Intuitive, sensitive and depressed 19 yr old boy

[foodmachine]

My sister's son had to leave college on medical leave for depression. He has always been very intuitve, empathetic, and sensitive. I wanted to see if anyone had any good resources for her.

Thanks mamas.

Edited by foodmachine - 6/8/11 at 3:40am

[Dancianna]

Originally Posted by foodmachine 

My sister's son had to leave college on medical leave for depression. He has always been very intuitve, empathetic, and sensitive. I wanted to see if anyone had any good resources for her.

Thanks mamas.

I wish I had resources but I am sending prayers.  It's a difficult disease.  I wish them luck and grace.

-Dancy

[HollyBearsMom]

There are therapist that specialize in teens/YA and depression. Your nephew needs some kind of professional help to process his feelings as well as possible medication. Your sister should start by contacting their health care provider and getting referrals. At nineteen she can not force him to get help but she can at least help him to see the options that are available.

There are are also support groups available for parents going thru this as it can be heartbreaking, frustrating and stressful. As her sister you can really help by being a neutral listener/shoulder to cry on. 

I am sorry you are all going thru this.

[nd_deadhead]

My son suffers from depression - he's 16. His treatment includes medication (he sees a psychiatrist every few months), and counselling (he sees a therapist when needed - for a while it was at least once a week).

Your nephew needs help to get through this. Perhaps their family doctor can refer to a therapist and/or psychiatrist.

[feral007]

I agree that he definately needs to see a professional and they will formulate a mental health care plan.  If you want to read through some things we have a site here called www.beyondblue.org.au  it has a lot of information, and they do have a lot of information for carers and family of people with depression and other mental health issues.  There are a lot of young people who suffer with varying degrees of depression - a lot of people just don't talk about it so it isn't as high profile.   Ali

[ashtak]

As someone who was diagnosed with depression in my teens and struggled with medication and a *very* toxic therapist situation, i strongly suggest alternative options. Accupuncture can actually help a lot, but maybe just lifestyle changes. Does he excercise? that will help him to build up his serotonin naturally. 

if he is empathetic and intuitive maybe he is just overwhelmed by our dysfunctional culture. i think that was actually underlying most of my depression. I felt repulsed by the ratrace around me and coming from a conventional family i craved life outside the absurdities of our own material culture. can he travel? sometimes broadening your world can help a lot! I know it can be hard to motivate yourself for change when in the throws of depression, so maybe medication is a good idea initially but i would strongly suggest encouraging him to maybe take a semester off and try WOOFing in another country or perhaps volunteer work in a "third world" country where he might be exposed to real issues affecting real people. sometimes it takes a good chock to "come down out of your own head" so to speak. 

i was totally depressed and self destruction up until i finally had to drop out of college. at that point my sister bought me a plane ticket to nepal without me even knowing. she went with me (the strength of sisterly love is amazing sometimes :-) ) and i met some Tibetan lamas. I now literally could not be happier. 

I know everything is on their own paths and there is no one solution for everyone, but i do highly suggest finding sustainable solutions rather than becoming dependent on chemical/hormonal altering medications. best of luck to him and his family. i hope however they go about it they do find a way to help him.