seen psychiatrist today...ARGH!

[neednewtechnique]

We had an appointment today with the same old psychiatrist my difficult child has been seeing (new doctor starts next month). They sounded concerned, on the phone when I called them and told them that she had experimented with cutting, and acted like they finally agreed that maybe she needs to have a Mood Stabilizer to go with all the stims...

First of all, it is my understanding that while they still take cutting very seriously, it doesn't have the "stigma" that it used to because it supposedly goes around schools now like some fad. Anyway, that is NOT why we were looking for mood stabilizers, it is the already agressive behavior being made worse by stims with nothing on the other end to combat that.

Anywho, when we got to the subject of her raging and violent behavior, you will NEVER guess what this woman said to me!!!!!! There was no lecture on "picking your battles" or saying to me, "some kids respond better to (such and such) instead of what you are doing now..." NOTHING!!!! All I got was,if you want to avoid the rages, if you ask her to do something and she refuses, don't make her do it. And she said this RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY difficult child!!!! I cannot even begin to explain all the things that came to my mind, but the first of which being the fact that my difficult child already feels that her refusal to cooperate is VALIDATED simply because SHE DOESN'T WANT TO, which we are trying to teach her is NOT a good reason!!! HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO TEACH HER AND RAISE HER TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, EVEN IF SHE DOESN'T WANT TO WITH A METHOD LIKE THIS????? We are not talking about complicated things here, we are talking simple things, that are a NON NEGOTIABLE MUST, like putting on a seatbelt in the car!!! ARGH I WAS SO FRUSTRATED, and the only thing that calmed me down at that point was that after today, I NEVER EVER have to see this woman again!!!!!

Please tell me that none of you have seen a psychiatrist that has suggested this method!!!!!!

Well, goodnight all!!!

 

[Hanging-On]

Oh man, where do these dr's get this stuff? I really wonder some times.

 

[DammitJanet]

Hmmm....I wonder if that woman will pay the fine if you get stopped by the cops and your difficult child doesnt want to wear a seat belt? Can you simply tell the officer that her psychiatrist said that she doesnt have to because she is "special"?

Argh! I feel your pain.

We try hard enough to tell these kids that they have to follow the same rules everyone else does and then some nincompoop comes along and ruins it for us.

 

[kassy]

this sounds exactly like my last appointment... geez i guess i am not alone... when i told psychiatrist my therapist said to STOP asking my son to do his school work because he is 17 and he needs to be acountable to himself and he become combative when i ask he went into a long lecture about how if this was a NORMAL :rolleyes: child then yes he would need to do his own stuff but since he was SPECIAL :grrr: I needed to do all i could to help him and ask nicely when i do it....I guess those 3 sessions we have had with him have given him the experience to know what i have and havent done for the past 17 years...

 

[Janna]

A PSYCHIATRIST told you this? :smile:

I'd never go back there :grrr:

Janna

 

[BusynMember]

I have had nothing but horrible luck with therapists both for me and my daughter. I don't trust them. But a PSYCHIATRIST???? The guy with the MD??????? Sorry, if he told you that, I'd never go back. Suggesting reading "The Explosive Child" while you are alone with the therapist is one thing, but in front of the kid? But I shouldn't be surprised. A therapist told my drug abusing, violent daughter that I was too hard on her...lol...and my daughter kept throwing it in my face. Which is one reason I don't really trust therapists. I'm more shocked if it was a psychiatrist. I do think that, since she is violent, it may be best to get a second opinion on the stims. Stimulants can kick up violence in a bipolar kid or adult, even if a mood stabilizer is in place. In "The Bipolar Child" Dr. Papalos, a big pioneer in bipolar in kids (and it sounds like you may be dealing with that) doesn't recommend treating ADHD symptoms with medications until the child is COMPLETELY stable. First of all, often the ADHD turns out to be childhood mania (same symptoms) and secondly, any stims must be introduced very slowly and even so many mood disordered kids just can't take them. They do kick up aggression, even with mood stabilizers in place. You know your child better than us. If the child is even more violent on the stimulants, you may want to take a hard look at trying a mood stabilizer without the stims. in my opinion attending in school comes waaaaaaaaaayyyyy second to stopping the violent rages. This psychiatrist sounds like a loser. I'd want another opinion.