My 16 year old nephew has been showing signs of depression for a while now and has just recently been showing signs of thinking about suicide. My sister is beside herself on what to do. She is a single mother with VERY limited financial resources and absolutely no help (either monetary or emotional) with her kids. This all came to a head Thursday night when two of my nephew's friends came over with their fathers to tell her that they are very worried about him. Mind you, these are 16 year olds, so we are taking it all very seriously. My sister had him sleep in her room the last couple of nights and has stayed home, but she can't do it forever.
Also, he has been on anti-depressants so I'm wondering if those aren't causing some of the suicidale thoughts. He wants her to home school him and has already missed 9 days of school.
This is all very complicated, so I can't give the full story right now, but if anyone knows of a good phychiatrist that might give her a price break (or even just a good one) or even some resourses we can go to get help. Our family is scared and would appreciate any help.
If you can't give us any advice, please pray for my nephew and my sister. The will need His help to get through this!!
Sharon Scott LLC, LPC-S, LMFT-S
President, LifeSkills for Positive Living
P.O. Box 6
Weston, TX 75097
1-###-###-####
E-mail: ____@____.com
Web site: www.SharonScott.com
The Suicide & Crisis center of Dallas has a 24 hour hotline, ###-###-#### or 866-672-5100, with counselors standing by. She or her teen can call for free help.
The website, http://www.sccenter.org/, also has a special section just for Teens/Parents.
My prayers will be with you.
Thank God he has a wonderful family like you, someone who is taking this seriously & trying to find help. And, Thank God for his friends!!!
I urge you to contact the Suicide & Crisis Center in Dallas IMMEDIATELY! toll free at 1-866-672-5100 or ###-###-####. They can tell you how you can help your nephew & sister get through this. Encourage them to call also! Give this number to your nephew & let him know there is someone who cares & knows how to help him 24/7 at that number.
I wish I had found them for my daughter. She completed suicide at age 15 and a half, in 1996, even after over a year of therapy & medications. I believe she had quit taking her meds. And what we didn't know back then is when going on, or coming off, or even changing doses of antidepressants, these kids are at high risk for suicide! It's scary!
It's not enough to be home with them. I was there & didn't have a clue. I didn't find her until it was too late.
Please, PLEASE call them! They CAN help! I found the Crisis Center afterwards. They have a Survivors of Suicide (SOS) program for those who lost a loved one to suicide. It saved my life & helped me get through that first year & beyond.
Below is an excerpt from their web-site on getting help. Please call them YOURSELF! IMMEDIATELY! You can make a difference in what your nephew is going through.
I will be praying for your nephew & your family. Please call the crisis center!
Getting Help
For Teens
Take your friend's actions seriously.
Talk to an adult you trust. Don't be alone in helping your friend.
Convince your friend to call the Crisis Line and talk to someone:
Crisis Line Number: ###-###-####
National Hotline: 800.273.TALK
For Parents
Support your child (listen, do not criticize, remain connected)
Get your child immediate help (find a mental health or medical professional)
Become informed (Internet, local support group, library)
Convince your child to call the Crisis Line.
Never leave someone alone if they are threatening suicide. Call 911 or take the person to an emergency room or walk-in clinic at a hospital.
Please have your nephew's mother buy and read The Gut and Psychology Syndrome. IT will be very good information to help them.
Call the Minirth Clinic ASAP tomorrow a.m. - ###-###-####. I believe they start taking calls at 7:00. You can do the research on Dr. Frank Minirth. He is a renowned Christian psychiatrist (author of many books) located in NE Richardson.
The website is www.minirthclinic.com
I will be praying for your nephew & sister! GOD BLESS!
D.
IF she has insurance, she needs to call them and find out what and who is covered. If not, she can call LifePath Systems. They have clinics in Plano and McKinney and they might qualify for mental health benefits through a government program. It sounds like he needs help now. And yes- some antidepressants can cause suicidal thoughts in teens.
Hi T., First i want to say, my prayers are with you and your whole family. Second, if your sister has insurance on him, check into it to see if he is covered. Most likely he will be. Most insurances give you 10 free sessions. If not, go to his school and check with his counselor. My son was slipping into something of that sort, however he was only 9 at the time. His counselor gave me this info. Please try every resource starting with the school, there are programs and there is help for families like us, who cant afford the professional help.
FREE FAMILY COUNSELING – Lewisville - 5 free sessions – ages 7-17. Phone 800-897-7068 ext 13.
God bless you, and know that you are all worthy of love.
A.
Good morning:
Call Children's Medical Center in Dallas. Ask for the Out Patient Psychiatry Department. They have a FREE research program for teens dealing with these issues. They might be able to help and get him into this program!!!
I know of one good counseling center. Here is there info:
The Center for Christian Counseling
Locations in Bedford, Flower Mound, and Frisco
###-###-####
c3christiancounseling.com
Where do you live? If in Collin County, there is a place called LifePath on Alma in Plano or you can take him to the one on Hwy. 380 and Hwy 5 in McKinney. There is a suicide hotline as well.
I recommend Deborah Kabrane. She is phenominal and will do what it takes to help your situation. Give her a call.
http://www.myplanocounselor.com/ContactMe.html
DEBORAH KABRANE, MA, LPC
555 Republic Drive, Suite # 200
Plano, TX 75074
###-###-####
____@____.com
GOOD LUCK
What a wonderful Aunt you are, keep praying for your nephew. I have a 13 year old daughter who started cutting herself as well as say things like she wanted to die. My job has a program that offers family free help, for 5 visits. Maybe your sister's job has something like that too. Have her find out if they have an employee assistant program (EAP).
Secondly, my daughter really started to get involved with our church, Grace Outreach Center, in Plano (Preston and Parker). They have a GREAT teen program. She went to church camp this summer and changed. They have a Saturday evening service and two on Sunday. She wants to go to all of them. Seriously, she ask to go to church. Her brother, 11, was always big into going, she went to one and ever since then gets ready on Sunday. A couple of weeks ago, they even had a sleep over, no sleeping. They went to all kinds of places, bowling at 2 AM, an arcade at 4 am, they had all kinds of fun and didn't sleep at all. They also have funds that help parents pay for things too, so your child doesn't get left out all because of money. They have a really good youth program and I think your nephew would enjoy it.
I'll pray for your family!
God Bless!
if he has insurance, then almost any psychiatrist will be able to see him and it will be covered...he should go to a child and adolescent psychiatrist...also, if no insurance, then lifepath systems has child psychiatrists there that can see him...or if he's suicidal, then take him to ER or take him to presby sea center in plano, that has adolescent psychiatry care...
Call the national suicide hotline number -- surely they can give you some guidance. 800-273-8255.
Will keep your nephew in my prayers.
Don't know where your family lives, but I'd look into Lifeworks Counseling Center in Carrollton, Texas. I highly recommend them. They have several counselors that have emphasis on working with teens. I have seen teens in the office on many of occasions. They might be able to work with your sister and her son on a sliding scale. I don't know for sure, but it is worth checking on. They have a website...google Lifeworks Counseling Center in Carrollton texas. Also, if your sister has EAP ...Employee Assistance Program through her work then she could check this out. I know with my employer we get 6 free visits for a single cause. Some only give 3 visits so it varies with companies and what they pay etc.
Another group might be Holiner Psychiatric group. I don't know as much about the doctors in this practice except for my child's ad/hd doctor. I also don't know if they work for sliding scale or not. They have such high volume ...it may be difficult.
