I just found out yesterday that my 14 year old daughter revealed to her treatment team (at her former hospital) that she had been raped while out of country and traveling with relatives (not us). She has a very acute and alarming history of self-injury, suicidal impulses and mood swings for just the past 10 months (and starting within a few weeks of returning from that trip). Prior to that she was fine.
During these 10 months, she has been attributing her depression to the death of two close friends (which we have no knowledge of nor can we substantiate). So with a "history" of fabricating trauma, how does one approach this very serious and delicate manner?
Her current psychiatrist (at a residential treatment center) feels that she shows symptoms of PTSD more than bipolar or Borderline (BPD). So he will begin treating her for that even if we cannot be sure.
As a mom, I am just heartbroken to think that she could have suffered this trauma while thousands of miles away from home and that she may have kept it to herself for so long. But, with her history of "making up" trauma (friends who died), we are absolutely perplexed about what to do....
If that event really did happen, it may explain the past 10 months of acute psychiatric issues - and targeted therapy may help her recover from this seemingly unending spiral of psychiatric instability. But if the event really did not happen, I fear that we are perpetuating the "victim" mindset in a child who had been VERY happy, well-adjusted and emotionally stable, but has spent the past 10 months almost continuously in a suicidal state and inpatient at hospitals.
Does anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks.
During these 10 months, she has been attributing her depression to the death of two close friends (which we have no knowledge of nor can we substantiate). So with a "history" of fabricating trauma, how does one approach this very serious and delicate manner?
Her current psychiatrist (at a residential treatment center) feels that she shows symptoms of PTSD more than bipolar or Borderline (BPD). So he will begin treating her for that even if we cannot be sure.
As a mom, I am just heartbroken to think that she could have suffered this trauma while thousands of miles away from home and that she may have kept it to herself for so long. But, with her history of "making up" trauma (friends who died), we are absolutely perplexed about what to do....
If that event really did happen, it may explain the past 10 months of acute psychiatric issues - and targeted therapy may help her recover from this seemingly unending spiral of psychiatric instability. But if the event really did not happen, I fear that we are perpetuating the "victim" mindset in a child who had been VERY happy, well-adjusted and emotionally stable, but has spent the past 10 months almost continuously in a suicidal state and inpatient at hospitals.
Does anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks.