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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My DC has been in college for two years and has either withdrawn or failed about half the classes. DC recently said that he has been depressed off and on the whole two years. He took antidepressants for awhile his first year but decided to stop taking them. I thought it was because he was feeling better but he recently said they didn't do much. He just started taking a different one and I'm trying to get him to go to counseling. Do we make him take a year or semester off and work? Do we send him to Outward Bound? Do we send him to a college for students with learning disabilities? He has ADD and really struggles with executive functioning and the depression on top makes school a real challenge. I'm leaning towards having him take time off to get the depression under control but I don't think a lot of unstructured time at home is a good idea.[/quote]

I struggled with depression throughout middle school, high school, college, and law school. It can be over-whelming.  College is challenging and it really hits all of the "I suck" buttons that depressives have. Here's what I would do, if it were my kid.

He is failing or withdrawing from half his classes. I don't think more time at college, away from home, is good for him.  I would have him come home, get into counseling and get into to see a psychiatrist to adjust his meds.  I would emphasize that this is just an adjustment and treatment period, not because he is a failure, and that he will be able to go back to college once the depression is a little more under control. I would have him take at least one or two classes at my local community college, maybe do some part-time work (work study through the community college?), and get into an exercise class that he can attend at least 3 days a week.  If all goes well, he should be doing better in about 12 months. At that point, he can reassess what he wants to do and where he wants to go to college.

Mood disorders do not have to be disabling for the rest of your life. In my case, my mood disorder is chronic, so I have to treat it like other chronic diseases.  For me, it's like diabetes.  I have to take my medication daily and get regular exercise and eat right and get enough sleep. I can't let anything get too out of whack. When it DOES get out of whack, I need to see my doctor (or counselor) for help in managing the problem

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