Caring for an adult child with depression and anxiety

[Smile13]

My 23 year old daughter has suffered from depression and anxiety since year 11. For the past 5 years we have used counselling and natural therapies to help. During this time she has successfully attended uni and now only has six months of a masters degree to go. In the past 3 months since uni finished last year her depression and panic attacks have increased and she has cut herself off from all friends and stays at home. She has recently started on medication and we are hoping this will help. Apart from work My husband and I stay at home with her so she's not alone. My husband and I don't know if this is helping her or making it harder for her to leave the house as she's in a comfort zone with us. She tells us to go out but as a mum I just need to know she's ok and I feel bad leaving her alone. I just want to help her in the best way I can. 

[CrashCoyote]

Hi Smile13,

Have you asked her treating psychologist how you can best support her? I presume she is keen for your support, so can you go to a session with her?

Kind regards, John.

[Pixie15]

Hello Smile 13,

Welcome to Beyond Blue.

The time of life that your daughter is at can include a lot of change. I think change is something that people who suffer anxiety can find quite difficult. I am wondering if during this period some of your daughters friends have moved on to the workforce or other universities.

I have recently returned to university to study a second degree and I have been very surprised with the negativity there is about how many students may be studying and accumulating large debt without having a real prospect of work at the end of it all. It has definitely changed since last time I was at university.

Does your daughter have a clear path out of university? If not your could encourage her to access the career counselling services available at her university.

There is also a site available for use by university students which has a lot of tools and things which may be helpful for your daughter. If she has not tried it before she may find it useful. I will include the link here. 

https://www.thedesk.org.au/login?login

It is really great that you want to support your daughter so much however if you cut off all your activities which you enjoy you might be focusing too much attention on her. It might help to develop an idea of the difference between being a carer and a caretaker.

Cheerio,

Grateful.

[CrashCoyote]

Hi again Smile13,

I am just wondering how you and your daughter are going.

Kind regards, John.