Anyone have a child who.......

actually wanted to be admitted to a behavioral center as an inpatient? Our 13 y/o told us about 6 months ago, & also told her therapist she wanted to stay for a few days at our local behavioral center. For the past several months she has seemed fine (30mg. Prozac & 1 mg. of Abilify) and hasn't mentioned it, but yesterday she told a speaker at school that she was going to kill herself last night if it weren't for his great speech, and since yesterday seems down. We have had bouts with anorexia before and for the past 2 days she has hardly eaten a thing, even tonight when we took her to her favorite restaurant. She wanted to go skating and when DH took her tonight she was so gloomy. The behavioral center thing came up again briefly yesterday. We have always lived a pretty traditional life and love her more than life itself and she knows that. She is gifted, active in music (choral, band and church choir) and is an amazing softball player. We are ALWAYS present and cheering her on at events. I do also know that being adopted really bothers her. I just don't get why she would want to be admitted to a facility like this though. Can anyone shed some light on it for me? Maybe I'm missing something.

Thanks!
Nancy
DS1, age 25
DS2, age 22
DD, age 13, diagnosed with anxiety, depression and panic disorder, born to drug addicted parents and placed in our home at 2 1/2 weeks old.

Because we need some peace and time away from our families

And it is the best thing to do if we feel that we might do things to hurt ourselves and we can't control it.

I want to be admitted too even though it means that I have to be watched over 24/7 and i have no freedom. My mother doesn't agrees with me of course. I wished my mother would be like you, searching online on how to deal with depressed kids. You are a good mother and I am sure your child will be grateful to you for trying to understand our world.

maybe she knows her issues are getting worse and she is wanting to prevent herself from crashing. i am not saying that you don't know your child, but teens have a knack for keeping the severity of issues somewhat hidden. being one myself i can attest to that myself.

when i was in seventh grade, i knew there was something wrong with my head, so i tried to convince my mom to sign me up with the school health system...which i knew included therapy. but she thought it was useless. that led me to attempt suicide instead of preventing it from getting that bad.

it is amazingly good that she is willing to bring up treatment options for her, so please consider her request.

P.S. i applaud you for letting your daughter be in therapy.

--Sam

I agree with with smmath, and I think it's great that you are at least trying to figure out what to do. Some parents won't even do that! I'm not really sure what advice to give you, but at least you are not just ignoring it.

Hmmm, I agree that she might be trying to tell you that she is feeling really bad and wants help before she gets worse. I also think she could possiblely wany to be in an environment where she is being taken care of constantly. Now, I'm sure you do love and care for her, but still a hospital environment might have an appeal of safety and comfort that home doesn't.

When I was in the behavior ward, I was a teen, and I suppose I asked to go. I needed to make use of the services they offered.

It sounds like your DD can benefit from intensive therapy since she is willing to open up and talk. Hugs to your both!

I think you should take her request seriously and do not delay. It's rare that a young person asks for this kind of help.

Her mental and emotional pain is not really about you. You can't make her better by being a "perfect parent." There are things that go on inside of us that are outside of anyone else's reach. You're telling me that she's an adolescent and your sig says she was born to drug addicted parents. Those are two things right there that make for major shifts and changes in hormones, brain chemistry, etc. She already has some mental health diagnoses, as well. Things are not working, she recognizes it and is asking for increased or changed treatment.

That's a *good* thing, in my opinion. She's not just locking herself away mentally and emotionally.