Parents - trying to understand.

[Mindyj]

I am seeking any advice I may be able to get, which would help us to understand and help our son, and to cope with this illness ourselves.

Our 22 year old son is suffering from manic depression with sucidial thoughts/panic attacks and anxiety/and, lack of social or interaction skills. As a brief history, he was a student in college in another town. In April the walls (in which he was able to hid given the distance) came crashing completely down upon him and he is now at home with us. He was admitted to a hospital that night but sent home with medication. He has his first appointment with a psychiatrist today to begin his long term treatment - this has taken a month to accomplish!!!

We need help to understand his behavior, how to help him, how to save him and ourselfs. We just spent the last 48 hours basically on suicide watch as he kept having "bad thoughts". We are so strained, worried, and confused.

Thank you to any and all in advance.

[mrsD]

Welcome to NeuroTalk:

This has to be a painful and frustrating place for you to be in, watching your son, suffer. I was there with ADHD with my son almost 15 yrs ago, and I do remember how difficult it was!

I think it would be a good idea to copy this post over at our Bipolar forum too. There are many there who have managed manic reactions.

This is a link to that forum:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/fo...aysprune=&f=38

We also have a sister forum called PsychCentral, where mental issues are primary there with many posters.

This is their link:
http://forums.psychcentral.com/

Both of our forum formats have lots of resources you can use and consult.

[Mindyj]

Thank you. Frustrating, straining, and exhausting (as you know), but we can handle that - we are united in this for our son. What we cannot handle is knowing what to do. He has or attempted to harm himself (but not really if that makes sense) as a cry for help and we are trying - we just do not know how. I realize the clinical treatment will help, but that is once a week - we live this daily and need to know more - what to do, what to expect.

Deep breath --- tears --- and heartfelt thank you, again!

[Mindyj]

Thank you, I have posted there now.

I am sorry to hear that you too had to go through a trying time with your son, but it is of comfort to have your experience with me.

We are united (my husband and I) to see this through and are working hard at giving strength (and breaks) to each other - we will make it. But, what is so frustrating and frieghtening is that we do not understand it. We do not know what to do when he talks "bizzare things" that make no sense at all - or when he has panic attacks - or suicide thoughts. We are anxious to start the treatment, but we realize that is once a week - we are daily and we have to make sure we are doing what is right.

Deep breath - tears - and, heartfelt thank you.