[tipsyllama]

Well, I'm 15 years old, around the middle class, and in the 10th grade of high school and these feelings have been getting worse and worse.
My doctor says that I have an above average case of Dysthymia and ADD, and I have been prescribed to different doses of Adderall & Buproprion, he has been trying to find the right dosage for me but cannot find one. I have major sleeping problems as well, have been having them for several years now. My doctor also tried prescribing me to Trazodone, but the first day I tried it I got a major headache and felt like I had a hangover for the whole day. I have been having huge sleep deficits every day of my life since around the start of October 2012. The major part of this, that I am worried most about, is that I am not going to school quite often. I literally just can't get out of bed, and sometimes when I get the willpower to do that, I get ready and everything but just don't end up going. My parents know about this but they have no idea what to do with me. They take away my cellphone, my computer & Xbox, but it has no effect on me. My grades are suffering, and I'm worried real bad because I want to go to college and I know school is good for me but I just can't find it inside me to go for like half of the days. I'm also afraid that Social Services will come to my house and solve this problem with brute force.
I've spent days and days thinking and trying to find the root to this problem, but I cannot seem to find it. I do not get bullied at school, I never have. I have a lot of friends at school, and a lot of them are worried about me when I don't go to school and when they ask me why, on a day that I do go, I just have to make up an excuse to not seem like a lazy slob who just doesn't feel like/can't go to school.
I do play a good amount of video games. I love playing them on my free time. This was the first thing I thought as the root of the problem. Wanting to solve it immediately, I stopped playing them. I haven't for 3 months now but nothing has changed, it has gotten even worse.
I don't know what to do, and am on the verge of just breaking down because I just can't take it anymore. I feel like my life is a waste, and would rather just not be here because everything just feels to hard for me right now. I know people say that things get better, that I'm just a teen and teens emotions are normally unstable, but this is too much. This isn't an average teen going through puberty. I'm so worried about myself. I have ran out of things to try to make things better. I know I probably sound pretty weak right now, not wanting to live or anything but I really cannot take it.
Killing myself has crossed my mind, but I know I won't do it.
I'm so fed up with this. I decided to turn to Yahoo Answers. Any help/advice would be really helpful.
If you managed to read up to here, I thank you for your time.

[avlady]

I read your post-i'm sorry you feel the way you do. High School can be a rough patch in anyones life. going through puberty is one of the problems i had are you male or female i would need to know as if you're a girl you should see a GYN and tell him how you feel when you get your period. i had alot of problems just from that stuff. if you're male i'm not to sure but tell your doctor how you feel too

[optimize990h]

Hello tipsyllama! I have a couple of links that may be helpful supports as well as PsychCentral. Here they are:"http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/" and
"http://suicidal.com/depressionlinks/chatroomlinks/".
Your doctor should know about what's happening.
I am not certain what resources are available where you live, so I gave you the two links that might help with any questions members at PC can't answer.
Take care.

[hannabee]

Hi! My daughter was about 15 when she stopped going to school. I put her on Independent Study which means that you are given work to do at home and it is graded when you meet with a teach once a week. You are also given tests periodically. She graduated at about 17 and has a real diploma from a real High School. I did have to go in and tell the school about her issues before they would place her in this program. Hopefully, this is the answer for you. Oh, PS she now has a BSN and is a registered nurse!

[shortandcute]

My daughter (age 16) is doing online public school. It's still public school, but she gets to do it from home and she has really thrived. I know it won't fix your other situations but I think not having to do deal with the pressures of a school might help.

Have you thought of getting mental health help for yourself.
Or getting some support through the many teen hotlines that's
available. Try to find either one in your area or call a Teen National hotline
Go & look some up on Google.
All that medication I just don't know. There are natural herb supplements like
Melatonin.
But I do know that you need someone that deals with your issues as a teen + your other issues. That's real important! Can you call your local Crisis line to see what help they can offer?
Or
Look up on Google:
National Teen hotline
There are many on the Web.
Also try talking with your School Counselor if you have one.
They're there to help.
Hopefully you have a good one that's willing to really LISTEN to what your going through.
Don't give up!
You just make sure you reach out.
Your the only one who can.
Sometimes Parents don't know HOW to find a solution.
So you will have to.
Good luck!

Honestly about ur med problems (I'm not trying to be mean) but it sounds inpatient would help you get the right medications.

Also doing charter school or online school would sound beneficial to you!

*hugs*

[alwaysecondbest]

You should try talking to a counselor

[Rainbow123]

You could go to online school and then transfer to a regular high school your senior year and quickly graduate.

[Odee]

I'm really surprised that there is such a consensus for online school. My psychiatrist constantly urged me to avoid isolating, even if I believe that helped minimize stress. I know that you can get depressed even with fantastic friends around you, but adding loneliness in the mix is going to make it worse. Socializing is key to mental health. I think Tipsy needs to stick around people through his/her struggle; being around his/her peers is important.

Tipsy: You are far from exhausting your resources. You should look into therapy, speak with a counselor. In terms of medication, there are so many antidepressants of so many classes and you have barely tried any. Also, buproprion and Adderal are very stimulating meds and are likely culprits in keeping you awake at night. Lowering the dose of one of these could help. You can also take antidepressants that are more sedating. If you are concerned about feeling tired on a sedating antidepressant, consider the fact that getting no sleep may be giving you no energy and that an AD that helps you sleep could give you a lot more energy.

Also, my experience with Trazodone has been that it has been very helpful for sleep. The stuffy headache feeling went away after the first week. A lot of tough symptoms go away very fast with antidepressants.

[indigo1015]

I am so sorry you are having such a difficult time... when I was in middle and high school, we were trying to find the right balance with my medication too, and frankly, I honestly felt more like my doctor's own personal lab rat than an actual patient. I do not have experience with the medications you have named, but all I can suggest is that maybe you need a second opinion? It also might be a good idea for you to talk to someone, as other people are suggesting. Again, I really feel for you, those years are so rough without medication issues! If you ever need to talk, I am willing to listen :-)

[JustDontAsk]

I was told I had ADD/ADHD too, but what we found is it's my anxiety. Every day I still don't want to get out of bed. But I find that my T thinks I am getting better. And so do others. (I am a senior in high school.) You aren't alone, you'll get there, don't lose hope.