Posted by whiterabbit on April 26, 2003, at 18:25:09
In reply to Re: Need advice re; teenage daughter/She's SO SAD! » CJ Nightowl, posted by fayeroe on April 26, 2003, at 9:09:20
I agree with Pat, your daughter needs her own female therapist. Maybe later on you can get into family counseling or whatever, but right now she needs to talk to someone by herself, otherwise she might not open up.I truly sympathize with both you and your daughter, being a teenager (and raising one)is hard enough withOUT a mood disorder. You will both need a great deal of time and patience to get
through the experimental stage of psychiatric medication, as it might be necessary to try different medications and/or medication combinations at varying dosages before you hit gold. I know this sounds discouraging but DON'T GIVE UP. As with many things in life, this success is hard-won, but it sure beats no success ever.I've found that it's extremely helpful to read up on mood disorders and get as much information as possible. A really good place to start is www.nami.org (formally the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill). This is an educational and support group with chapters all over the U.S. Your daughter probably feels that she's alone and different than other people, which is just devestating for a teenager. Realizing that she's not alone, not different, and that she can be helped will make all the difference.
I just want to add that I think you're a terrific mom for wanting so much to help your daughter through this difficult time. My mom was always pissed at me for being so dark and depressed (I was way ahead of my time with the Goth look), like it was a switch I would purposely turn on just to ruin her day. She never tried to help or understand me and now that I look back on it, I think she kind of hated me.
Your daughter will get through this with therapy, medication, and your love.
Prayers for you both-
Gracie
poster:whiterabbit
thread:222494
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030426/msgs/222650.html