deerfieldAR
New Member
I am at the end of my rope...
I have a 12 yo son with ADHD and a mood disorder. He was diagnosed early and has been on various medications and in therapy since he was about 8. He has been hospitalized twice for depression, the last time being in October. Since October, things have been going relatively well...for us. His agression has been decreased a lot and his oppositional behaviors have as well. School continues to be a bit of a struggle, but he has an IEP and much support. Sounds good, right? The problem is that he has absolutely no friends, is sometimes bullied has very low self esteem and is depressed quite often. Therapy does not help. Having him join youth groups gives him a once a week activity, but little else. Because he developed a reputation quite young, he is shunned by much of the community and I am merely judged as a "bad parent" --Yesterday, I pulled up in my driveway after work and behind me was a police car. They told me that 2 boys had reported that they saw my son take a rock and scratch a car. I went and got my son and he admitted that he had done it. He said that these 2 boys who were "his friends" told him that they would give him $50.00, let him sit at the lunch table with them and be his friends if he did it...so he did. Immediately after he did it, the boys rang the bell and told the people inside what he had done...they set him up. Please understand, my son has to take responsibility I am not solely blaming the other boys, however it is a pitiful thing. My son said he knew he was doing the wrong thing and did it anyway because he wanted friends. The police officer was very supportive, said he would be talking to the other kids parents and that I should talk to the school to separate these boys, which I did. This is like a slap in the face to me because I thought things were so much better and now I see how much he is suffering. After reading many of the articles on this site, his future looks bleak...drug abuse, and trouble with the law seem inevitable. We have done everything we knwo for him, but what good is that if the results are so bad...there is no A for effort here. Have I mentioned my husband? These "acts" put him in a depression and he starts overreacting and getting moody himself...he refuses to be on medications. Otherwise, he is great...takes him on weekend trips, very attentive. Not even sure what I am asking here...I am just sitting at work paralyzed with depression and unsure what else to do. I am so worried about him and how to help him. Thanks for reading.
I have a 12 yo son with ADHD and a mood disorder. He was diagnosed early and has been on various medications and in therapy since he was about 8. He has been hospitalized twice for depression, the last time being in October. Since October, things have been going relatively well...for us. His agression has been decreased a lot and his oppositional behaviors have as well. School continues to be a bit of a struggle, but he has an IEP and much support. Sounds good, right? The problem is that he has absolutely no friends, is sometimes bullied has very low self esteem and is depressed quite often. Therapy does not help. Having him join youth groups gives him a once a week activity, but little else. Because he developed a reputation quite young, he is shunned by much of the community and I am merely judged as a "bad parent" --Yesterday, I pulled up in my driveway after work and behind me was a police car. They told me that 2 boys had reported that they saw my son take a rock and scratch a car. I went and got my son and he admitted that he had done it. He said that these 2 boys who were "his friends" told him that they would give him $50.00, let him sit at the lunch table with them and be his friends if he did it...so he did. Immediately after he did it, the boys rang the bell and told the people inside what he had done...they set him up. Please understand, my son has to take responsibility I am not solely blaming the other boys, however it is a pitiful thing. My son said he knew he was doing the wrong thing and did it anyway because he wanted friends. The police officer was very supportive, said he would be talking to the other kids parents and that I should talk to the school to separate these boys, which I did. This is like a slap in the face to me because I thought things were so much better and now I see how much he is suffering. After reading many of the articles on this site, his future looks bleak...drug abuse, and trouble with the law seem inevitable. We have done everything we knwo for him, but what good is that if the results are so bad...there is no A for effort here. Have I mentioned my husband? These "acts" put him in a depression and he starts overreacting and getting moody himself...he refuses to be on medications. Otherwise, he is great...takes him on weekend trips, very attentive. Not even sure what I am asking here...I am just sitting at work paralyzed with depression and unsure what else to do. I am so worried about him and how to help him. Thanks for reading.