I have almost the exact situation, even my son's age. I'd like to share my (limited) success experiences and also asking for help from others.

1. He's been in therapy and medication since the onset in late 2016. After trying numerous meds and dosages, it helped some. But then he stalled. Then I found out about ketamine infusion, a clinic called NY Ketamine Infusion in downtown Manhattan, last year. Please research and familiarize yourself. It made some immediate and unmistakable improvements. It's the only thing that's worked! The first treatment was 6 sessions over two weeks, followed with one booster infusion two months after. BTW, I highly recommend the clinic without reservation.

2. I've been doing some reading on psychedelics, which have attracted a surge of research interest in recent years. But he seems overly cautious and concerned about trying it. I encouraged him to read up on his own. But he seems always focused on the negative -- partly as his predisposition and partly, I guess, due to his ongoing anxiety. I highly recommend everyone with similar challenges to read up on this fascinating and promising topic.

3. The effects and experiences with psychedelics, I've come to appreciate, heavily depends on the mindset beforehand (as well as the setting during the process). So he has to want to try it before it can work. You don't just pop in something like the usual meds. This is where I'm stuck. Any advice on how to persuade him would be much appreciated.

4. His currently state, I think, is mostly not depression but rather lingering anxiety. And I suspect a big part is the habit formed over the last 2.5 years -- not going to school even when he does manage to get up, procrastinating, spending too much time playing games and chatting, not leaving the house, not doing any physical activity. Am I wrong? Any differing perspectives would be much appreciated.