxx · 11/12/2020 20:32

You need to stop walking on eggshells around her and stop doing everything for her.

MagB · 11/12/2020 20:33

DP isnt her dad, no. Been divorced 6 and a half years. He's got a new family now and was never much help anyway!

OP posts:
blue25 · 11/12/2020 20:35

She’s never worked? That’s not a good start. She thinks life is easy & you need to give her a wake up call. Do not give her any money, just feed her with the basics, no treats. She really needs to grow up!

MagB · 11/12/2020 20:39

Thanks for all the replies. I think she is very childish for her age, very naive, thats probably my fault. Shes an old child and so was spoilt, not so much now but when she was a kid, when we had money. When I was her age I was working full-time, wanted to be independent, basically the opposite of DD at her age

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread