Those who have been following our story know that the last year or so has been a really hard one for us.
Sawyer has been struggling seriously with his mental health, and it has taken a toll on him and me. I have literally worried myself sick over him and his well-being, but I can finally say that things are turning around and the sparkle has returned to my sweet boy’s eyes.
I’ve often said that Sawyer is sunshine personified or that he brings the sunshine wherever he goes. He has always been such a caring, affectionate child who loved to laugh and have fun, and he was so happy-go-lucky until last year. I’m not sure if puberty hormones had gotten to him or if life was just a little too hard on him, but there have been a lot of dark days in our household over the past year and a half or so. We sought help in multiple different ways before I finally decided it was time to try medication.
I didn’t want to have to medicate Sawyer at such a young age. Once you start antidepressants, you often have to stay on them for the rest of your life. Plus, I’ve seen first-hand that some medications can totally change who your child is; when we medicated Caitlyn for her mood disorder years ago, she became very violent on one medication, and another one turned her into an emotionless robot. I was worried about the effects medication would have on Sawyer, and so I put it off until I felt like we were running out of options.
A couple of weeks ago, we finally got in to see a child psychologist. She listened to our story and struggles, and agreed that trying medication was a good idea. She prescribed Zoloft for Sawyer, and it is working wonderfully for him! He’s on a low dose because of his age, but just the little dose of medicine is helping him so much; he told me he no longer feels sad or has thoughts about wanting to hurt himself anymore. And most importantly, the change in him is noticeable; he is smiling and laughing a lot more and happy-go-lucky Sawyer is back.
I could not be more relieved and thankful. I wish we had had started medicine a long time ago; it would have saved Sawyer so much pain and suffering!
I know there is a stigma about mental health and medicating for issues like depression and anxiety. However, I fully believe that what’s right for some may not be what’s right for others, and I am doing what I think is best for my child and for our family. I, myself, have struggled with my mental health over the years and without the medication I take now I would be a horribly angry person and very hard to get along with. I’m a much better person and mother on my medication, so I am a big believer in the use of medication when needed. If a person was diabetic and needed insulin, society wouldn’t expect them to go without it so why do they think people should try to go without mental health meds? Some brains are wired differently than others and don’t produce hormones the way they should. In these cases, these people need medication to help their brain work the way it’s supposed to.
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, please don’t wait to get them the help they need. There are tons of resources out there for people who are looking for mental health treatments, and I’m always happy to help you look if you don’t know where to start. And please don’t assume that what works for someone else will work the same for you; we are all different and there’s no shame in trying multiple ways of coping until you find what works for you. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad or guilty for getting the help that you or someone you love needs. ♥
