Caring for a depressed teenager

Thank you ! I will be looking this up and watching with my son.
We also will be going to a showing on Angst - Raising Awareness Around Anxiety. I'm excited to see it and hope my son will begin to see that he is not the only one who feel this way.

I wanted to reach out because my son has had increasing anxiety and depression throughout his life. He is 15 now. Through testing, we've discovered he has Lyme, Bartonella, Babesia and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. These infections can cause something called Lyme induced PANS which involves brain inflammation. The symptoms are fatigue, anxiety, depression and brain fog and also can cause periods of anger. I encourage you to look into this yourself because many health professionals are still not educated about this and children and parents are going through so much from misdiagnosis. 504 plans for your son's schooling can help some. Many parents, like myself, find online public school programs helpful because the classes are recorded. My son is able to watch them and do assignments when he is less symtomatic. I hope the best for you and your son. Sincerely, Anita M.

Thank you !
I love to hear all the different therapies and treatments that others have tried or are researching. Your #4 sounds familiar. I struggle with knowing if it is depression or anxiety. I know it is a bit of both, but which one is worse? That is my question every day. My son's high anxiety triggers his depression. He gets angry with himself when he can't do something or when he perceives that he is not "good" at something. This leads him to isolate and the depression will increase. When he originally began his adjunct mediation this summer, there was a definite mood change. He was motivated, happy and doing what I would expect a normal teenager to do. This is how I know that he is in there somewhere. I still feel like we need to find that right medication or combination. Until then, I encourage him to get outside, shovel (we had 42 inches of snow this February), talk to his friends, drive his brother to soccer, pick his sister up from school etc. He tells me he is embarrassed to go anywhere (in public). There is the anxiety talking and we need to work on that. His psychiatrist is very proactive. If a medication doesn't work then we look at a different treatment. We will be seeing him this week.
Please keep me posted on any information you have found in your research or other treatments that have been beneficial for you. Hang in there and know that you are not alone.

Hello @hlvslp72

Your son is so fortunate to have you advocating on his behalf. I can tell you are working hard to help. You mentioned that you would like more information on Cognitive Behavior Therapy, also referred to as CBT. David Burns has written some very good books on that subject, including the Feel Good Workbook. You can also find some of his videos on YouTube.

Having a genetic study done to determine what medication would work best might also be helpful.

Hello @crgh1 and welcome to Mayo Connect. Your daughter is very fortunate to have a mother who is concerned about her getting good treatment for depression. The teen years can be tough with all of the physical and social changes going on in their lives. It is not surprising that teens are prone to depression.

If you are comfortable sharing more details, could you explain how her depression is displayed? For example, is she withdrawn, does she cry, does she have problems with eating? How are her friendships: is she able to be part of clubs, church groups or team activities?

You mentioned that she has been in counseling on and off for "the past several years." Did these problems start before her teenage years?

Have you ever been part of a NAMI support group? They have family support group meetings for people who have family members dealing with depression, anxiety, etc. Here is their website where you can check on a support group near you, https://www.nami.org/find-support/nami-programs/nami-family-support-group

I look forward to hearing from you again. Will you post an update?

Hi! Seeking advice and recommendations on places to go to get the best possible treatment for my daughter who struggles with depression and anxiety. We have seen a general doctor and then were referred to see a medication management doctor. We have had counseling off and on for the past several years. So far nothing has really helped. Seeking advice and recommendations on a great treatment program that others have tried. Thinking that we need to start with some sort of new evaluation to determine the best care. Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi, @crgh1. I'd like to add my welcome to @hopeful33250's to Mayo Clinic Connect. I can imagine that would be distressing that nothing really has helped thus far with your teen daughter's depression and anxiety.

You'll notice that I moved your message to this existing discussion in the Depression & Anxiety group, "Caring for a depressed teenager." I did this so that you can meet others who have parented or been grandparents of teenagers dealing with depression and anxiety, like @hlvslp72 @windwalker @fattail @johnbishop @harleneq @ainsleigh and others. Click VIEW & REPLY in the email notification and you can scroll back through past messages. Hoping these members will have some ideas from their experiences on some sort of new evaluation to determine the best care.

How have things gone with school and relationships with her peers through the depression and anxiety, @crgh1?

Hello @crgh1, have you thought about Mayo Clinic? Here is some information on depression care at Mayo Clinic.

Depression care at Mayo Clinic
-- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/care-at-mayo-clinic/mac-20356018

Hello !
My general doctor was the one who originally treated my son (depression meds). I eventually sought out a Psychologist and discussed all of his symptoms. The Psychologist then referred me to a psychiatrist for medication management. I highly highly recommend that you see a psychiatrist for the medication. I know it can be difficult to find one that will treat or see adolescence, but they are out there. Start with a clinical psychologist to determine any diagnosis'. Good luck. I so understand what you are going through. Please continue to reach out, as I love to hear what other treatments, and therapies are working for others. I take it one day at a time now, to keep my sanity.

I am so sorry you are going through this, and I feel your pain. My daughter who is a senior now started with major depression, anxiety and no desire to live when she was a freshman. She was a straight A kid. Even with medication, counseling and psychiatrist there was no will to live. In her junior year I looked at her grades online and found all F's. I asked her about them and was told what's the use, I don't plan on living much longer.

During the same time her anxiety and depression started, she was having ( and still does) bad stomach problems. Pediatric GI doc found Candidiasis (yeast) in her gastrointestinal system. Doc told me that could lead to mental health issues and the yeast probably came from bad food choices. Very hard to get rid of. It was found with an upper scope and can also be found by sending off a urine sample or blood test. With a Candida friendly diet and proper medication, I believe she would have gotten better, but she is a very picky eater. Look it up online. There is a lot of stuff there regarding mental illness and yeast.

I do recommend a swab test. My daughter's psychiatrist did this and found her Zoloft she had taken for a year was doing no good. Finally after several medication trials and horrible weaning off depression medicine periods, we finally found an old medicine called Lithium. Lithium along with Buspar and Adderall has done the trick! She is back to her straight A's and a will to live. She still has lots of belly troubles, but hope she will grow out of it one day.

I've always wondered if more kids with mental illness have a yeast problem. I will never know, but it's worth looking into.

I do hope for the best for you and your family. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.