Case study - Working together with the right Psychiatrist enabled our son to get his life back

16 March 2023

Teenagers can sometimes have attitude problems, but the change in our son’s behaviour was severe. He had always been a good student, but he was facing difficulties, and his studies were being badly affected. He became very disinterested and withdrawn, very very quiet and was spending a lot of time alone in his room. He would also get very angry; I think this was because he didn’t know what was happening to him. It was distressing to see the vast difference in him from the happy, caring, thoughtful boy he was.

We initially had sought support for him through the NHS, but we didn’t seem to be making progress. My son understood that he needed support, but he was not in a good place, he wasn’t keen to open-up, and this was only giving the Psychiatrist a snippet of what was really going on. I found that they only wanted to listen to him, and I did not feel that they were listening to us, his parents.

I believe that including the family in the process is so important to ensuring we are all on the same page in the best interests of our son. So, we decided to look for a private practice where we would be able to work together with the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist to support our son.

We were recommended JM Mental Health and it was excellent right from the outset. We met with Dr Moss, she was so kind, patient, and compassionate. She took the time to listen to him and understand all aspects of what was happening, and how he was feeling. The approach was very collaborative and inclusive of the whole family, so we felt we were all able to understand how best to support him.

Dr Moss prescribed him medication which really helped to stabilise his mood and by being with a psychiatrist he felt comfortable which meant he was able to make progress. Our son got his life back! He became the pleasant, loving young man that he had been.

As a parent, you always want what is good for your child. I would advise anyone who has concerns to find the right Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist for your child, for you, and for the whole the family. If you are looking for a private practice that really cares, I would highly recommend JM Mental Health.

The challenges we were facing:

I felt that the NHS Psychiatrist was not considering the whole picture
Our son had become withdrawn and reluctant to communicate
His studies were being affected by the big change in his behaviour

What we were hoping to achieve going to a Private Practice:

The whole family working together in the best interests of our son
To work with a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with patience and compassion
Our son to return to the happy, loving boy he was

The outcome of working with JM Mental Health:

Being with a Psychiatrist he felt comfortable with, which meant he was able to make progress
The family were all on the same page with the support he needed
Our son got his life back!

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Do you have concerns about your son?

Look at our quick read blogs for some helpful information on the importance of talking to your son about his mental health and how to listen effectively…

https://jmmentalhealth.co.uk/blog/4/the_importance_of_encouraging_boys_to_talk_about_their_mental_health

https://jmmentalhealth.co.uk/blog/1/the_importance_of_listening_then_talking

You can also find useful insights and support for young people and parents on the Young Minds website…

https://www.youngminds.org.uk/

If you are concerned about your child and would like to talk to us about taking the next steps together, contact us for an initial free chat…

https://jmmentalhealth.co.uk/get_in_touch.aspx

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