I have a 16 year old with more mental health issues than H has. My son actually wants to improve. How do I know? Because I see it. Because school staff sees it. Because my son is actually seeking out help from his therapist and from his teachers. HE is actively working and using coping skills in addition to others working with him.
Believe me - having a child with Oppositional Defiance Disorder makes for a very stressful home. Add to that his diagnoses of PTSD, ADHD and Bi-Polar disorder and you have a cocktail of "if it can go wrong, it probably will." In the past, I have had to deal with extreme emotional outbursts which include him going from 16 to 3 in seconds, by stomping up the stairs and saying hurtful things like he wishes his dad would go hang himself. He slams doors, refuses to cooperate and gets extremely nasty.
But... aside from all of that - he always cools off, comes to me and his dad and apologizes for what he did. He makes no excuses. He wants to get better. He even asked me to help him get into anger management classes. THAT is someone who wants to improve.
Believe me - having a child with Oppositional Defiance Disorder makes for a very stressful home. Add to that his diagnoses of PTSD, ADHD and Bi-Polar disorder and you have a cocktail of "if it can go wrong, it probably will." In the past, I have had to deal with extreme emotional outbursts which include him going from 16 to 3 in seconds, by stomping up the stairs and saying hurtful things like he wishes his dad would go hang himself. He slams doors, refuses to cooperate and gets extremely nasty.
But... aside from all of that - he always cools off, comes to me and his dad and apologizes for what he did. He makes no excuses. He wants to get better. He even asked me to help him get into anger management classes. THAT is someone who wants to improve.
Disclaimer: I am only responsible for what I say, not what you choose to understand.
