Mikey
Psycho Gorilla Dad
wife and I were talking, and wondering if something else might be percolating in McWeedy's brain. Does anyone have any ideas about what this might be?
Ever since he was little (4-5yo), he would have "episodes" where he gradually built up to a meltdown; screaming, rigid body, the whole demonic possession thing. After a while, you could see it coming like a tsunami, but there wasn't anything we could do to stop it.
Once he was at full tilt, wife would take him to his room, leave him there and shut the door. After a while (15-30 minutes), she'd go back in and he'd be happy as a lark, playing by himself, the smiling little angel we usually knew and loved. And he'd stay that way for a while, but eventually another meltdown would start hurtling down the mountain at us, and the cycle would repeat.
Once he was in about 3rd or 4th grade, these episodes started occurring less frequently, then nearly stopped altogether. He still had that "black line" in his personality that, once crossed, brought on a meltdown. But by that time, the meltdowns didn't just come on spontaneously like they did when he was younger; they were usually triggered by something. But the result was the same. He'd need to exorcise the demons, then he'd be okay.
Fast forward to today. When we were looking back at McWeedy's "episodes" over the last two years, they bear a haunting familiarity to when he was young. For no known reason, something would start building up inside him like a pressure cooker - you could see it plain as day. Then he would snap and act out; run away, not answer his phone, whatever.
When it was over, he would be back to "normal", however you defined it at that time. We'd get some time as a reprieve, and the cycle would start over. We thought it was the drugs and the pressure of falling behind in school, but in looking back those may be secondary or exacerbating symptoms of something else.
Any ideas? What's worrying us (besides the fact that we diddn't see this sooner) is that he seemed to be a little more stable for nearly 10 years. Then, after the drugs started, it's like when he was young and the meltdowns would come without provocation.
Or, at least without any provocation that we were aware of.
Yes, I know he's an addict. But from 30,000 ft, it looks the same to us; only now, when he's at the breaking point, now he turns to drugs, opposition, and risky behavior instead of screaming and throwing his body around. And his cure du jour is the same as well - get away for alone time (drugging optional) to get the wheels back on the road.
We're still a bit stunned at how similar these recent episodes in his life resemble how he was as a youngster, and horrified that we didn't remember this sooner.
Thoughts? Going to talk to the docs about it, but thought I'd poll the group here as well for ideas. Off the bat, I think I can rule out BiPolar (BP), since he doesn't have the manic highs; he fluctuates between mellow and grumpy, with the occasional (but more frequent) deep dives into the pit of a meltdown.
Thanks in advance for any ideas, thoughts, or other info.
Mikey
Ever since he was little (4-5yo), he would have "episodes" where he gradually built up to a meltdown; screaming, rigid body, the whole demonic possession thing. After a while, you could see it coming like a tsunami, but there wasn't anything we could do to stop it.
Once he was at full tilt, wife would take him to his room, leave him there and shut the door. After a while (15-30 minutes), she'd go back in and he'd be happy as a lark, playing by himself, the smiling little angel we usually knew and loved. And he'd stay that way for a while, but eventually another meltdown would start hurtling down the mountain at us, and the cycle would repeat.
Once he was in about 3rd or 4th grade, these episodes started occurring less frequently, then nearly stopped altogether. He still had that "black line" in his personality that, once crossed, brought on a meltdown. But by that time, the meltdowns didn't just come on spontaneously like they did when he was younger; they were usually triggered by something. But the result was the same. He'd need to exorcise the demons, then he'd be okay.
Fast forward to today. When we were looking back at McWeedy's "episodes" over the last two years, they bear a haunting familiarity to when he was young. For no known reason, something would start building up inside him like a pressure cooker - you could see it plain as day. Then he would snap and act out; run away, not answer his phone, whatever.
When it was over, he would be back to "normal", however you defined it at that time. We'd get some time as a reprieve, and the cycle would start over. We thought it was the drugs and the pressure of falling behind in school, but in looking back those may be secondary or exacerbating symptoms of something else.
Any ideas? What's worrying us (besides the fact that we diddn't see this sooner) is that he seemed to be a little more stable for nearly 10 years. Then, after the drugs started, it's like when he was young and the meltdowns would come without provocation.
Or, at least without any provocation that we were aware of.
Yes, I know he's an addict. But from 30,000 ft, it looks the same to us; only now, when he's at the breaking point, now he turns to drugs, opposition, and risky behavior instead of screaming and throwing his body around. And his cure du jour is the same as well - get away for alone time (drugging optional) to get the wheels back on the road.
We're still a bit stunned at how similar these recent episodes in his life resemble how he was as a youngster, and horrified that we didn't remember this sooner.
Thoughts? Going to talk to the docs about it, but thought I'd poll the group here as well for ideas. Off the bat, I think I can rule out BiPolar (BP), since he doesn't have the manic highs; he fluctuates between mellow and grumpy, with the occasional (but more frequent) deep dives into the pit of a meltdown.
Thanks in advance for any ideas, thoughts, or other info.
Mikey