<p>John, you’ll be getting a call shortly if you haven’t already.</p>
<p>Thank you, DeanJ and anyone else in the UVA community who knows and can help this young person.</p>
<p>I’m John’s girlfriend (yes Evita is a guy and I cleared this posting by him first). I can’t private message, but I just want to thank Dean J for making that call! I was really alarmed when I saw this post this AM and am glad that his school is looking out for him ! :)</p>
<p>Thank you, DeanJ!!</p>
<p>John, a lot of people are pulling for you. Hang in there.</p>
<p>I do hope Evita’s okay and has gotten in to see someone to talk about this. Thanks for posting,somename42. Very nice of you to thank Dean J for her efforts.</p>
<p>OP, I would not attempt to make recommendations for you, or anyone else on a forum, but I would like to make readers of this thread aware that there are psychotherapy tools that are as effective, or more effective than medication in managing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This appears to be especially true in those under 25, where suicidal thoughts and behaviors may be independent of “depression”.</p>
<p>“New Evidence On The Antidepressant-Suicide Connection In Kids”
<a href=“http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2012/02/10/antidepressants-the-black-box-and-a-paradox/[/url]”>http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2012/02/10/antidepressants-the-black-box-and-a-paradox/</a></p>
<p>Shrinkrap, I know evita’s diagnosis. It’s the same as my older son’s. Believe me, my son needs medication, and I believe evita does, also. It’s not just “depression.”</p>
<p>I certainly didn’t mean to suggest OP doesn’t need medication. I am not saying ANYONE doesn’t need medication. I am saying for many people, managing suicidal thoughts and behaviors ALSO requires specific therapies. As far as I’m concerned, there is no such thing as “just depression”. That’s why I put it in quotes.</p>
<p>The medicine that John is taking is not an anti-depressant. You can google it.</p>
<p>I’m on Wellbutrin too-- 450 mg, the highest manufacturer-recommended dose. Some doctors prescribe higher, but it elevates the risk of seizures.</p>
<p>"The medicine that John is taking is not an anti-depressant. "</p>
<p>My point was that suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young people are more complicated, and the article I linked talks about this.</p>
<p>John, are you feeling better now?</p>
<p>Now I understand Shrinkrap’s point - although I believe meds are necessary for you, it’s also important to seek therapy to learn other ways of controlling your illness. Are you seeing a doctor/therapist regularly? That is SO important.</p>
<p>My psychiatrist at Northridge is only open on Tuesdays, but my Tuesdays are packed. Thanks to Dean J’s call, I guess I’m back in the CAPS system now for therapy.</p>
<p>Talk therapy had some introspection about long-term projections about the future (it should be exciting, but I feel jaded and flat) and why certain idealizations of drinking chemicals seemed pleasurable. Realistically I know it’d be excruciating and painful, but fantasy-wise it seems oh so good. I guess I chase after intensity.</p>
<p>I guess for now I’m not going to drink anything acutely toxic. I think.</p>
<p>“Thanks to Dean J’s call, I guess I’m back in the CAPS system now for therapy.”</p>
<p>That sounds great.</p>
<p>I’d keep pushing to try different meds. A lot of psych meds are sort of trial and error anyway, and Risperdal for depression is in my opinion sort of hitting an ant with a sledgehammer (have you actually had psychotic symptoms?). Antipsychotic drugs are often prescribed for depression because they stop you from strongly feeling much at all, but they’re really heavy-hitters and can have pretty severe side-effects that sometimes last much longer than you’ll ever be on the drug. I’m not saying they shouldn’t ever be used that way, but I do think that they are prescribed too lightly – the ramifications need to be considered more.</p>
<p>I agree with Shrinkrap’s point as well.</p>