Thanks, Bizi. I've added it to my Bi-polar bookmarks: http://public.murl.com/moose53/HEALT...NIC_DEPRESSION


Jacquie,

I know how hard it is to have a child with psychiatric "disorders". I know the other side of too -- BEING the person with the psychiatric "disorder".

I've told you that your gut instincts are very good. "Standing back" <<-- that was one of the things that I learned when I was trying to "fix" my son. I took him to a therapist who said that he wanted to show me something. Therapist told me to not talk for awhile. We sat and sat and sat. And my son said nothing. It finally dawned on me that as much as I wanted to help my son avoid all the pain and suffering that I had been through, I couldn't. He had to choose when he was ready to do something about a situation that he didn't like. He had to choose when to "fix things".

I know how painful that is to realize. And I know how hard it is to step back and do nothing and watch everything go to hell until the child/adult is ready to do something about it.

One of the things that helped me LIVE WITH my history of sucide and depression was to study and learn everything that I could about it. A Rabbi once told me that you study that that you fear the most. If you really know and understand what you're most afraid of, it can't hurt you -- sort of like turning on the lights in a dark room.

Have you ever suggested to your daughter that she study becoming a therapist?? She might not realize it now, but, she's got unique talents and a perspective that would bring real help to others in trouble.

Jacquie, you know my son's in prison for his temper (major road-rage episode). He'll get out in a year. He's thanked many times over the past ten years for sticking by him and being there for him. That validates what I've done in the past.

I hope you get the same kind of validation from your daughter.

Hugs (and love). Don't forget her Dad too. He really understands what she's facing.

Barb