<p>Greenbutton, thank you for the update. I love to get the updates.</p>
<p>furiobound, hang in there. Do you have your D working with CBT for the PTSD? Or DBT? These therapies are really good with anxiety and PTSD when medication isn’t working.</p>
<p>I’m sorry for whatever your daughter experienced. It happens to so many girls and I am so glad she has your help.</p>
<p>Greenbutton, thanks for the update. Made my day. And made me more hopeful my own son will find his way, too. </p>
<p>Foriobound, sympathy! Hang in there and try talking to as many parents of struggling children as possible. I’ve gotten great advice, and support, from people who’ve been/are there, too.</p>
<p>Poet girl yes thanks. She is using CBT with her counselor and we have arranged to begin with D2’s counselor for the summer, who I think will be a great fit for her. Thanks to everyone for the support
Katliamom, yes it’s amazing when you open up to friends and colleagues, how many people have been through the same thing. I’ve been receiving much support. Thanks!</p>
<p>Final update! He graduated today!!!</p>
<p>He has a full time job, a new apartment, and I thank you all so very much for your honesty and willingness to share your own stories. I never, ever, knew how many families are struggling with the same issues, and your input really truly helped me hang on and see things in a constructive way. In my son’s case, the turning point was that withdrawal for a year – it was the best thing we ever could have done, even if I didn’t feel that way at the time. He regrouped, got the lead that became his full-time job, got treatment, found out who his real friends were, took classes and did well (all A’s and B’s!! Who knew?) and came out the other side with success (even if it isn’t four degrees and a 4.5 gpa and a BMW). I would hug you all, if I could :)</p>
<p>Congratulations to your son! And kudos to you for sticking with him.</p>
<p>Fabulous! Through cc I’ve learned that the path isn’t always straight. I wish I could hug you back.</p>
<p>Thank you for the update! Congratulations!</p>
<p>Congrats to your entire family, green button.</p>
<p>Wow, this whole thread is a walk down memory lane for a lot of us. Congratulations to the OP and son!</p>
<p>To those who are now in a similar position as greenbutton in her first post, her son’s experience can give hope. </p>
<p>In my own family, one w/similar issues, and one with serious health conditions, have both found their way. The one w/ADD inattentive, however, operates from a philosophy that if she needs help, she shouldn’t be doing it (so she left school, works, performs, takes one class that is more experiential than cerebral). For a variety of reasons, she cannot take meds for ADD. Even in this case, the picture has become incredibly positive in the space of two years, since things were definitely quite dire. I just mention this in case someone else reading this thread notices that greenbutton’s help was tolerated a bit more than some kids will tolerate.</p>
<p>The other child in our family, who has health issues, finally accepted the need for reduced course load and has thrived. Here is what she told a support group for students with medical problems: by learning to accept her limitations, she found freedom. Sounds strange, but it’s true. Greenbutton’s son accepted the limitiations: diagnosis, meds, support, and fewer classes- and has also come out the other end in what sounds like wonderful shape.</p>
<p>Congratulations! Thank you for the update and best of luck going forward.</p>
<p>Woohoo! Congrats!!!</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing his (and your) story and providing the updates–it’s very encouraging!</p>
<p>Greenbutton,
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
I know that it has been a lot of hard work, in more ways than one.<br>
Thank you for posting your story, and bless you for posting the positive updates. I am also a parent who just sometimes needs to see others coming through these types of struggles.</p>
<p>I can almost feel the pride you are feeling for your son right now!</p>
<p>Congratulations, what a great outcome!</p>
<p>“I was cautioned to not helicopter.” - your own fault. I am sorry to say it, but parents are the only advocates that kids have. Even best athletes have coaches … parents are kids best coaches, forever. </p>
<p>My parents always were helicopters, and I am proud of them. BTW, I was 19 when I got my BS and went to a different country to start Ph.D. Yet, I talked to my parents on the phone daily and valued their advice. </p>
<p>Take your kid out of college. Get a medical waiver for one year. Scream that he has a medical condition. Help him … get some quality time … relax … study at his own speed (may be with a tutor, MOOC) … fix depression and anxiety.</p>
<p>One year later he can come back and be successful again.</p>
<p>I’m glad this thread got bumped up and I’ve learned a lot from it. My DS is starting his senior year of HS next week with a 2.6 GPA and prescription for Vyvanse. He started the meds at the very end of the last school year and has been off and on during the summer. I hope we can iron out a lot of issues during this year so he can be successful in college. I appreciate all the wisdom on this thread!</p>
<p>Greenbutton my own troubled son is still learning to find his way - but we’re no longer in a crisis. So hearing from you gives me renewed hope that things will get better still. A virtual hug for you, since you’ve been so very helpful.</p>
<p>Thanks to you all - parents of these special kids - like mine who has an autistic spectrum disorder and did not begin college until he was 24 yrs old. He took off like a shot when he decided to get on with his life after spending much of the previous 5-6 years in front of his computer in his bedroom. He was busy in the tech world though, accomplishing some things that helped him get into one of the most competative computer science universities in the world. We were amazed as he fiercely faced all the challenges that college gave him, with his lack of social skills and the anxiety that plagued him as he interpreted life and the people in it. Now 5 years later, with just one semester remaining before graduation and a 3.8 gpa, he crashes with overwhelming depression and anxiety. Taking a medical withdrawal back to the beginning of the semester he is able to preserve his gpa, and he is left with just one requirement in the Humanities to receive his degree. He is home now, withdrawn and unable to face the student loans and the college back-charging, no only for a Pell Grant and student loan he was not eligible to receive that semester, but also the scholarships the university awarded him. His transcripts are locked until the account is settled, as well as a diploma should he complete the last requirement - bringing this to question: Can the disibility services of the university be held responsible for their negligence in providing all the services he needed? They did very little for him and he always had to advocate for himself, not always getting full provision. The high gpa seemed to mask his problems from them and he struggled in silence - they needed to be taking care of him.</p>