Reply to teen who refuses to even consider meds or therapy

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]You can find a good psychiatrist who will discuss medication with your husband. He or she will most likely recommend meds, but it is very helpful to have an expert explain how and why they work. You can try therapy first, but with a resistant teen, you are not likely to have much success without meds. (Therapy with no results is expensive, but I can see your husband's point.) Is there any anxiety? Because my inflexible teen benefitted greatly from anti-anxiety meds.

We had a different situation with our therapy-resistant DS- it was critical that he get in to therapy (major depression and severe anxiety). We cut off everything - money, phone, rides anywhere, haircuts... there was no assistance from us outside the house unless he attended his therapy appointments. We were desperate and it worked. (We also paid him to go, which was a suggestion that several therapists gave us and also helped.)

I agree with PPs that it will be helpful for you (and DH) to go regardless. (And may be even more helpful depending on the level of participation you get from DS.)[/quote]

Thanks, this is really helpful -- I hate to think about having to go the route of forcing my son, but I can see how that might be where we end up. As I've said to my spouse -- I'm really concerned that our son won't benefit fro[b]m therapy without also having meds to help with the rigid/inflexible thinking[/b]. This has always been a kid who has an infinite capacity to be stubborn -- think of the immovable object. I have two other kids and know plenty of other kids for whom this is not the case, so I have a very good sense of what's within normal limits and what's not. His rigid thinking is only getting worse as he gets older -- I wonder if there's a puberty-onset component here too, and we can see it starting to cause problems not only within the family but outside, too.

We didn't get an anxiety diagnosis for my son but on the other hand that was not a significant issue we had asked the psychologist to look into. My husband has (and is being treated for) anxiety and depression, I have major depression and ADHD, and my youngest has been in therapy for anxiety (but no meds) before, so I wouldn't be surprised about any diagnosis in a similar vein for my son or my other kids but I can't say we have a diagnosis (and I am not sure whether our psychologist looked for it). [/quote]

ADHD meds are not going to do much for the rigid and inflexible thinking although it will help with processing speed if it is the result of inattention.  At best the ADHD meds may help him focus during therapy and make him more aware how rigid and inflexible his thinking is.  Awareness is only part of the battle however and will not do anything unless he wants to change.

Is the rigid and flexible thinking from anxiety, ASD or a combination? Did the neuropsych find anxiety?  If not then you need to address it as part of the ASD.  I would enroll him in either the Unstuck and On Target program at Ivymount Outreach or Dr David Black's PEERS program.  Both of these programs have a parent therapy component.

Your neuropsych should have given you recommendations for therapists and programs.

Good luck![/quote]

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