Bean
Member
Sorry if this is in the wrong section... it's more of a "parent of difficult child mental health" question. I tend to hang on in the Parent E. section of the forum because my most difficult child is 19 now, but it could probably apply to any parenting stage(?).
I'm wondering if any of you have a sort of PTSD situation concerning the behaviors of your difficult child?
I had my first counseling appointment yesterday (mostly just collecting information, not any real revelations yesterday). Through the past 5 years of turmoil, I've never been to a counselor. I've done groups, and have a parent advocate that I work closely with, but no counselor.
Since recently my daughter moved back in, I've realized I have all sorts of anxiety/trauma/PTSD associated with her.
For example, we used to get all kinds of phone calls from her. Things like, I'm on my way home... five minutes and she'd never show up. Or when she'd run away she'd call and say she was coming home, or she wouldn't say where she was, or her voice would sound completely under the influence and the line would go dead. So much left to imagination. I hated the phone.
I'd get shaky and sick when it would ring sometimes. I couldn't answer or handle talking to her on it. I still feel that way.
Now I notice that her listening to music brings out anxiety in me. She'd listen to music as she made plans to take off for the night or run.
Her being on the computer. She used to sit on the computer maniacally, hooking up with sleazy people, contacting men from gangs in other states, posting inappropriate sexual pictures of herself.
I literally think I have a form of post-traumatic stress disorder related to her. I hope counseling can help with it.
Does anyone else have this type of anxiety surrounding their difficult child?
I'm wondering if any of you have a sort of PTSD situation concerning the behaviors of your difficult child?
I had my first counseling appointment yesterday (mostly just collecting information, not any real revelations yesterday). Through the past 5 years of turmoil, I've never been to a counselor. I've done groups, and have a parent advocate that I work closely with, but no counselor.
Since recently my daughter moved back in, I've realized I have all sorts of anxiety/trauma/PTSD associated with her.
For example, we used to get all kinds of phone calls from her. Things like, I'm on my way home... five minutes and she'd never show up. Or when she'd run away she'd call and say she was coming home, or she wouldn't say where she was, or her voice would sound completely under the influence and the line would go dead. So much left to imagination. I hated the phone.
I'd get shaky and sick when it would ring sometimes. I couldn't answer or handle talking to her on it. I still feel that way.
Now I notice that her listening to music brings out anxiety in me. She'd listen to music as she made plans to take off for the night or run.
Her being on the computer. She used to sit on the computer maniacally, hooking up with sleazy people, contacting men from gangs in other states, posting inappropriate sexual pictures of herself.
I literally think I have a form of post-traumatic stress disorder related to her. I hope counseling can help with it.
Does anyone else have this type of anxiety surrounding their difficult child?