SmudgeCasual Contributor
Treatment-resistant depression & anxiety
This is my first time on the forum. I apologise if this is a bit 'wordy' but the situation is complex.
I have 3adult offspring 2 of whom live with severe mental illness. My daughter has a diagnosis of schizophrenia & schizoaffective disorder and lives with her partner. Atm she is relatively stable, with many supports provided by her NDIS package & an excellent psychiatrist. My role rightnow is ongoing regular contact & lots of love. Pretty straightforward really.
My son on the other hand has a diagnosis of bipolar2, schizoaffectivedisorder, ADHD, severe anxiety disorder, PTSD& ? on the autism spectrum .....a complex intertwined and treatment-resistant situation. He has lived with my husband & myself for 18months & would otherwise be homeless. We see his psychiatrist, who is extremely supportive, very regularly, sometimes weekly. My husband and I are supportive and caring meaning my son expresses that he feels safe & supported with us. He has improved from spending 23/24 hours in bed for most of 2019 to now getting up, attending the gym & doing some limited socialising.Nevertheless his anxiety means daily debilitating panic attacks. Going to the gym or the shops is painful but he pushes himself to do this. He is on a huge amount of medications which scarcely touch the side. Meditation, CBT,DBT, counselling have not proved helpful. Needless to say, he is unable to work. In the past there have been many serious suicide attempts as he struggles to control the hell he lives in.
My question.....what have others found helpful in the management of severe anxiety & depression in those that they love. Does anyone know of any research projects or treatment programs that are having good results? I feel I've turned over every stone I can think of but also feel that there must be something out there that I've missed.
He has private medical insurance.
Thank you for reading this.
