Hello,
We did make the major decision last FEB (2008) to send my daughter who is now 13 to a Christian Residential Treatment Center (RTC). After many years of dealing with her bad behavior and all of her emotional issues, it was the hardest thing I have ever done as a mother. She had been diagnosed as ODD, clinically depressed, and lots of anger issues. The term 'bipolar' was very loosely thrown around but she was too young to label her as that. This decision was not made lightly after years of researching different alternatives, medications, doctors, counseling, and praying about what to do.
After her seeing around 9 psychiatric docs and none of them were ever able to get into her head, even to this day, the Director of the Residential Treatment Center (RTC) says she is quiet a challenge for him to be as young as she and he still has not gotten into her head yet to figure out what is going on with her. She is very shut down, stubborn, persistent, etc.
A couple of weeks prior to her leaving last year, she had just started cutting, tried to committ suicide, searching for drugs to take, wrong crowd at school, she ran away a couple of times, she physically abused me and anyone who made her mad, would not accept adult authority, no one could not control her, and the list goes on. Basically, we got her into this facility in the nick of time before it got worse. I know that she would have ended up on drugs, pregnant, or dead if we had not made this decision.
Basically, I saved her life and she even states that in her letters home to me and has even told me personally. But, a year later, she has not gotten much better. It seems she always takes one step forward and three steps back. She did do well for about six months and there was even talk about her coming home this summer, then all of the sudden she has taken a turn for the worse. She states she wants to die and does not care what happens to her. The place where she is is very strict and has major structure. She continually knows that she will get in trouble but she does not care.
I just feel like giving up now. I feel like I am loosing my hope and faith in this situation that she will even get better. The place where she is is very expensive and insurance does not cover. I have to make a decision to bring her home after she finishes up her 8th grade year. Oh, she does do very well in her schooling which is a true blessing as she is very book smart. My ex-husband is not able to help me pay for this facility as he is unemployed (you can't squeeze blood out of a turnip) and can not find a job now so this has definately been a major financial burden plus I have two other daughters who are in college that my husband and I are paying for (just there necessities, they have to work for there extras). It is really hard to find a place to lend you money now and we even have perfect credit.
Anyway, there are lot of decisions to be made in the next few months.
We did make the major decision last FEB (2008) to send my daughter who is now 13 to a Christian Residential Treatment Center (RTC). After many years of dealing with her bad behavior and all of her emotional issues, it was the hardest thing I have ever done as a mother. She had been diagnosed as ODD, clinically depressed, and lots of anger issues. The term 'bipolar' was very loosely thrown around but she was too young to label her as that. This decision was not made lightly after years of researching different alternatives, medications, doctors, counseling, and praying about what to do.
After her seeing around 9 psychiatric docs and none of them were ever able to get into her head, even to this day, the Director of the Residential Treatment Center (RTC) says she is quiet a challenge for him to be as young as she and he still has not gotten into her head yet to figure out what is going on with her. She is very shut down, stubborn, persistent, etc.
A couple of weeks prior to her leaving last year, she had just started cutting, tried to committ suicide, searching for drugs to take, wrong crowd at school, she ran away a couple of times, she physically abused me and anyone who made her mad, would not accept adult authority, no one could not control her, and the list goes on. Basically, we got her into this facility in the nick of time before it got worse. I know that she would have ended up on drugs, pregnant, or dead if we had not made this decision.
Basically, I saved her life and she even states that in her letters home to me and has even told me personally. But, a year later, she has not gotten much better. It seems she always takes one step forward and three steps back. She did do well for about six months and there was even talk about her coming home this summer, then all of the sudden she has taken a turn for the worse. She states she wants to die and does not care what happens to her. The place where she is is very strict and has major structure. She continually knows that she will get in trouble but she does not care.
I just feel like giving up now. I feel like I am loosing my hope and faith in this situation that she will even get better. The place where she is is very expensive and insurance does not cover. I have to make a decision to bring her home after she finishes up her 8th grade year. Oh, she does do very well in her schooling which is a true blessing as she is very book smart. My ex-husband is not able to help me pay for this facility as he is unemployed (you can't squeeze blood out of a turnip) and can not find a job now so this has definately been a major financial burden plus I have two other daughters who are in college that my husband and I are paying for (just there necessities, they have to work for there extras). It is really hard to find a place to lend you money now and we even have perfect credit.
Anyway, there are lot of decisions to be made in the next few months.