Do I have a conduct disorder?

[garrison]

After jokingly saying "He gets that from me" for years now, I have realized that maybe I too have a conduct disorder.
I spoke to my Dr. about it this morning and I will have a physc evaluation in a month. This has been eye opening for me.
Anyone else find out that they had a diagnosis after learning about their difficult child's?

 

[InsaneCdn]

Well... I'm not sure about the inheritability of "conduct disorder" (its usually assumed to be acquired based on experience)... but there are an awful lot of dxes that have a genetic component. That is... if ADHD runs in the family, it doesn't mean everyone has it, just that the chances of any one child having it goes up. Same for MI, and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), among others.

And no, it isn't unusual to uncover our own dxes based on getting help for our kids.

 

[Hound dog]

You can have certain traits, yet never have the diagnosis, regardless of what that diagnosis is.

Sometimes I worry that in societies desire for conformity we are too quick to tag a disorder to what may just be personality quirks that make us individuals. If the person can't function, ok....fine. If they are functioning just fine, diagnosis or traits or personality quirks......in my opinion leave it alone.

I was diagnosed severely ADHD as a child (I'm 49, they were correct by the way). No medications. No IEP. No nothing. At home I was kept busy with chores and physical play, expected to tow the line from a no nonsense mother who could care less about dxes or no dxes. Know what I mean?? At school I was expected to follow rules and do what everyone else did. Ok. I had my quirks.......as I've grown older I've realized they are a lot more than I used to think too. I had things I flat out refused to do....such as homework and working in a group. In my mind I have valid reasons and trust me, no one was ever able to change my mind......I am still this way. I can work in a group but I don't care at all for it. Yet I passed each grade just fine.......actually with pretty good grades, by high school I was honor roll and could've easily graduated at 16, they just neglected to inform me of this fact. I wasn't a trouble maker.......I had a mother to answer to and I was more scared of her than anyone else on the planet. lol

In short, I learned to cope with being extremely active (which by the way is what ADHD truly means). I burned off energy when I had the chance and learned to sit still otherwise.

Now there are some dxes such an approach would not work......and it would depend on the home environment and the personality of the child as well.

I just worry that these days professionals are too quick to label (after all it keeps the money flowing, stop to think about that) too quick to treat with medications ect, and I've met only a few willing to take the time to try to get a clear detailed picture of the child. Schools / society want the children to conform. Parents want what they are taught is best for their children........by.....society.

Granddaughter Aubrey is very active as well. May/may not have ADHD. Doesn't matter as Nichole refuses to take her to a professional (which I back her up in this). Aubrey is encouraged play / chores that burn off energy and is being taught to cope/enjoy sitting still and learning. She's also exceptionally bright........and gets bored easily due to that. She is her grandma's granddaughter........truly........and her mother's daughter. She is opinionated, will speak her mind, and will dig in her heels over something she believes strongly. School doesn't like these traits. Too bad. I've found them to serve both me and Nichole well in life.......we encourage them in our family. lol

Often though, it is just how you choose to look at something.

As IC said, I believe most professionals view conduct disorder as an acquired via experience/environment disorder. So, do you and grandchild have certain personality quirks in common, or is it possible certain ineffective parenting techniques were passed down through the generations? (this is what I mean about docs really needing to try to learn as much about the whole picture when it comes to a child)

If you've done just fine without a diagnosis until age 49, I wouldn't bother looking for that diagnosis.

 

[DDD]

Interesting. ADD, ADHD, Asperger's, Learning Disabilities, Sensory problems are quite commonly multi generational. on the other hand, Conduct Disorder usually (based on my experience/knowledge) has onset around the teens & twenties. The most common indicators are acting out against authority. There can be a lessening of symptoms in the mid twenties or so but alot of kids by that time have developed a history of school problems and trouble with law enforcement. Truthfully I can't see how a physical examination would be relevant. A chronological behavioral history, on the other hand, would possibly identify a pattern. There is no medication for CD that I am aware of per se. I'll be following your posts as I find this just simply fascinating. Good luck. DDD

 

[compassion]

I thought Garrison said she was getting a psychiatric exam.

 

[FlowerGarden]

I have ADHD and suffer from anxiety like my difficult child. He was diagnosis as bipolar. I never was diagnosis with it but many of the symptoms he has, I had when I was younger. I lost quite a bit of those symptoms when I was in my mid to late 20's. I am hoping that is happening to him since he is doing so much better.

 

[KTMom91]

Hubby realized he had many of the same symptoms as Miss KT while attending a seminar with me on how to parent your ADHD child. Hubby is stepdad, by the way. After an evaluation and a disastrous trial of Strattera, he is on Ritalin and is doing much better in his career than he previously expected he would.

Miss KT's father...well, I refer to him as Useless Boy. No job, no relationship, still supported by his mother...one of my biggest fears was that Miss KT would turn out like her father.

Go for the evaluation. You might get some useful info.

 

[DDD]

I took her abreviation to mean "physical" but I could be wrong....been there done that, many times. lol. DDD

 

[garrison]

I originally made my Dr. app to ask for antidepressants. I have been treated for depression a few times and know my symptoms. Treatment always helps, but never feels quite right. The depression is not very bad yet, but it will be if I don’t help myself. I’m trying to be proactive vs. reactive. I’m also wondering if I am dual diagnosis’d. My Dr. gave me antidepressants and after asking me about 100 questions gave me the referral for the psychiatric evaluation.
I read an article last week on adult ADHD. I was stunned at how much it sounded like how I felt. It made me cry. So I started thinking hard about my childhood. I so needed many of the services Mr. I. receives.
I grew up in a very small town. (Less than 100 people) I was the youngest child of older parents. Mom was 44 and dad was 50 when I was born. I started school at the end of 60’s. No one was “special needs”. It just wasn’t that way. So I never would have been diagnosis’d.
In regards to the ineffective parenting techniques, who knows. LoL That’s why I’m questioning this.
I have to admit that this feels scary. The last thing I want to do is medicate unnecessarily.
DDD- I think I’m misusing the term conduct disorder. What do you call ADD/ADHD?
Thanks everyone for the responses. It’s always good to know I’m not the only one.

 

[garrison]

I took her abreviation to mean "physical" but I could be wrong....been there done that, many times. lol. DDD

This goes back to needing the extra help. LOL

 

[BusynMember]

A Conduct Disorder is usually really a personality disorder and, yes, they run in families. If you do not break the law or harm people or are unkind you don't have a CD/personality disorder. If you do....maybe.

I think they are starting to find that everything has some genetic component. That's why adopted kids are often like the biological parents they have never even met rather than the parents who have raised them.

 

[compassion]

From what I have read and difficult child's p-doctor she had for 3.5 years, antisocial personality disorder (also reffered to as sociopathic) is conduct disoreder in adults. Conduct disorder is under 18. Although many of the diagnosis affect behavior (conduct).

 

[BusynMember]

compassion, yeah, that's what I read. They don't want to call a child antisocial PD so they call it CD. Although the child we adopted, whom I refer to as psychokid, was diagnosed with Antisocial PD when he was around sixteen, I hear. But he also had reactive attachment disorder and was a sexual predator...(sigh).

ADHD is nowhere near having a CD or Antisocial PD. Many, if not most, function quite well if they have stand alone ADHD. Many find out about it by accident, but are successful in their careers and in relationships, if a bit more challenged. I know oodles of ADHD folks, nobody who would ever cop to Antisocial PD

 

[DDD]

I just went to WEBMD Mental Health and there are simple explanations there that might be helpful. on the other hand I really was surprised that they identify CD in terms of children and early teens. We had (finally, lol) a truly wonderful psychiatrist who worked with the boys and I would bet my last nickel that he told me "we try to avoid even a tentative label of CD with children and young teens because it can unfairly label them in the future" BUT "after years of anti-social choices and behaviors it often is the correct label to use." Then he assured me that by the mid twenties those behaviors frequently disappear as the brain completes it's development around twentyfive."

Of course I think WEBMD is a valuable resource. on the other hand, I always verified what I was told during those turbulant years and I really can't believe that I had opposing explanations. With my personality, sigh, I would have been compelled to question the differences. Anyway...I wish you well but I don't think CD is what you have. I'm betting it's likely add/adhd. Let us know how it goes. I personally know a number of adults who were diagnosis'd and with the benefit of stimulant medications had their lives greatly improve. DDD

 

[DammitJanet]

Certain things fall under the umbrella of "conduct disorders" and then there is the actual diagnosis of Conduct Disorder.

The diagnosis has to be made prior to 15, or the symptoms shown before age 15. While many teens with CD due progress to ASPD, not all do and the diagnosis of CD can last into adulthood.

Now I dont think you are referring to the actual diagnosis. I think you are referring to things that fall under the umbrella. I did finally learn what was wrong with me at the same time my son was diagnosed with bipolar. I read a book and it pretty much could have been my life story. At that point I went to see a psychiatric and was formerly dxd. That was at age 38. I am now 51 and have been in treatment since I learned about it. I am thrilled that I finally found out what was wrong with me because for so many years we thought I was crazy or had the world's worst PMS. I would have a few good days a month but the rest of the time I was just awful. In just the last month or two my dr and I have decided I may have ADD. I might have been able to have the hyperness but Im so physically disabled that I couldnt be that active...lol.

 

[DDD]

Good point. I had only focused on diagnosis and not the umbrella. Thanks, Janet. DDD

 

[DammitJanet]

LOL...do remember what the name of this website is! We obviously talk about a whole lot more diagnosis than simple CD.