Conversion disorder, depression, maybe dissociation disorder and/or borderline traits...

SuZir

Well-Known Member
And that is just a new stuff!

difficult child was released from hospital today. They didn't find anything physically wrong with him though it may have been actual mild concussion symptoms that did cause the onset of conversion disorder. And they are still waiting results from some of the tests but at this point it seems to have been mostly psychological. Most of the physical symptoms are also gone but he will have few more physical therapist appointments. And take it easy with starting heavier training. Just to be sure.

difficult child hasn't tested positive to depression before but now had high scores in couple different tests and after interviewing him psychiatrist diagnosed him with severe/moderate depression. And while dissociation has been big part of his PTSD till now, psychiatrist was contemplating him qualifying also separate dissociation disorder now, it is so severe.

psychiatrist had also discussed about borderline traits with difficult child to explain his feelings of emptiness and 'nothing matters' and his self-harming and self destructive behaviour. However that he didn't write down in fear that it could cause problems in future. Mainly worrying that mentioning borderline in his medical records could make future providers brush things off as attention seeking. And attention seeking is not something's difficult child does. He is a drama queen but as long as possible he tries to hide that drama.

Also conversion disorder is 'sealed', only psychiatrists and neurologists will see it in his records so that some ER doctor, who isn't that familiar with conversion, will not send him home with actual concussion symptoms without making sure first. That eases my mind a little, due his profession difficult child is much more in risk for concussions than most.

difficult child's Lexapro was upped and Seroquel was added in very small dose for evenings to help with sleep and anxiety. And difficult child was told (finally by someone else than I) that he really needs to get back to his intensive, trauma focused therapy. Till that he will see psychiatric nurse for counselling. His first appointment will be at Monday at smaller hospital's outpatient psychiatric clinic. psychiatrist had also asked if difficult child would like to try day hospital but difficult child declined. Partly I think because he worries someone would see him there and gossip about it. He really wants to keep this private. He of course had to give some information to his team's doctor but he denied him of informing anyone about anything relating this. Officially he is on injured list with upper body injury (other standard options being lower body injury and illness) and word that is getting around is that he has bad case of post concussion syndrome (people who took him hospital assumed that would surely be a case.)

I try to show brave face of course to difficult child but also Joy and husband, but in reality I'm shaking to my core. It is awfully long list of serious diagnosis my boy is now sporting...
 
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dstc_99

Well-Known Member
Yes it is. I don't know why but for some reason my gut is telling me that difficult child probably doesn't need to live alone. I know right now he is with you all and you can keep an eye on him but what happens when he goes back to work? He isn't just alone he is completely away from people who know him and his "signs." It's almost like he needs a buddy who can hang around/live with him so they can catch these things in advance of them getting so bad. If only a therapy dog could dial the phone and call you when difficult child shows signs of slipping.

I've got it difficult child needs a male sports groupie! LOL Someone we can force to sign a confidentiality waiver would be best! I know somebody on this board has a easy child kid they could donate for the cause. Doesn't Terry have a daughter studying medical stuff? Shoot she isn't male. She wont work. OK sorry I had to have a good laugh.

I am glad difficult child has you guys to help him. It really sounds like the majority of his issues are mental health and not drug related. Hopefully the doctors and the family can help difficult child dig out from under this again.
 

Scent of Cedar *

Well-Known Member
I'm sorry this is happening, SuZir.

As someone posted on another thread, a mother's heart is a beautiful thing...but it is sometimes a lonely, painful journey.

Cedar
 

SuZir

Well-Known Member
Hah, difficult child really isn't the easiest person to live with so volunteers are not likely going to line up.

But you are right, I do worry about how he will do when he goes back and when no one is looking for warning signs of him sliding back mental health wise. Problem is that difficult child doesn't trust easily, nor is he stupid enough to show his underbelly in that competitive environment when any sign of weakness tends to cause you lose what you are working for. His positional coaches see him a lot, talk with him a lot, are interested about how he is feeling and so on, but they are also the persons he has to convince that he is doing great to get what he wants.

His girlfriend is of course someone close to him, but it is a long distance relationship, and will get longer distance after Christmas when girlfriend is heading abroad for a semester. And of course they are also quite new together, have known each other less than a year, that difficult child doesn't want to show his weaker side to her so much. And for their relationship that can even be a good thing.

I can't even decide if I hope he would retire sports or not. That competitiveness really hurts, so does the stress. On the other hand sports are what keep him trying. Of course it doesn't matter what I wish for, he does, what he does and at this point I doubt he is ready to let go of that dream, when he has gotten so close.
 
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in a daze

Well-Known Member
I am so sorry, Suzir, Your kid kind of sounds like mine with the alphabet soup string of diagnoses. You can add Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) traits to his diagnosis (my son's), mentioned by third and fifth psychiatrists, and borderline trait as part of the personality disorder. They are tough to treat because they have a little bit of everything going on which makes them complicated cases.

DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy) is recommended for the borderline stuff and maybe it would be helpful for the conversion hysteria also. My son's therapist has been teaching him DBT principles and he is calmer then he was say 9 months ago.
 
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