07-06-2020 11:25 AM
07-06-2020 04:41 PM
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.
07-06-2020 05:59 PM
07-07-2020 01:48 PM
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?
It looks like you’re visiting us from a country other than Australia.
We are an Australian service and think you’d benefit more from looking up a similar service in your country.
You are welcome to look around the forums, but please don’t make an account or post, as we can’t offer you the help you may need.
Before you go ahead and post, you should know that we remove non-Australian accounts – not because we don’t want to help or connect with you, but because we may not be able to provide you with the service that you require.