Friends, Family & Carers Forum

[Janna]

My son had a review with his psychiatrist today and the end result was a decision to introduce some anti-anxiety meds in an attempt to manage his overwhelming anxiety, plus a change in the antidrepressant from one SSRI to another by switching over slowly over the next 4 weeks.

It's scary stuff to be introducing new meds and altering existing meds, especially when he emphasizd that we need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of "seratonin syndrome" which can occur.  That freaked me out.

Regardless of the risks and possible side effects I think we've reached a point where we need to attack his depression/anxiety from a different angle because he is not doing very well at all.

During the consult today I noticed how introverted ++++ my son is and how non-communicative and vague he is when asked any question.  Most direct and simple questions ,such as "How has your sleep been?, are answered with an ill-defined shrug or "I don't know".  This makes the entire clinical assessment very, very difficult because he's not communicating how he feels or what's going on for him in any shape or form.   I'm not sure whether it's just my son's predisposition, or the fact that he's an adolescent boy, or that he is suffering with depression/anxiety, or all of the above, but he is a clinicians nightmare.  It becomes a guessing game which invariably leads to me filling in the gaps based on my knowledge and observations.  Has anyone else come across this?  

The scary thing about this is that when my son shrugs and says "I don't know", he means it.  He really doesn't know because he is so detached/dissociated from his emotions and self.  How can anyone begin to help someone when they themselves can't articulate how they feel, or what is going on for them??  

So here I am with a new drug regime to introduce with the hope that this will kick him over into a better zone that is more compatible with life.  As a parent/carer of a young person this is hard because you feel responsible for their well-being. When all else has failed there seems like no other option than to go with the scientific method of treating depression/anxiety with medications (and adjunct psychotherapy).  God I wish there was a simpler solution that was more grounded.  We all know (I guess) that there is no guarantee that these meds will alter a thing.  Treating mental illness is very much a hit and/or miss scenario.  It's not like you have a headache and know that by taking a Panadol it will relieve it.  It's so unsure, so inconclusive and like subjecting someone to a trial of meds without knowing what the reaction, effect, side-effect (long and short term) and efficacy is going to be.  I don't like this, but I don't know what else to do other than trust a psychiatrist and his professional competency.

Janna ❤️

[Mosaic]

Hi @Janna

Thanks for sharing this update on your son. It’s understandable to feel nervous about the days/weeks/months ahead, given your son’s change in medication. Finding the ‘right’ medication can be a process of trial and error and what works for one person may not necessarily work for another. That being said, more and more research is being conducted everyday to improve the medication options out there for people who live with mental illness. Things are getting better with time, but as you say, there’s certainly no miracle cure yet - wouldn’t that be nice? 🙂 Not sure whether it might be helpful but I thought you might like to have a look through this thread, which talks about how to cope when changing or switching meds. Many of the members here have walked though something similar, so please know you are not alone in this experience.

Janna can I ask how does your son feel about it all? Does he share your concerns about medication? Indeed it is important to listen carefully to the recommendations and suggestions of the mental health team – they are experts. But please remember that your son is an expert into his experience as well. It is okay to ask questions, or to get a second opinion if he’s feeling uncomfortable. Treatment plans and recovery goals should be discussed and implemented collaboratively as much as possible.

Janna I get the sense that you are feeling quite hopeless right now, but please try not to let your mind wander down that road of thinking that a clinician would consider your son a ‘nightmare’. It is so so common for people with depression/anxiety to have trouble articulating how they feel or to have difficulty expressing what they need, or what might be helpful. Struggling in this area is often what leads people to see a psychologist in the first place. Clinicians see this sort of presentation regularly. They are trained to apply specific therapeutic interventions that can help people to better access their thoughts, feelings and emotions. With time, your son can learn to express himself more clearly, and gain a better insight and understanding about how he is feeling, and what he can do to move forward. Things are hard right now, but I really encourage you to stay hopeful. Please keep us updated on how things are tracking 🙂 All the best, Mosaic.

[Janna]

Mosaic,

Thanks for your supportive words and the link to the other thread. ❤️