Newbie - caring for my teenage daughter with mental health

[red1965]

Hi, my name's Dorothy , I am a single parent and a full time carer. My 14 year old daughter is a diabetic type 1 and if that isn't enough has OCD and at last has been given psychosis as a diagnosis. 2012 was a very long and difficult year filled with self -harm, overdoses and drowning attempts. My daughter is under the care of CAMHS , and is on medication, yet she seems to be getting worse. She hopes that she will be admitted shortly into the adolescent mental unit as she admits that she wants to feel better and wants to start living again. We don't have a life, everything revolves around this white elephant in the room. What makes it worse is the fact that every suicide attempt is followed by a referral to social services and a claim made that she is a child in need, however, the only help they can offer is a support worker for 6 weeks, who will take her out for the day, a total of 4 hrs a week. It is a scary place to be as there is no support for me as the parent and carer only criticism and finger pointing.

[no1mum]

Hi Dorothy and welcome to the forum, it sounds as though you have a lot of worry and stress at present. Sending hugs.

[red1965]

Thank you for the welcome. It is and has been a harrowing time. I suppose that things can only get better.

[Nina Frances]

Hi Dorothy, I am new to the forum as well. Have so far only told people about my son. My daughter is 16 - just. She was sectioned under the mental health act last April, she was in a low secure mental health hospital for 4 months and then moved to an adolescent unit. She is supposedly a child in need as well-but there is no support for her from that. An outreach nurse comes to take her out for an hour once a week. My daughter likes going out and it gives me an hour off but doesn't really help the situation we are in.

Here if you want to chat.

[india77]

Hello Dorothy and welcome

[Lazydaisy]

Hello Dorothy.
Does your daughter have emotional support for her type 1 Diabetes,from the NHS?It is very important at her age.It could be the Diabetes that is the root of all her problems.
I have looked at your post several times and wondered whether to say anything.
My husband has type 1 Diabetes, my elder son(with Downs Syndrome) was diagnosed with type 1 at the age of 15,my younger son was diagnosed with type 1 when he was a baby.He was fine until he was a teenager.It was HELL to try to help him to manage his condition and I kept being fobbed off by the NHS.
From 2004 he kept being rushed in with DKA.I begged and begged for support which was not forthcoming.
ON July 25th 2009,my husband's mobile phone rang. It was one of my son's friends.My son had stopped breathing and paramedics were attemptng to resuscitate him.They did not succeed.
My other two children did not lose just a brother that day,they lost the mother and father they had alays known,too.
My son died due to Diabetic Kidney disease. "Natural CAuses."The Consultant said at his inquest that it was not apparent unti his postmortem.I have now seen his NHS notes,and the Kidney disease IS written on lab test results, 11 months prior to his death.Drs failed to act on information,and I am STILL waiting to hear from the hospital as to why the Specialist Dr and the Diabetes Nurses failedto do anything that might keep him out of pain,and give him quality of life,even if they could not keep him alive.
I tell you this, because I have come across so many parents since then who struggle with their type 1 teenage child.
I also talk to young women(with type 1) and their parents who are overcoming mental health problems.One young woman has been talking on BBC Radio and is on Twitter if you use that.She is very brave,and has told of how she was sectioned at one point.Her mother is just as brave,and supports other families now too.
My life ended, the day he died(aged 21).The love of my other children,and now two grandsons, is all that keeps me in this world.
I hope that you and you daughter can get the help and support that you so desperately need. x

[Myrtle]

Hi Dorothy and welcome

[Stevo1918]

Hello Dorothy
Welcome to the forum. I can share your difficulties
With my wife attempting suicide last year and continually
Talking of ending her life. The services are out there to help you
But the system is difficult to understand. They will not offer but
You have to negotiate and manipulate all the time to gain anything.
I have managed to get a lot of help for my wife by treating the mental
Health service like a second business that I am involved in.
I try and secure everything I can to assist my wife and family when times get tough.
Keep at it with your daughter and remember you are running things, the authorities should be providing. Good luck. Rgds Stevo.

[Melly1]

Hi Dorothy and welcome,

I hope your daughter gets a place in the unit soon. Social services really are the limit, if only they put more effort and money into support parents and carers to support their carees ....

Hope you find the forum helpful.

Melly1

[Brindleboy123]

Hi there Dorothy,

A warm welcome to the forum. I have also sent you a pm.

Bell x