Hi Parents- I'm new to this site. Struggling to find help for my 18 year old. He's extremely bright - straight A's, very big heart. Very likable when he is relaxed and being himself. He has struggled with OCD and anxiety his whole life. He is now on meds but we have yet to find a therapist that can help him. He is a smart kid and finds therapy a waist of time. He has had a few girlfriends most of his high school and broke up in the Summer and now is struggling to fit in with friends. He talks about not wanting to live and doesn't feel like anything will ever change. He has a reminder on his phone to try and appear happy at school and try and be social but he is admitting to being used to being alone and sad. We make suggestions such as going to the gym, getting a job, joining a club, group therapy, and he doesn't make the effort or express interest in doing any of these things. In the past year, he has been self medicating with marijuana daily. I am a recovered alcoholic and my parents were alcoholics and grandparents, etc. so of course I fear that he is destined to become addicted to alcohol if he doesn't find peace in his life. He is already addicted to marijuana. His older brother also very bright, in college, great grades, but also addicted to marijuana. My husband and I are lost how to help him. I'm ready to quit my job that is really good for my mental health so that I can devote all my time to find ways to help him. It is hard to help him when he has no desire to help himself. It breaks my heart. He's such a great kid but just riddled with anxiety. His OCD doesn't help because he gets lost in his thought circles and worries about everything. He also has some OCD habits of saying Amen to himself 100 times a day in his head and thinks if he doesn't say this, something bad will happen. (He just told me this tonight). He doesn't play sports which I think would of helped him connect with a group of kids but I think because of his social anxiety, he would refuse to go to practice anytime we signed him up for sports. He's very creative with photography, art, music and writing. I'm just writing as much as I can about him on here in case anyone else has had a child with some similar traits that may have some advice. :(
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