Resources or subs for parenting a teen with mental health struggles?
I have a 17 year old who has been hit hard by depression and anxiety during and after the pandemic. She went from a thriving high performing high school freshman to having to withdraw from school because online classes were so impossible to follow and were triggering so much anxiety. After a year off school and getting mental health support, we tried reentering school in January. Now we are back where we started - anxiety attacks, unable to get out of bed, crying all day, etc. She feels like a failure and spins into anxiety over feeling unable to perform at previous levels, then can't get work done, then continues the feedback loop.
I'm struggling to stay positive and find more resources. We got a diagnosis of inattentive ADD: Medication made her anxiety skyrocket and we discontinued. We have a talk therapist in place, but she doesn't seem collaborative or able to deal with serious depressive episodes. We have a family doctor who has been supportive and we've tried 2 different antidepressants, but it's not his expertise and I'm not sure anything he's suggested has helped. We have 3 more weeks before we start with a psychiatrist and we're trying to hang in there for another approach.
Are there any support groups or subreddits for parents dealing with mental health challenges? I'm burning out and could use some words of wisdom. Or anyone that has helped their teen through depression, what resources did you find?
We finally reached the point of going to the ER to get help with a panic attack but I'm worried we'll eventually need an inpatient solution. Or maybe some deeper full-time inpatient/outpatient therapy. But I can't seem to find anything reputable for teens.
Thanks for any ideas or suggestions!
Posted May 4, 2022, 1:52 AM UTC