Quote:
Originally Posted by sunshinefl
....
I am actually reaching out to see if I can help a friend who is dealing the estrangement of his now 20 something year old daughter. She has a history of mental health issues, dissociative disorder, which might explain her estrangement?
....
Then suddenly no contact with her father. The daughter had reached out to her mom and then checked herself into mental health facility. Because the daughter was over 18, the father was not able to get any information about her, her status, etc. The mother has been uncooperative in sharing any info she has about the daughter and it is possible the daughter has since not been in contact with the mother as well.
....
I want him to be hopeful but yet want him to be able to move on with his life and dwell on this estrangement. However, that is much easier said than done. He feels that is can not give up on his daughter and is not willing to accept this.....
|
Welcome to PC!
That his daughter checked herself into a mental health care facility seems like good news to me. While I have no idea for sure, there is a possibility that the estrangement is due to her mental illness. For example, I have experienced paranoia of others before in part because of my mental illness. The right medications set this straight.
Many times, my husband encouraged me to be hopeful when a child was making bad decisions. Perhaps remind him that she has to learn how to manage her mental illness herself. Some of us have a tendency to want to do things for our children but in many cases they learn faster if we let them figure it out on their own. In any case, he has no choice but to wait.
You sound like a good friend.
