Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Suggest Treatment For Sadness And Inability To Focus On A Task
Question: A very good friend is suffering because her 50 year old husband has quit his job over seven months ago and will not even look for a job. He has a degree in accounting but sits home all day doing nothing. He won't even work at Lowes hardware. They lost their health insurance too. He refuses to see a doctor.
But it gets worse since their 16 year old son refuses to even look for a job and is failing high school!
Yet they have a daughter who is a junior in the engineering school at a major university!
I have told her to give them a four week notice to either seek help and / or a job or she will move out. If her son won't even try to complete a high school class he must be depressed like his dad. The worst part is that she is terrified that just like her sister, her husband might take his own life. It's his method of controlling her.
But it gets worse since their 16 year old son refuses to even look for a job and is failing high school!
Yet they have a daughter who is a junior in the engineering school at a major university!
I have told her to give them a four week notice to either seek help and / or a job or she will move out. If her son won't even try to complete a high school class he must be depressed like his dad. The worst part is that she is terrified that just like her sister, her husband might take his own life. It's his method of controlling her.
Brief Answer:
must be taken to a doctor,he will get well
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I can understand the crisis in which your friend is in right now.
The most important thing is to get the man under treatment. Its is very essential. The most common symptom of depression is sadness and lack of will todo anywork..not even to go to doctor. Its difficult to make the patient move..but must be done.
Please ask your friend to somehow take her husband to a psychiatrist. Its all the more important because his sister had commited suicide...a positive family history of suicide cannot be ignored.
There must be some provision of home visits by a doctor or a mental health care proffessional. Please talk to them.
Drugs like sertraline will be quite helpful but he must get a proper assessment done.
I wish the reply helps.
Feel free to ask more questions for clarification.
Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Neuropsychiatry
must be taken to a doctor,he will get well
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I can understand the crisis in which your friend is in right now.
The most important thing is to get the man under treatment. Its is very essential. The most common symptom of depression is sadness and lack of will todo anywork..not even to go to doctor. Its difficult to make the patient move..but must be done.
Please ask your friend to somehow take her husband to a psychiatrist. Its all the more important because his sister had commited suicide...a positive family history of suicide cannot be ignored.
There must be some provision of home visits by a doctor or a mental health care proffessional. Please talk to them.
Drugs like sertraline will be quite helpful but he must get a proper assessment done.
I wish the reply helps.
Feel free to ask more questions for clarification.
Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Neuropsychiatry
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
