Question by ~WickedAurora~: How to handle my teenage son’s grief and guilt?
I posted this yesterday in the Adolescent section but I’d like to hear some more opinions.

My sixteen-year-old son, Will, lost his best friend last week; his friend killed himself in a very, very unexpected suicide.

Will tells me he’s okay, but the last couple nights I’ve heard him crying, and it seems to me like he’s sunk into a deep depression–he’s barely eaten or slept at all, as far as I can tell.

This past week there were grief counselors available at his school, but he refused to see one, and if I even vaguely bring up the subject of his friend he closes off and tries to get as far away from me as he can.

He’s very much the bottle-it-up kind of kid when it comes to his emotions, so I’m worried that he’ll just explode or implode under this grief and guilt and stress he’s carrying around. I’m genuinely scared for his emotional, mental, and physical well-being.

Today, I asked if he would be open to seeing a psychologist/therapist for a session, and he point-blank said no, very forcefully. He told me that the only way I could possibly get him to go would be to physically drag him all the way there–he’s six feet tall, and I’m only 5’5, so there’s no way that could actually happen (not that I would do that in the first place), and he knows that.

But I am really freaking out about this. Something just doesn’t feel right–Will’s gone through small bouts of depression before, but this situation seems different.

How should I handle this? How can I get him to a psychologist if he needs to see one? Should I force him, or would that make matters worse? Should I try to talk to him myself? What does he need right now?

Please give me some advice. I’m so worried about my son.

Best answer:

Answer by Cory
well in my experiences try talking to him if that fails contact a psychologist/therapist and if you cant get him to go talk to the psychologist/therapist about it and give your son the phone or make it so he can hear the doc at leastt

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