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<p>thanks for the hugs! I’m a bit uneasy about telling my parents. I realize that I should but it’s difficult for me- when I so much as think about it I start getting really upset. I am just going to have to work up to it.</p>
<p>This is the Parents’ Forum, so posts in this thread will count.</p>
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<p>Yes, I should have thought about that- it is adding up quickly though.</p>
<p>You should expect your parents to be shocked. I was. At some point, ask them to contact NAMI - they hold Family-to-Family Education classes to help them understand what you’re going through. They will be going through many stages of reaction, and it’s helpful to know that their feelings are normal.</p>
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<p>I will- thank you!</p>
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<p>My mom thinks I just suffer from depression- I never told her the full extent of it or anything. She has some mental issues herself but she does put a lot of pressure on me to be “normal” and “succeed” and do what she could not in her life. It’s just an unfair situation but I plan on telling her over thanksgiving break…</p>
<p>Yes, I will just keep my posting to this thread.</p>
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<p>mathmom- I love goodreads. i will bookmark that and take a look! thanks!</p>
<p>Are you sure you don’t have insurance? Most schools would require students to have insurance or to take out the insurance with school. I know my kid’s school would automatically charge for health insurance if there is no proof of personal insurance.</p>
<p>You can also be seen in clinics run by training programs (med schools) and be seen by psychiatric residents on a sliding fee scale. I’m not sure where you reside, but this might be an option in a larger city.</p>
<p>One medical condition that can lead to hallucinations is Lyme disease. The author Amy Tan has written about her experiences with that in her book “The Opposite of Fate”.</p>
<p>Do make sure that you get a detailed physical. You want to find the cause of these symptoms.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>
<p>You should tell your parents and see if they can do anything to help. And take advantage of whatever services your college offers. Also, research the college’s policies for when is the last date you can withdraw from a class, so you aware of that when you decide what to do.</p>
<p>Yes, I wondered the same thing Oldfort did… my kids’ colleges are quite strict about requiring us to provide proof of insurance, or they will charge us for it (and then they would have it thru the school).</p>
<p>I’ve had two kids at 4 colleges (long stories), private and public - all required proof of insurance or purchase of the campus plan.</p>
<p>Some college plans are very limited. Sometimes the state in which the college is located offers plans or services for students whose coverage through the school is inadequate, but right now, I think accessing those would be hard for this student on top of everything else.</p>
<p>The MD at the health center of the college is free, and should be a helpful resource since she seemed to “get” the situation.</p>
<p>Even if a medical problem is behind this, which is possible but unlikely, the immediate treatment would be the same. Testing for Lyme is inexact; testing for temporal lobe epilepsy is nearly impossible, and positive ANA for autoimmunity might point to something but would not be conclusive on its own. Strep can also cause problems. But first, some medication for the symptoms would be most urgently needed for relief.</p>
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<p>Not too long ago, there was post from a woman whose daughter was sufferring from extreme anxiety. The daughter told mom that the issue had started with stomach noises. Mom seemed pretty convinced that once the stomach issue was addressed, the anxiety would resolve. </p>
<p>I bring up that story only to say that MaineLonghorn is so right. As parents, we will be shocked initially. We may start looking for “other” answers and deny that there’s a mental illness. In an ideal world, mental illness really wouldn’t be viewed any differently than physical illness, but in the real world, it is not. I don’t know why our first response is so often denial. We don’t typically do that when our kids get an asthma diagnosis, but we do when there’s a mental illness involved, even one like “just” depression, which is highly treatable and may not be a life sentence in an adolescent. </p>
<p>When you discuss this over Thanksgiving, expect shock and allow some time let the news sink in. As parents, we will really do want to help and will fight to get you the best care we can, but we are still human.</p>
<p>I think the difference with serious mental illness is that parents realize it will affect their child’s life more than “just” asthma. Parents have to reframe their expectations and dreams for their child. My son was on track to become a doctor or researcher, and now that won’t happen. He will still have a good career, but it’s not what he initially wanted. It’s very similar to that piece written for parents of special needs kids. You take a flight, expecting to land in France, but then you’re told you’re going to Holland. Your first response is, “Holland?? What the heck is in Holland?” but after you look around, you realize there are beautiful tulips, windmills, canals, etc., and the people are VERY friendly. You learn to be grateful that you got to go to Holland. That illustration has helped me a lot.</p>
<p>I think that denial kicks in with anything chronic, whether medical or psychiatric (and yes, there really should not be separation between the two). The person with the disorder and his or her family tend to have wishful thinking that health is right around the corner, a corner that keeps retreating like a mirage on the highway.</p>
<p>This creates a roller coaster for everyone, since chronic conditions tend to fluctuate. When things are good, even for a few days, everyone jumps on a bandwagon of optimism, and when things are not good, despair sets in.</p>
<p>Ultimately, some kind of stability sets in with acceptance, but it can take awhile.</p>
<p>To make things even murkier, some people do indeed land in France, despite the obstacles. Not that there is anything wrong with Holland, or Italy for that matter…</p>
<p>Apologies for going off topic like this, especially on a thread where help is needed urgently.</p>
<p>It may be relevant, though, in some ways, because it would seem there is a lot of pressure on the original poster to be healthy - and maybe even to be perfect- due to the family’s need. I think support from outside the family is crucial here.</p>
<p>Was wondering if OP was able to talk to anyone yesterday or today at school.</p>
<p>Hoping you are doing ok and you are able to get some much needed rest during the holiday…</p>