depressed college student

[DisneyfeverTN]

Rule out the physical first!!!!! A full workup is necessary for accurate diagnosis. Going to a psychiatrist first will 99% of the time end up with a prescription for antidepressants.... there may be a physical cause that needs to be addressed, not covered up.

ITA with this. I would definitely get the physical first.

 

[DawnCt1]

Definitely have him fully checked for any medical causes.



When I went in for bloodwork, it turned out that my thyroid was almost not functioning. I've had hypothyroidism for years, but for some reason it went crazy this year. .

HYPOTHYROIDISM is much more common in females than males. when ds#1 was 14 he recovered from the flu but never seemed to bounce back. he slept alot, had little interest in activities that he previously enjoyed, complained of being cold. one afternoon he stumbled when he got up off of the couch to a standing position. he said he had a "head rush". he thought that was "normal". i checked his bp lying, sitting and standing. he had orthostatic hypotension. coupled with his other symptoms i took him to the peds and requested that his thyroid be checked. thyroid issues in teens are infrequent. in males, more infrequent. his thyroid also was hardly functioning. following the flu he developed Hashimoto's thyroiditis. we saw an endocrinologist, he was placed on synthroid and was markedly improved in 2 weeks. because of his young age, dh weaned him off of the synthroid a year later. he did so very slowly. he felt that there was some evidence that a thyroid could rebound in non adults. it did. i would have his doctor check his thyroid. its a long shot but sometimes long shots pay off.

 

[Liberty Belle]

HYPOTHYROIDISM is much more common in females than males. when ds#1 was 14 he recovered from the flu but never seemed to bounce back. he slept alot, had little interest in activities that he previously enjoyed, complained of being cold. one afternoon he stumbled when he got up off of the couch to a standing position. he said he had a "head rush". he thought that was "normal". i checked his bp lying, sitting and standing. he had orthostatic hypotension. coupled with his other symptoms i took him to the peds and requested that his thyroid be checked. thyroid issues in teens are infrequent. in males, more infrequent. his thyroid also was hardly functioning. following the flu he developed Hashimoto's thyroiditis. we saw an endocrinologist, he was placed on synthroid and was markedly improved in 2 weeks. because of his young age, dh weaned him off of the synthroid a year later. he did so very slowly. he felt that there was some evidence that a thyroid could rebound in non adults. it did. i would have his doctor check his thyroid. its a long shot but sometimes long shots pay off.

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at 28 and at 37 my thyroid was normal after being off of meds for almost a year. No one really knows why.

OP, I would agree that the physical should come first. It sounds like he has anxiety and depression, but those could stem from other conditions. I've had problems with both and it's incredibly frightening (especially the anxiety and panic attacks). I wish your son well.