WWYD if your college-aged son were severely depressed?

[Anonymous]

I think they "solution" is different for every college student. I might get my own therapist to come up with strategies to try. If my child were that disabled by depression, my first priority would be getting in for a psychiatric evaluation and meds. If that is refused no matter what we try I would consult with professionals about how/when we do psychiatric hospitalization.

I would certainly be pushing for outdoor time and exercise before I started insisting on therapy (which is work), chores or a job, but if my kid were completely paralyzed by this and could not even get outside during the day I would see it as an emergency and be finding out my options to force help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing, sink or swim. Kids in my generation were out of the house at age 18.

Assume they won’t go to college then (unless you’re paying, in which case college is a paid sleepaway camp. Nothing wrong with that but it’s not “moving out.”)

I am not PP but definitely consider college moving out.

It’s not moving out if mommy and daddy are paying the rent. That’s not “sink or swim.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Medical and psychiatric intervention. We now have a recommendation for wilderness therapy and are following it. It is a serious thing and you need to intervene and if real underlying problems work alone may not solve it

Be very careful with this. A lot of these programs are abusive. Please please research before you send your kid there.

+1 Google Paris Hilton speaking out about being abused in one of these places

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing, sink or swim. Kids in my generation were out of the house at age 18.

And your generation is full of cold, mean, entitled assholes so…

[Anonymous]

If you have already tried standard meds, I would try IV ketamine treatments. You’ll know in a day whether they have any effect. The positive effect can be dramatic…enough to open the door for counseling even if you don’t keep up the treatments. Sometimes , even a single day of light and clarity can fuel progress

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing, sink or swim. Kids in my generation were out of the house at age 18.

Depression is an illness. Would you say the same thing about a young adult with another severe illness?

FWIW, OP did not say he was evaluated for depression. It's just OP's diagnosis but honestly, if he really were depressed, he wouldnt be on his phone or laptop! To me, it just sounds like laziness. He knows that his parents are there for him so why bother to make any effort?

Spoken like someone who literally has no knowledge of mental illness. Ignore. He needs to be medicated. See One of the psychiatrists at Veritas Health.

[Anonymous]

Your kid's instincts are right about therapy. It's largely a scam. Ditto all the nutbags in here recommending he needs to be on pills.

The issue is you're trying to fix a broken young adult who you most likely enabled for the last 10 plus years. I know that's harsh to hear but it's likely true. I've seen it time and time again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Medical and psychiatric intervention. We now have a recommendation for wilderness therapy and are following it. It is a serious thing and you need to intervene and if real underlying problems work alone may not solve it

Be very careful with this. A lot of these programs are abusive. Please please research before you send your kid there.

+1 Google Paris Hilton speaking out about being abused in one of these places

You know nothing about the mental health treatment field if you are relying on googling Paris Hilton's experiences....

My son went to a reputable wilderness program. He needed to. They are wonderful and provide a much needed reset for hundreds of kids each year. Use an educational consultant and you will find a good one...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kid's instincts are right about therapy. It's largely a scam. Ditto all the nutbags in here recommending he needs to be on pills.

The issue is you're trying to fix a broken young adult who you most likely enabled for the last 10 plus years. I know that's harsh to hear but it's likely true. I've seen it time and time again.

Nutbags? Hmmm....pot, meet kettle....What makes you the expert? Where have you seen it time and time again?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing, sink or swim. Kids in my generation were out of the house at age 18.

Depression is an illness. Would you say the same thing about a young adult with another severe illness?

FWIW, OP did not say he was evaluated for depression. It's just OP's diagnosis but honestly, if he really were depressed, he wouldnt be on his phone or laptop! To me, it just sounds like laziness. He knows that his parents are there for him so why bother to make any effort?[/

Lolol

[Anonymous]

Do the same thing you’d do if he got a terminal cancer diagnosis, because that’s what severe depression can be.

Get him medical treatment. Bring him home. Don’t leave him alone. Don’t let him get sicker.

You’re such a wonderful parent for caring. I can hear how much you care. You matter, and so does your child. Sending biggest love.

[Anonymous]

Mental illness is spreading like Covid. Depression is serious and even life threatening. He needs help not to be kicked out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kid's instincts are right about therapy. It's largely a scam. Ditto all the nutbags in here recommending he needs to be on pills.

The issue is you're trying to fix a broken young adult who you most likely enabled for the last 10 plus years. I know that's harsh to hear but it's likely true. I've seen it time and time again.

How did you conclude this about the son from the post? And you clearly do not have an understanding of mental illness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid's instincts are right about therapy. It's largely a scam. Ditto all the nutbags in here recommending he needs to be on pills.

The issue is you're trying to fix a broken young adult who you most likely enabled for the last 10 plus years. I know that's harsh to hear but it's likely true. I've seen it time and time again.

WTF

[Anonymous]

I would have him take a semester off, bring him home, get him into treatment.