Friends, Family & Carers Forum

[Bossofbrakpan]

Hello. I accidentally posted this on the Welcome forum and now I'm posting it here.

I don't know if this is the right thread, but I am really struggling to help my 24 year old son.  He has suffered from anxiety and depression for several years.  He was on anti-depressants for about 5 years, but has now stopped because they gave him extreme insomnia. 

He has a marijuana dependency and completely falls apart when he does not have any.  He is in mental torment, yet has a real defeatist attitude to any professional support I try and suggest.  He lives many hours drive away from me and I don't know how to help him. 

I'm wondering if anyone has had any success with residential care / mental health retreat etc.  Any recommendation? He's in QLD. 

[tyme]

Hey @Bossofbrakpan ,

Thanks for sharing about your son. It sounds so hard for a parent to see how tough things are for their child. 

I'm hearing that he has stopped his medication because of insomnia, yet also has a marijuana dependency. I'm wondering if the insomnia is because of the marijuana as opposed to the anti-depressants? Also, there are so many anti-depressants available. Is he able to try something else?

The hardest part of this is that he is in such a stage where he feels completed defeated and doesn't think anything will help. Even if there were available retreats available, he'd have to be willing to take his share in enacting change. 

Does he experience psychosis as well?

Does he want to continue using?

[Bossofbrakpan]

Hi Thanks for responding. To my knowledge, he does not experience psychosis.  He wants to continue using because he says it helps with back pain and reduces his anxiety. I am feeling so helpless because I don't feel that he is really making an effort to adjust his mindset. No matter what I suggest, he says it won't help.  I feel like we are just stuck on a merry-go-round of him complaining and repeatedly saying that no-one is listening to him, but I spend hours texting back and forth with him (he does not like talking on the phone). 

I have a stressful job and need some downtime, but it feels like he expects me to be available to him 24/7.  I am worried that he may self-harm so I keep on responding to his messages even though I need to rest and sleep.

Sometimes I wonder if I am making things worse.

[Willow_26]

Sounds very exhausting for all. Firstly take care of yourself otherwise you will burnout and won't be able to help your son .

Ive been searching for mental health retreat for myself. I have heard The Banyana is in Qld. I can try find a link for you if that helps.

Try suggesting options from a more holistic approach. I do not like Drs either they make me worse.

CBD Program could help.

Ive personally gained a lot of insight on my spiritual journey but that's not for everyone. I'm learning self worth which is hard  but apparently very important.

Anyway I hope you can find support.  Best of luck.

[PeppyPatti]

Dearest @Bossofbrakpan 

I am so with you on your son. 

My oldest son went into a  locked ward from having psychosis  via drug dependency - ,mainly marijuana - - I found the group that visited him from Brisbane hospital visiting him were exceptional. They visited him for several years. 

You could also be a bit sneaky and only tell him once you've done it but would you write to his Gp ? 

Just to let you know if you choose to contact them to tell them your just being  a Mum and your worried about his daily mental health and you need him to be less dependent on you but as a Mum your contacting them. Maybe you can get to them via your Gp. My son lives in Brisbane. All those years he went through psychosis ......I was lucky he liked seeing me once a year..

I live in Western Australia. My oldest son had a tough tough life from teenager to about 28 years old. He ended up going to live with my brother in Brisbane when he was 15 yrs.  thanks to my interfering Mum who decided hede be better off living with my successful brother.  He actually was but it was a pity I wasn't successful enough for them to talk to. He's 33.  We get along well now. 

Hope these little tips may give you good for thought ?? 

 

[RachSANECEO]

BrookRED in QLD used to offer residential stays. Suggest calling the Primary Health Network in his area and asking about options for residential stays, in Victoria there are many Prevention and Recovery Centres known as PARC that offer something like this but they aren’t as available in other states.

In QLD I believe they are called Step Up, Step Down services and they’re relatively new.

See this link for more info: https://clinicalexcellence.qld.gov.au/priority-areas/service-improvement/regional-adult-mental-healt...

Here is a list of QLD PHNs to find the right one to call:

https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/phn/your-local-PHN/Qld-PHN

[tyme]

Hey @Bossofbrakpan ,

Does the above post help in any way?

I hope you are doing well.