Hey @Iris15, It’s good to see you back in the parent and carer community. Thank you for sharing what you’ve been experiencing recently. I can see how heartbreaking it must be for you to see your son being concerned about being thought of in the same light as the accused. I can hear that you have made an attempt to explain that there are different forms of mental health issues that often have varying degrees. I am curious about how he responded to that? This article on helping your teen cope with bad world news might give you some new insight and advice.  It would also be incredibly tough for your son to be viewing himself in such a terrifying way. Your post from 2022 noted that your son was seeing a counsellor/psychologist, Is your son still receiving this support? It might be helpful for him to explore this topic here with any professional he might be accessing.  With all that’s gone on, I am curious about how you’re coping through all of this. Have you been able to confide in someone around the stigma your son is noticing?  ... View more

Hi @Iris15, Thanks for sharing. I can hear how challenging this must be for you. Please know that you aren't alone. This is one of the top concerns that we hear from parents all the time. It must be frustrating and upsetting to be in your position while your son still struggles with anxiety and depression. As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. That is unfortunately true in this situation. All you can do is offer your support which sounds like something you have been doing. A massive positive is that he is still attending. It suggests that there must be some kind of purpose to these sessions otherwise he might flat out refuse to attend instead. These might be things you have already tried but have you asked him how you can help or if there is anything you can to differently? Have you tried to explore where his anger comes from? What is your response when he responds with anger? Another thing would be to discuss with a counsellor ways that you can try to motivate him or at least tend to your own needs while trying to support someone else. It can be a tough gig and you deserve some credit for all the work that you have put in so far ... View more