chronically suicidal adult daughter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else been there, done that? My 28 year old daughter has had depression and anxiety issues since elementary school. She also has ADHD. She is extremely introverted and struggles to make/keep friends. Never been in a relationship. She does go to therapy and takes medication but says she thinks about killing herself daily. "I don't see a way out of this," she says. I'm at a loss of how to support her.

Does her therapist do family therapy? I would start there and try to make an appointment. You need resources on how to support her.

I'm not sure. She lives 2 hours away. Maybe a different therapist?

Nowadays, lots of therapist have sessions via zoom. Ask your daughter, let her know you want to understand and support her and maybe family therapy would help, specially since she's "alone".

After years of struggling I'm sure you and your daughter must feel exhausted.

Individual therapy can make chronic suicidal issues worse, not better. Chronic SI is very different from acute SI and often a patient will remain chronically suicidal as it keeps the connection or need for the therapist - they get anxious that if they aren't suicidal, they will lose the support and attention and care and concern of those who worry about their SI (parents, therapists, close friends) This isn't a highly conscious process but it can create a dependence on the therapist that is hard to break . The chronic SI is often a coping mechanism and a way to keep people close, feel cared for, and feel like there are people thinking of you if you need them.

[Anonymous]

Spravato (Ketamine spray)? TMS treatment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else been there, done that? My 28 year old daughter has had depression and anxiety issues since elementary school. She also has ADHD. She is extremely introverted and struggles to make/keep friends. Never been in a relationship. She does go to therapy and takes medication but says she thinks about killing herself daily. "I don't see a way out of this," she says. I'm at a loss of how to support her.

Does her therapist do family therapy? I would start there and try to make an appointment. You need resources on how to support her.

I'm not sure. She lives 2 hours away. Maybe a different therapist?

Nowadays, lots of therapist have sessions via zoom. Ask your daughter, let her know you want to understand and support her and maybe family therapy would help, specially since she's "alone".

After years of struggling I'm sure you and your daughter must feel exhausted.

Individual therapy can make chronic suicidal issues worse, not better. Chronic SI is very different from acute SI and often a patient will remain chronically suicidal as it keeps the connection or need for the therapist - they get anxious that if they aren't suicidal, they will lose the support and attention and care and concern of those who worry about their SI (parents, therapists, close friends) This isn't a highly conscious process but it can create a dependence on the therapist that is hard to break . The chronic SI is often a coping mechanism and a way to keep people close, feel cared for, and feel like there are people thinking of you if you need them.

Interesting. Is this the case if she very very rarely tells anyone? She is much more likely to hide the reality and make it seem like she’s okay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else been there, done that? My 28 year old daughter has had depression and anxiety issues since elementary school. She also has ADHD. She is extremely introverted and struggles to make/keep friends. Never been in a relationship. She does go to therapy and takes medication but says she thinks about killing herself daily. "I don't see a way out of this," she says. I'm at a loss of how to support her.

She needs to Ketamine. It is time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else been there, done that? My 28 year old daughter has had depression and anxiety issues since elementary school. She also has ADHD. She is extremely introverted and struggles to make/keep friends. Never been in a relationship. She does go to therapy and takes medication but says she thinks about killing herself daily. "I don't see a way out of this," she says. I'm at a loss of how to support her.

If she's thinking about suicide that much I would suggest that maybe her meds aren't working for her - SSRIs/SNRIs are not fully effective for about 30% of patients.

A few years ago I was in that same space, and had been for several years. I got referred for TMS therapy and it was a gamechanger for me. I ended up having two courses, but for most people one course of therapy is enough. It's a session every day for several weeks, but the sessions are short and there aren't any substantial side effects.

Since that therapy I have been SO much better - I maintain my mental health by following a solid sleep hygiene schedule, using a lightbox every morning, getting out in nature as often as I can, and eating a healthy as I can - but no meds for years now. I don't do therapy anymore but I do use the tools I learned in therapy to get through my more difficult days.

I still have issues, don't get me wrong. My stuff has been in place since childhood too and the recovery is a long term thing. But I don't think about suicide anymore and that's a massive positive change in my life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else been there, done that? My 28 year old daughter has had depression and anxiety issues since elementary school. She also has ADHD. She is extremely introverted and struggles to make/keep friends. Never been in a relationship. She does go to therapy and takes medication but says she thinks about killing herself daily. "I don't see a way out of this," she says. I'm at a loss of how to support her.

She needs to see a psychiatrist. Move out of the family home. Get a makeover. Get on dating apps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was your adult daughter. Nothing helped when it came to my parents because they were the cause of all my issues. It helped to cut them off

She lives 2 hr away from her family, she can have boundaries if she wants. It's convenient to blame everything on parents but they aren't the root cause of every problem.

[Anonymous]

I would highly recommend that your daughter get genetic testing done through an integrative psychiatrist. There are mutations that cause lack of ability to process certain things or support processes in the brain and body - this includes psych meds, food, supplements, etc. All play into anxiety, ADHD, and a lot of health conditions. My dd's treatment and nutrition plan had been unknowingly making things much much worse for years. It's irresponsible that any physician prescribe mood altering drugs without first understanding genetic profile. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Ketamine!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else been there, done that? My 28 year old daughter has had depression and anxiety issues since elementary school. She also has ADHD. She is extremely introverted and struggles to make/keep friends. Never been in a relationship. She does go to therapy and takes medication but says she thinks about killing herself daily. "I don't see a way out of this," she says. I'm at a loss of how to support her.

Does her therapist do family therapy? I would start there and try to make an appointment. You need resources on how to support her.

I'm not sure. She lives 2 hours away. Maybe a different therapist?

Nowadays, lots of therapist have sessions via zoom. Ask your daughter, let her know you want to understand and support her and maybe family therapy would help, specially since she's "alone".

After years of struggling I'm sure you and your daughter must feel exhausted.

Individual therapy can make chronic suicidal issues worse, not better. Chronic SI is very different from acute SI and often a patient will remain chronically suicidal as it keeps the connection or need for the therapist - they get anxious that if they aren't suicidal, they will lose the support and attention and care and concern of those who worry about their SI (parents, therapists, close friends) This isn't a highly conscious process but it can create a dependence on the therapist that is hard to break . The chronic SI is often a coping mechanism and a way to keep people close, feel cared for, and feel like there are people thinking of you if you need them.

Interesting. Is this the case if she very very rarely tells anyone? She is much more likely to hide the reality and make it seem like she’s okay.

It’s impossible to really say at an individual level. She might be best to try different types of treatment. Does she have a good psychiatrist who can offer recommendations specific to her history and presentation?

[Anonymous]

You may want to try a NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) support group for family members.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would be thinking about ketamine for this situation.

+1

But it isn't a magic bullet. I did six infusions with a clinic in the DMV and it didn't help me. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else been there, done that? My 28 year old daughter has had depression and anxiety issues since elementary school. She also has ADHD. She is extremely introverted and struggles to make/keep friends. Never been in a relationship. She does go to therapy and takes medication but says she thinks about killing herself daily. "I don't see a way out of this," she says. I'm at a loss of how to support her.

She needs to see a psychiatrist. Move out of the family home. Get a makeover. Get on dating apps.

FFS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would highly recommend that your daughter get genetic testing done through an integrative psychiatrist. There are mutations that cause lack of ability to process certain things or support processes in the brain and body - this includes psych meds, food, supplements, etc. All play into anxiety, ADHD, and a lot of health conditions. My dd's treatment and nutrition plan had been unknowingly making things much much worse for years. It's irresponsible that any physician prescribe mood altering drugs without first understanding genetic profile. Good luck!

snake oil

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was your adult daughter. Nothing helped when it came to my parents because they were the cause of all my issues. It helped to cut them off

Not helpful and probably not entirely true either.