Teen with bad social anxiety

[sltolson]

Hi I am new here and im looking for some help.

I have a 17 year old daughter turning 18 in November with severe social anxiety 

Due to her anxiety she left year 12 approx. 4 months ago and it falling deeper into depression.

She is unable to attend school, TAFE or work due to her anxiety and she feels trapped inside her head. She worries about anything and everything! Her sleep patterns are horrendous as she is awake all night and sleeps most of the days. unfortunately her anxiety is heightened at night when she overthinks everything and she then ends up sobbing in my bed for hours on end about how lonely and isolated she is.

I work fulltime and have had so much time off to care for her that I am getting in trouble at work, she wants me to stay home with her but I cant and I feel awful - no work no pay

She is on medication, Sertraline, Endep and propanalin if she has a bad anxiety attack, she also sees a psychologist whom she really likes but it just seems like a never ending circle - she has no friends and I don't know how to help her make friends or to be even able to engage in a friendship. What do I do - I feel like I'm going mental as I am so stressed all the time 

[Lil-jack]

I feel your pain. My 13yo daughter also suffers with social anxiety. She's become very depressed since homeschooling and she's been self harming. It's so distressing for us parents. I have constant anxiety too worrying about her and what the future holds.
We've started her on Fluoxetine and after 2 weeks she's improving. We also have a referral from her Paediatrian for an ASD assessment as a lot of her traits sound like Aspergers.
I'm sorry that I don't have any advice other than getting yourself a Mental Health Plan from your GP as you also need help. I've found a pschologist for myself who treats women and adolescents so she can help me to help my daughter. Know that you are not alone.

[Hannah-RO]

Hey @sltolson 

Thank you for sharing your experience, as @Lil-jack has said, you are not alone in this 

Good on you and your family for getting support for your daughter, its really good to hear that she is seeing a psychologist that she likes, how does she feel she's going with her medication? It can sometimes be tricky to get medication right, do you feel like you're both supported around making those decisions?

Its so hard to watch someone we love feeling isolated and alone. I'm wondering if maybe there is an activity she could become involved in like a sports team, or an activity at a local youth centre or library? I understand she is too anxious to attend school, Tafe or work and can imagine this is making her feel quite lonely. Does she have any connections with anyone from school?

As @Lil-jack has suggested, it can be great to get some support for yourself as well while you're going through this really tough time, would you be interested in getting support for you? We have a one-on-one parent coaching service run by the Benevolent Society which might be of interest to you both, more information here. 

It's so distressing when our loved ones are in so much pain and it's important to take some time for ourselves as well 

[blueskies]

 I wanted to send a reply because I hear and feel where you're at right now.
Please reach out and seek some counselling for yourself if you feel it will help. 
My daughter is also on Sertraline. They keep increasing the dose. I swear this is actually making her less of the person she once was. She says it makes her feel "more crazy".
Recently I got online and researched alternatives. A more herbal medication came up time and time again so we went to see a Naturopath who gave us P-Lift and my request of L-theonine. 
A few weeks into using this I'm seeing fantastic results with her psychosis symptoms reducing and less panic attacks. Her Psychiatrist is now agreeing to reduce her by 50ml every 2 months. 
Hang in there. I find going through this so isolating and a new level of stress that I never knew.