Access to medication when doctors will not prescribe without seeing our son who has extreme social phobia

I know it would be unpopular and be considered the nuclear option but if he's possibly a risk to himself or others could he be sectioned even for a short while? If the police had been called previously there must have been a concern at that point. Do you have a social worker or named consultant?

I've no idea what would be involved by your GP should be able to advise or possibly help avoid using this difficult option.

Thanks Iain. Getting it started is the hardest part of the challenge. If he knows its going to lead to some f2f then he will dig his heels in big time. 

He was doing great with an online school called Nisai a few years ago. When he was told that an invigilator would have to be in the room  with him to do exams he dropped schooling all together. 

Otangepeel39 said:

If he knows it is going to lead to an online f2f discussion he will not engage in the first place.

The therapist should be able to advise on a strategy for this - most likely something like starting the call when you are in the room with your son and he has a reason to way to stay there, then you introduce the special interest as a hook to get the therapist a chance to say something about that special interest that will catch his attention.

Repeat this a few times to break the lack of familiarity and then you can maybe start with some shorter sessions initially, growing to longer ones as time goes on.

That is just my guess on one of the techniques - the trick seems to be to use "headology" to make him want to overcome the resistance of speaking to someone on the video call.

If he knows it is going to lead to an online f2f discussion he will not engage in the first place. He has only ever managed to do two emails to the psyc

Otangepeel39 said:

At every step the professionals have said if he does not engage then they can't help. We constantly say he can't engage because of his extreme social phobia. So we are left in a catch 22 situation.

It sounds like you need to help him address his social phobias to break this cycle.

Have you considered engaging with a therapist who has skills in this area and getting them to be introduces slowly to your son to overcome his initial contact issues?

That is what I would do in this situation - start with video calls where he is present and introduce him on some short calls and introduce something which shares a special interest of his to try to lure him into speaking with the therapist.

The therapist should be able to better advise on strategies to use for this which is why it would be best to track one down who has skills and experience in this sort of situation.

We have contacted everyone involved over yhe last 8 years. At every step the professionals have said if he does not engage then they can't help. We constantly say he can't engage because of his extreme social phobia. So we are left in a catch 22 situation.

Just turned 20.

How old is your son?

My daughter struggles with the very same thing. She has online OT and counseling each once a week, amd her online school requires her to connect her microphone and camera at times.  She refuses, outside of connecting her microphone for OT because she has developed rapport with her therapist. I would try to have an in home visit or connect with him over video for an appointment.  My daughter experiences shutdowns at in person appointments because she has an aversion to Dr.s and counselors (stemming from a public day school incident) during shutdowns she has slowed or no speech and has memory problems,  whereas if she's in a comfortable environment with people she trusts, she's hyperverbal. 

Ask the surgery what they suggest, if they can't help then contact your local health authority.

The social phobia means he will note even speak to people on the phone....

I would ask your doctors surgery what they suggest. Maybe they can get the doctor to call you and you can put the phone on speaker so the doctor can speak to your son, and then If he gets upset or becomes mute you can explain to the doctor what is going on.