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First GP appointment for teen son

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First GP appointment for teen son

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Casual scribe
WorriedParent12

First GP appointment for teen son

Hi all, I’m new here so not sure if I’m putting this in the correct spot.
Without going into too much detail for my first post (as I could be here a while!) my son has been displaying signs of depression and has been self harming very recently.
I have made him an appointment with a gp today but as he is 15 I am not allowed to attend unless he gives permission.
My concern is that he doesn’t really want to go and if I don’t attend with him I am worried that he won’t tell the doctor the full story or let them know about the self harming and then he may lie to us about what he has said.
If this happens, does anyone know what our next steps could be? It sounds like we won’t even get a chance to speak to his doctor to let them know our concerns and I’m worried he won’t get the help he needs.
Thanks
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Star contributor
Janine-RO

Re: First GP appointment for teen son

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Hi @WorriedParent12 ,

 

Welcome to the forums, I'm so sorry to hear that your son has been going through such a rough time. It must be really difficult when you're not sure how open your son will be with your GP - I'm wondering if one option could be for you to make a separate appointment with the GP, so that you can discuss your concerns with them? Self harm and depression can be a tricky one with kids between 14-16, but the GP should be able to advise you if that's something that's possible...

 

Do you think your son would give you permission for you to come along with him? It's great that he's open to going along, even if he isn't super keen, and it's really excellent that you're being so proactive about his mental health. 

 

If you're interested, we also have a great collection of resources on helping teens who are struggling with self harm, you can check those out here, there's also some parents sharing their experiences of helping their teens through similar thi...

 

It's also really important to make sure you're looking after yourself while you're supporting your son through these tough times, it can be really easy as parents to put ourselves last - if you feel like it would be helpful to chat with a professional about what's happening with your family, you can speak to a family counsellor for free here

 

I hope your son's appointment goes well today - keep us posted on how he, and you, are getting on. 

Casual scribe
WorriedParent12

Re: First GP appointment for teen son

Thank you so much for responding. He had his appointment and said he didn’t want me there as he feels like he would be more open if he was by himself, which I fully respect his privacy as hard as that may be.

He told me that he did tell the doctor everything and she gave him a referral to a psychologist so that will be his next step.

From my understanding when I booked the appointment we are not able to discuss our son with the doctor, or maybe more precise, she cannot discuss our son with us.

My hope is that the psychologist will allow some group/family type discussions.
The first and hardest step has been done so hopefully that encourages him to continue.
Star contributor
Janine-RO

Re: First GP appointment for teen son

Hi @WorriedParent12 , 

 

It's so good to hear that your son went to his appointment yesterday, I can imagine it would be so hard as a parent not being able to be there with him.  It's fantastic that he was able to be honest with the GP about what's happening for him and get a referral to a psychologist - it can be so hard to take that first step, and it sounds like you've been a really fantastic support for him. 

 

My understanding is that a lot of child and adolescent psychologists will include a family session as well - I hope all goes well for your family. How are you feeling now that the first step is over?