Recommendations for 19 year old son - Anxiety and Depre...

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Recommendations for 19 year old son

henryclark profile image
7 Replies

My son left his first year of college due to depression and eating issues. Don’t know if it is substance abuse as well.

Would appreciate any recommendations for facilities out or in patient around the Midwest, IN specific.

Getting him a therapist to help. Want to give him options.

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henryclark profile image
henryclark
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7 Replies

Has he asked for your help with this?

(Not familiar with the area, sorry )

henryclark profile image
henryclark in reply toMary-intussuception

Thank you. Yes he asked asked for options. He has admitted he has depression, and it prevented him from doing well at college. That is a step towards something.

Thank you for reply

PastelPink20 profile image
PastelPink20 in reply tohenryclark

College can be very overwhelming with mental health issues.

After he has time to recover and work on his issues, when he returns to college there should be free counseling services there and disability support services can help him get accommodations or support he needs on campus. (Mental health issues are a disability and Title IX in the USA makes it by law that universities provide services to help).

Anyways, I’m glad you guys have taken that step together! It’s a difficult thing for a parent to see their child struggle with something like that. I know just watching my parents with all the stuff that’s gone on with my brother.

Mary-intussuception profile image
Mary-intussuception in reply tohenryclark

What's your local MIND like? Any information available from there?

PastelPink20 profile image
PastelPink20

That’s wonderful that you’re helping him get connected to resources and that he’s aware of his issues.

When I was younger, I vehemently insisted I was fine and tried to keep up the facade. I’m 20 now and I go to therapy. Group therapy really helped me; I went to an eating disorder therapy group when I was in high school (even though I didn’t have an official eating disorder, just lack of appetite it was good for me because of the similar self esteem issues and feeling of a lack of control and stuff). You might want to see if there’s any therapy groups near you?

My brother went to Heartland Behavioral Health Services in Nevada MO. He didn’t like it there, but anytime he was hospitalized he wanted to go home... I know it was good for him to not be at home. (Maybe? I don’t know, I know it’s hard to come back home. I guess maybe if you can do outpatient, it might be better?) it was better than being at the psychiatric hospital near where we lived.

I hope you find a good place near you!! Way to go for supporting your son and trying to give him the resources to learn how to help himself.

Sunrize profile image
Sunrize

PastelPink20 I second the motion that college guidance on site might be great. henryclark what do you think? Another option that might fit like a glove for a 19 year old is online text therapy. It can be extremely powerful, either alone or in tandem with work with a therapist or counselor. Some sites have top notch therapists. I am speaking from experience because my life has been changed by my own online therapist. We meet whenever I want through messaging. Perhaps your son would like that option. He is lucky to have such a dedicated dad! 👌

NYCMOMMY profile image
NYCMOMMY

I am in a very similar position and we just took my daughter to full time inpatient care in Connecticut and I am feeling unsure about my decision so I posted on this site also asking about recommendations. I have scoured the internet looking for advice on inpatient and now that she has been there a week I am still uncertain. She is 18 and also left an excellent university due to anxiety and depression. Most kids that age turn to what they call maladaptive coping to deal with that- doesn’t matter if that means eating issues or substance abuse or other things. They tend to try one or multiple ways of escaping the pain. The treatment is generally the same. Just seeing a therapist probably isn’t enough if it was bad enough for him to leave school. However, seeing a therapist who can then recommend a local facility that offers what is called IOP (intensive outpatient) would be a great start. Group therapy is great for the 17-23 age group coupled with individual therapy. Whether that is inpatient or “intensive” (meaning at least 3-5 days a week minimum) outpatient where he would go to group therapy for like 3 hour sessions a few days a week coupled with some private sessions and maybe get a nutritionist etc. Anyway- It is my life full time right now and maybe I am a little further a long than you and to be honest I have a lot of resources so my daughter is lucky that was not an issue.... so I am happy to share all of the info I have learned.

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