1. < Mental Health

17 yr old daughter diagnosed with Sever PTSD

Posted by donnab2673 @donnab2673, 1 day ago

Hi,
My name is Donna and my 17 year old daughter was diagnosed with severe PTSD/ADHD/Anxiety. Where do I go from here at this point in time. She barely goes to school at all. Does not take her meds all the time and then stops taking her meds because she can. How can I help my daughter get a highschool diploma or at least a GED so she can be a member of her community and get a job and figure out what she likes to do for a living. I am a struggling mom of 2 kids. I do not know what to do for her anymore. We tried on line school and that did not work she was to unorganized. Right now as it stands I am trying to help her out and have her succeed in life and find healthy coping therapies but she doesnt even try. I need help for my daughter and I do not know what to do now. She is a junior in Highschool and hates school in general maybe goes 2 days out of the school week. I asked her what I can do to help her she says nothing or she says she does not know. very angry person when she has to talk about herself and how to help herself get better. I love her but I have been trying for 4 years to get her help and it has been a struggle either she would not go to the dr appointments or she said she did not like the dr and wouldnt go to the next appt. either way I am stuck. She is a bright kid and I wish everyone could see that. If anyone has any input that would be great.

Her physciatrist gave her the diagonosis this year of PTSD ADHD ANXIETY. She then went to a Nurse to talk about meds that will help her with PTSD ADHD ANXIETY and she started to take the meds for abbout a month then stopped taking them. Down hill after that.

Someone throw me a lifeline please.......

Donna Burroughs

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gently | @gently | 1 day ago

Hi Donna, tough situation.
I'd try a stellate ganglion block. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17507-stellate-ganglion-block
Sometimes a hands on program of learning is better especially if it is in an area of interest. Your daughter may need to feel better first, in order to have an interest.
GED https://www.ged.com/ is also a good idea. She may be able to pass already, but they have study guides. You might be able to get her into a community college class. I think the classes there are so much more stimulating than high school. Sometimes hs students just get bored. She may be having socialization issues that make her reluctant to attend her high school.
There are a lot of free homeschool options by computer. https://freedomhomeschooling.com/
I would try to be generous in stimulating her (even bribing her) to participate in anything (almost) that she fancies.
Bless your struggle.

REPLY
dlydailyhope | @dlydailyhope | 9 hours ago

@donnab2673
I can empathize with your struggles. I have a 16 year old son who has combined ADHD, anxiety, OCD, learning differences, migraines, Reynauds syndrome, and a heart defect. He was diagnosed when he was 8 years old after having 2 concussions. It can be exhausting to scaffold your child for extended periods of time.

What ADHD medications was your daughter prescribed and at what dosages? What anxiety medication was prescribed?

Did your daughter have Covid and the injections?

Does your daughter have any other medical conditions? What did her psychologist recommend after completing her psychological evaluation? Do you know what triggered and still triggers her PTSD?

Does your daughter have an IEP/504 plan at school to help her succeed and do her best? Does she have a tutor/mentor to help her?

Is she doing telehealth sessions with a counselor? Are you getting counselors to help you best parent your daughter and give you strategies to try?

Does your daughter have a smart phone, computer/laptop, iPods, and use the internet? If so, you need to require her to take her ADHD/antidepressant medication, go to doctors’ appointments, see a counselor/therapist regularly, complete some household chores, and go to school/complete assignments or you will withhold all electronics and shut off the internet until she does what she needs to do. You can allow electronic use for homework but nothing else until she is done. You need to use some tough love with her, set boundaries and get help for you to navigate through this. You need support.

Talk to her doctors and ask for help and recommendations, research to fully understand her condition and the resources available to her, support groups, etc.

Socialization and motivation is really tough for teens with ADHD/anxiety. You both need help to get through this critical phase. It is a very vulnerable period and mental health support is key.

1. https://www.additudemag.com/parenting-a-teenager-with-adhd-support-encourage-guide/
2. https://chadd.org/for-parents/parenting-teens-with-adhd/
3. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/parenting-a-child-or-teen-with-adhd
4. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/parenting-teen-adhd.html
5. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/adhd/Pages/Effective-Parenting-of-Teenagers-with-ADHD.aspx
6. https://www.greatschools.org/gk/parenting/adhd/md-parenting-adolescents-with-ad-hd/
7. https://www.liahonaacademy.com/how-to-navigate-parenting-a-teen-with-adhd-odd-and-behavioral-issues.html
8. https://teenswithadhd.com/adhd-parenting-strategies/
9. https://www.additudemag.com/i-am-exhausted-adhd-parenting/
10. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/special-matters/201904/the-dos-and-don-ts-parenting-anxious-teen
11. https://www.choosingtherapy.com/how-to-parent-a-child-with-adhd/
12. https://yellowchaircollective.com/howw-to-support-and-parent-adhd-teens/
13. https://www.healthyplace.com/adhd/articles/parenting-teenagers-with-adhd-surviving-the-ride

REPLY
2 replies
dlydailyhope | @dlydailyhope | 9 hours ago

@donnab2673
Another thing to keep in mind is that children and teens with ADHD are about 3-5 years behind their peers in some areas of neurodevelopment and maturity. You can’t really compare your daughter to others her age on certain milestones. You need to accept her as she is and let her know you love her as she is. Don’t push her too much beyond what she can handle. When I started to let go of some things and expectations, I was able to be more present with my son in the moment and have more open/relaxed conversations. I have been trying to understand my son more and what his struggles are from his perspective, not mine. I am neurotypical and don’t know what it is like to live in the world as a neurodivergent person so I need to have patience when seeking to understand. I can’t make my child neurotypical and need to help him navigate the world, create strategies that work for him to advocate for himself, and use his strengths. They need to love themselves as they are and as God created them to be.

REPLY
1 reply
donnab2673 | @donnab2673 | 5 hours ago
In reply to @dlydailyhope "@donnab2673 I can empathize with your struggles. I have a 16 year old son who has..." + (show)
@dlydailyhope

@donnab2673
I can empathize with your struggles. I have a 16 year old son who has combined ADHD, anxiety, OCD, learning differences, migraines, Reynauds syndrome, and a heart defect. He was diagnosed when he was 8 years old after having 2 concussions. It can be exhausting to scaffold your child for extended periods of time.

What ADHD medications was your daughter prescribed and at what dosages? What anxiety medication was prescribed?

Did your daughter have Covid and the injections?

Does your daughter have any other medical conditions? What did her psychologist recommend after completing her psychological evaluation? Do you know what triggered and still triggers her PTSD?

Does your daughter have an IEP/504 plan at school to help her succeed and do her best? Does she have a tutor/mentor to help her?

Is she doing telehealth sessions with a counselor? Are you getting counselors to help you best parent your daughter and give you strategies to try?

Does your daughter have a smart phone, computer/laptop, iPods, and use the internet? If so, you need to require her to take her ADHD/antidepressant medication, go to doctors’ appointments, see a counselor/therapist regularly, complete some household chores, and go to school/complete assignments or you will withhold all electronics and shut off the internet until she does what she needs to do. You can allow electronic use for homework but nothing else until she is done. You need to use some tough love with her, set boundaries and get help for you to navigate through this. You need support.

Talk to her doctors and ask for help and recommendations, research to fully understand her condition and the resources available to her, support groups, etc.

Socialization and motivation is really tough for teens with ADHD/anxiety. You both need help to get through this critical phase. It is a very vulnerable period and mental health support is key.

1. https://www.additudemag.com/parenting-a-teenager-with-adhd-support-encourage-guide/
2. https://chadd.org/for-parents/parenting-teens-with-adhd/
3. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/parenting-a-child-or-teen-with-adhd
4. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/parenting-teen-adhd.html
5. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/adhd/Pages/Effective-Parenting-of-Teenagers-with-ADHD.aspx
6. https://www.greatschools.org/gk/parenting/adhd/md-parenting-adolescents-with-ad-hd/
7. https://www.liahonaacademy.com/how-to-navigate-parenting-a-teen-with-adhd-odd-and-behavioral-issues.html
8. https://teenswithadhd.com/adhd-parenting-strategies/
9. https://www.additudemag.com/i-am-exhausted-adhd-parenting/
10. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/special-matters/201904/the-dos-and-don-ts-parenting-anxious-teen
11. https://www.choosingtherapy.com/how-to-parent-a-child-with-adhd/
12. https://yellowchaircollective.com/howw-to-support-and-parent-adhd-teens/
13. https://www.healthyplace.com/adhd/articles/parenting-teenagers-with-adhd-surviving-the-ride

Jump to this post

Thank you very much for your reply. She does have a 504 and her high school does not always adhere to it and is on medication that according to her nurse helps with PTSD and ADHD and another for her anxiety. Not sure of the names of both I think one is busiprone if I am spelling it correctly. She has an appointment with her nurse next week and we will see if she can help her with different meds because the one she is on are not working or the mg need to be upped.

Thank You Again

REPLY
donnab2673 | @donnab2673 | 5 hours ago
In reply to @dlydailyhope "@donnab2673 Another thing to keep in mind is that children and teens with ADHD are about..." + (show)
@dlydailyhope

@donnab2673
Another thing to keep in mind is that children and teens with ADHD are about 3-5 years behind their peers in some areas of neurodevelopment and maturity. You can’t really compare your daughter to others her age on certain milestones. You need to accept her as she is and let her know you love her as she is. Don’t push her too much beyond what she can handle. When I started to let go of some things and expectations, I was able to be more present with my son in the moment and have more open/relaxed conversations. I have been trying to understand my son more and what his struggles are from his perspective, not mine. I am neurotypical and don’t know what it is like to live in the world as a neurodivergent person so I need to have patience when seeking to understand. I can’t make my child neurotypical and need to help him navigate the world, create strategies that work for him to advocate for himself, and use his strengths. They need to love themselves as they are and as God created them to be.

Jump to this post

Thank You for your comment. I do accept my daughter as she is trust me. I do not force her to go to school either. If she is having a bad morning than I usually tell her would like me to take you in to school in an hour or so. She sometime will say yes and that alleviates some of her anxiety a bit and then when at school she has to navigate between her PTSD and ADHD which not all high school teachers are understanding of regardless of her 504. When she does go she usually has a melt down some point in time in her school day and I get the call to come pick her up at school. Her high school has 500 students so it is hard to get specialized individual attention when she needs it. I told my daughter that all I want her to do is get the help she needs regardless what form it comes in and graduate high school or get a ged or highset and hold down a steady paying job. I do not want her diagnosis to hold her back and use it as an excuse for why she doesnt do things. She can with the proper coping methods the drs tell her to do but she wont do them. Just like she wont always take her meds. I am hoping she understands she can do hard things and push for herself to accomplish what she wants out of life whatever that maybe.

Thank you Again

Donna Burroughs

REPLY
donnab2673 | @donnab2673 | 5 hours ago
In reply to @dlydailyhope "@donnab2673 I can empathize with your struggles. I have a 16 year old son who has..." + (show)
@dlydailyhope

@donnab2673
I can empathize with your struggles. I have a 16 year old son who has combined ADHD, anxiety, OCD, learning differences, migraines, Reynauds syndrome, and a heart defect. He was diagnosed when he was 8 years old after having 2 concussions. It can be exhausting to scaffold your child for extended periods of time.

What ADHD medications was your daughter prescribed and at what dosages? What anxiety medication was prescribed?

Did your daughter have Covid and the injections?

Does your daughter have any other medical conditions? What did her psychologist recommend after completing her psychological evaluation? Do you know what triggered and still triggers her PTSD?

Does your daughter have an IEP/504 plan at school to help her succeed and do her best? Does she have a tutor/mentor to help her?

Is she doing telehealth sessions with a counselor? Are you getting counselors to help you best parent your daughter and give you strategies to try?

Does your daughter have a smart phone, computer/laptop, iPods, and use the internet? If so, you need to require her to take her ADHD/antidepressant medication, go to doctors’ appointments, see a counselor/therapist regularly, complete some household chores, and go to school/complete assignments or you will withhold all electronics and shut off the internet until she does what she needs to do. You can allow electronic use for homework but nothing else until she is done. You need to use some tough love with her, set boundaries and get help for you to navigate through this. You need support.

Talk to her doctors and ask for help and recommendations, research to fully understand her condition and the resources available to her, support groups, etc.

Socialization and motivation is really tough for teens with ADHD/anxiety. You both need help to get through this critical phase. It is a very vulnerable period and mental health support is key.

1. https://www.additudemag.com/parenting-a-teenager-with-adhd-support-encourage-guide/
2. https://chadd.org/for-parents/parenting-teens-with-adhd/
3. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/parenting-a-child-or-teen-with-adhd
4. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/parenting-teen-adhd.html
5. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/adhd/Pages/Effective-Parenting-of-Teenagers-with-ADHD.aspx
6. https://www.greatschools.org/gk/parenting/adhd/md-parenting-adolescents-with-ad-hd/
7. https://www.liahonaacademy.com/how-to-navigate-parenting-a-teen-with-adhd-odd-and-behavioral-issues.html
8. https://teenswithadhd.com/adhd-parenting-strategies/
9. https://www.additudemag.com/i-am-exhausted-adhd-parenting/
10. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/special-matters/201904/the-dos-and-don-ts-parenting-anxious-teen
11. https://www.choosingtherapy.com/how-to-parent-a-child-with-adhd/
12. https://yellowchaircollective.com/howw-to-support-and-parent-adhd-teens/
13. https://www.healthyplace.com/adhd/articles/parenting-teenagers-with-adhd-surviving-the-ride

Jump to this post

2nd part of reply...My daughter goes through episodes of taking meds and then not taking her meds. I do not put any pressure on her really because I understand what she is going through.
Getting up everyday is a struggle for her and keeping that momentum going through her day as well. Regardless of taking her meds or not. I have tried to set her up a schedule of routine things to do so that if she does these everyday it will become routine. That did not last very long. She said it was stupid. School is not her happy place at all. When she is there she is there only to socialize with a few friends and really does not get much work done. I am trying to get her in a school that is out of our district but caters to students like my daughter and is a small school with a small amount of kids so the teachers and counselors can give individual attetion when students need it and there is no pressure about work that needs to be done by next week so it alleviates a lot of pressure for her it is a go a your own pace school. We took a tour today and she said she thinks she likes it. Thats the first positive thing I heard from her in long time.
The school is called Second Start in Concord,NH. The students can work on their own after instruction or in the classroom and have lights off an a fidget if needed or even a snack as well. High school is to structured for students like my daughter. You know a set time for your classes or your late and no breaks in high school either.

REPLY
2 replies
dlydailyhope | @dlydailyhope | 4 hours ago
In reply to @donnab2673 "2nd part of reply...My daughter goes through episodes of taking meds and then not taking her..." + (show)
@donnab2673

2nd part of reply...My daughter goes through episodes of taking meds and then not taking her meds. I do not put any pressure on her really because I understand what she is going through.
Getting up everyday is a struggle for her and keeping that momentum going through her day as well. Regardless of taking her meds or not. I have tried to set her up a schedule of routine things to do so that if she does these everyday it will become routine. That did not last very long. She said it was stupid. School is not her happy place at all. When she is there she is there only to socialize with a few friends and really does not get much work done. I am trying to get her in a school that is out of our district but caters to students like my daughter and is a small school with a small amount of kids so the teachers and counselors can give individual attetion when students need it and there is no pressure about work that needs to be done by next week so it alleviates a lot of pressure for her it is a go a your own pace school. We took a tour today and she said she thinks she likes it. Thats the first positive thing I heard from her in long time.
The school is called Second Start in Concord,NH. The students can work on their own after instruction or in the classroom and have lights off an a fidget if needed or even a snack as well. High school is to structured for students like my daughter. You know a set time for your classes or your late and no breaks in high school either.

Jump to this post

@donnab2673
Good luck with the new school! Btw… I also live in New England. 🙂

REPLY
dlydailyhope | @dlydailyhope | 4 hours ago
In reply to @donnab2673 "2nd part of reply...My daughter goes through episodes of taking meds and then not taking her..." + (show)
@donnab2673

2nd part of reply...My daughter goes through episodes of taking meds and then not taking her meds. I do not put any pressure on her really because I understand what she is going through.
Getting up everyday is a struggle for her and keeping that momentum going through her day as well. Regardless of taking her meds or not. I have tried to set her up a schedule of routine things to do so that if she does these everyday it will become routine. That did not last very long. She said it was stupid. School is not her happy place at all. When she is there she is there only to socialize with a few friends and really does not get much work done. I am trying to get her in a school that is out of our district but caters to students like my daughter and is a small school with a small amount of kids so the teachers and counselors can give individual attetion when students need it and there is no pressure about work that needs to be done by next week so it alleviates a lot of pressure for her it is a go a your own pace school. We took a tour today and she said she thinks she likes it. Thats the first positive thing I heard from her in long time.
The school is called Second Start in Concord,NH. The students can work on their own after instruction or in the classroom and have lights off an a fidget if needed or even a snack as well. High school is to structured for students like my daughter. You know a set time for your classes or your late and no breaks in high school either.

Jump to this post

@donnab2673
I looked up buspirone and it says that it is not approved to prescribe to people under 18. It may be good to switch medications if it is not helping. My understanding is you need to take antidepressants/anti anxiety medications regularly or you can get negative side affects from the inconsistency.
https://www.drugs.com/tips/buspirone-patient-tips

REPLY
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