Thank you for your replies. I am only trying to find a way to ease her pain. She is going to counseling to try and find out what is going on, and will continue with her therapist as long as she needs it. She has missed most of the second half of the school year due to her depression and pain. The therapist, just today, faxed a request to the school for her to get a tutor and school work. My granddaughter thinks she will be held back and won't get to be with her friends next year. I imagine this belief is adding to her depression. We don't want to stop or change her treatment. We just want her physical pain to be under control.
I do agree with Rockrose. There might be something else going on here then just the awful demise of her cousin.
Well, I agree with Mark and Sandman except that I think migraines this severe - all alone - can cause depression.
I don't know that you can attribute her depression and migraines to her cousin's suicide - but rather, they are genetically linked and so both might suffer from severe depression.
I do agree with Mark on this. As I said, Acupuncture might offer a short term release from tension, it will not treat the problem. It might only offer a brief "feel good" time, which she might need. Of course, a good massage might do the same thing.
Unless you get a handle on why your grand daughter is depressed, any treatment other than counseling is meaningless and a waste of time. Focus on the counseling because this is where the origin of her depression can be found. If you feel the therapist to be ineffective, perhaps you should consider a different one. But do not stray from one meaningless treatment to another as your grand daughter's depression will worsen.
I have found (personally) that acupuncture helps with anxiety. Its probably worth trying as a short term help while they try to figure out the cause of all of this. But, I would make really sure she understands what is going to happen, and that you find a really good person for the acupuncture. Then make sure this person is well briefed as to her problems.