![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by smokeymadison on November 22, 2004, at 5:33:01
My 16 year old brother has been going down hill for the past few years and my dad refuses to see it. He is severely depressed, cutting, not eating or sleeping (at least at night, he dozes all day). I have had it with my dad. I live 2 hours away and don't know what to do. he wound up in the emergency room tonight (i found out from my grandma) because he took two caffiene pills to make it through his shift at work and his heart strted racing and his body went numb. The docs are looking at his adrenal glands but i am pretty sure that it is partly lack of food and anxiety that did it.
my dad watched me go through the same thing in high school and did nothing until i overdosed and just about killed myself at age 17. i don't know what to do but to talk with my dad and beg him to take him to the psychiatrist my sister and i go to. right know i want to scream and cuss him out royally. he knows that anxiety and depression run in the family and i can't understand why he won't get help for my brother. i can't sleep and my boyfriend is sick of hearing it so i thought i would post here...
Posted by Angela2 on November 22, 2004, at 10:19:16
In reply to my brother is sick nobody will help, posted by smokeymadison on November 22, 2004, at 5:33:01
Hey Smokey, nice to see you here. Sometimes mental illness is a hard thing for people to accept, especially parents. My dad is in denial about me. He says "what can your therapist do that I can't." and he complains about the cost constantly. I don't know what else to say. Maybe now that your brother's been in the hospital your dad will wake up.
-Angela
Posted by sunny10 on November 22, 2004, at 12:42:49
In reply to Re: my brother is sick nobody will help, posted by Angela2 on November 22, 2004, at 10:19:16
I suggest you send this thread to the doctor who saw your brother in the hospital...
Get another adult involved. I know it's tough to "go over his head" (mean over your dad's authority), but what is more important? Your dad's temper or your brother's life?
Thinking of you and sending all good thoughts your way,
sunny10
PS. My sister has been missing for over 4 years. No one in the family seems to care. She was found "in a fugue state" by police the last thing we'd heard about her. Don't let this be your story,too. I wish I had the money to go down to Florida and look for her...
Posted by fi on November 23, 2004, at 12:06:54
In reply to Re: my brother is sick nobody will help, posted by sunny10 on November 22, 2004, at 12:42:49
I'm so sorry to read that- it must be an incredibly painful thing to live with. I hope that some day you meet her again, soon.
Fi
>
> PS. My sister has been missing for over 4 years. No one in the family seems to care. She was found "in a fugue state" by police the last thing we'd heard about her. Don't let this be your story,too. I wish I had the money to go down to Florida and look for her...
Posted by fi on November 23, 2004, at 12:14:41
In reply to my brother is sick nobody will help, posted by smokeymadison on November 22, 2004, at 5:33:01
I dont know about US, but in the UK someone of 16 would be seen as having every right to make his own decisions, and not be subject to what a parent does or doesnt do?
I agree its a good idea to contact the doctor who saw him at the hospital. And how about talking to your/your sister's psychiatrist about the situation and see what they advise? Of course, it will be up to your brother whether he takes up help (unless things get really bad), but you doing some straight talking to the professionals could help.
You can do this by phone (or maybe email), you dont need to go there. Does your grandma live near him? Have a word with her too- if she is on the right wavelength, you can work on this together. You have enough to cope with yourself.
You can leave your dad right out of it, from the perspective of getting your brother help. He is clearly not going to do anything useful, as he didnt for you. He has some problem about accepting the reality of these problems. That doesnt need to delay access to treatment/help for your brother.
Lots of luck (and sorry to send 2 huge emails in one session!)
Fi
Posted by sunny10 on November 23, 2004, at 13:43:39
In reply to Missing sister » sunny10, posted by fi on November 23, 2004, at 12:06:54
I am just afraid that I will never have the time and/or money to try to find her. The last letter (actually just a birthday card- as if we'd all been talking all along...weird) only had a Dade County Florida postal mark to distinguish from where it was mailed.
Thanks for your good wishes... it means a lot for anyone to even talk to me about her- my family won't.
Posted by smokeymadison on November 23, 2004, at 16:13:35
In reply to my brother is sick nobody will help, posted by smokeymadison on November 22, 2004, at 5:33:01
Well, my brother seems to be doing much better. the docs gave him a potassium suppliment and are watching to make sure the levels stay where they are suppose to. my dad is going to start making him go to therapy. i have been to see the same therapist and he is a good one. i don't see him anymore b/c he moved his office and it is too far north. i got a call from my grandma today saying that my parents were upset that i was upset and that i should leave them alone about my brother. i suppose i can worry less now that i know that he is going to the therapist. i trust the therapist's judgment as to whether he needs to be sent to the psychiatrist. it just is so frustrating that my parents see my concern as "interfering" with their parenting. GRRRR
Posted by sunny10 on November 24, 2004, at 12:34:36
In reply to Re: my brother is sick nobody will help, posted by smokeymadison on November 23, 2004, at 16:13:35
I'm so glad to hear that he is getting help. I'm glad you know the T, too. That must help ease your mind!!
Best wishes,
Sunny10
Posted by fi on November 25, 2004, at 11:58:20
In reply to Re: my brother is sick nobody will help, posted by smokeymadison on November 23, 2004, at 16:13:35
I am slowly- very slowly- learning to let the irritating stuff my parents do/say whizz past me with only minor irritation. Trying to see it as just how they are, and has no impact on what I do/say. Just like any other adult.
The good thing is that a sensible adult (therapist) is now involved.
F
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Social | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.