Hi

My 18 yr old daughter has been recently diagnosed. She is really angry that no one had listened to her all these years, she feels let down by the system. She has struggled since year 10  with depression on, anxiety and social loneliness, although eventually she completed her gcse exams and did well, she was disappointed as she was an A student that had gone downhill and didn't get the results she was predicted. Long story short she was with camhs until she became so depressed that she rang the NHS mental health team in despair, they were horrified that she hadn't got the right help, from this she was diagnosed with arfid and just recently autism. What now? She has dropped out of 6th form as she can't cope with the stress, her gp is now trialing her on fluoxetine. She is a complete mess. She feels she has no future and her dream of becoming a teacher has slipped through her fingers and I don't know how to help her.

  • This is very inspiring, thankyou and a massive well done to you for coming out the other end.

  • Thanks for your reply. That is defo  something I have on my radar. She plays a guitar and sings, she also does art. Her problem at the moment is depression. It's going to be a long road. We'll take it slow and hopefully she'll get there 

  • Just be there for her, no matter what she says or does. 

    I was a high achiever at secondary school but after A Levels everything went downhill. I ended up on fluxetine, had a suicide attempt and was unemployed for years.

    Now I work in a college, I am a Teaching Assistant and I have a career. 

    Your daughter will get better, just be there for her and give her time to figure herself out 

  • I suggest practical help. Help her study. Just because she can’t handle school it doesn’t mean her mind should be inactive. Quite the opposite. There are ways back into education if one misses the mainstream exam rush but it’s far harder to relight the minds apitight for learning. Get her reading, studying. Study along side her if you can.

    study for the joy of learning and exams be dammed. I believe she will find this therapeutic.