Connect with people who understand what you are going through, seek advice and surround yourself with support. We're free, anonymous, and professionally moderated 24/7.

47,612Members
1,358,869Posts
1,400,000Visitors

teenage son with undiagnosed ocd with poor insight

DiamondSenior Contributor25 Apr 2016, 6:33 pm AEST

teenage son with undiagnosed ocd with poor insight

Hi everyone,
I'm only new at this single mum with 2 teenage kids, my son has had anxiety for the last year or so!
Got extremely bad after he broke up with his gf of 3years!
He is withdrawn not eating much:( very angry and agitated, he is in his room praying and reading the bible and watching saints movies!
He believe his calling is to b a priest which is fantastic if it is!
His attendance for school is very poor, no communications between us at all!
he believes he wants to live like a saint in order to get into heaven, he removed himself from all social activities not to cause him to sin!
He sleeps on the floor! He believes I'm a sinner thus he doesn't want to listen to anything I have to say!
he is refusing to get help or talk to anyone!
I contacted soooo many sites for mental health and came out with the same outcome that I basically need to wait for him to hit rock bottom before I can get him some help!
My dad suffered with skitsophrania all his life and I am terrified that this is wat he might b suffering from?
I look for signs all the time! It's sooo hard because he lives in his own world in his room at home!
Huge change in him from being talkative outgoing loving school to being exactly the opposite!
it is soooo hard to accept the changes! I feel soooo sad for seeing him struggle like this!
I can't stop thinking about it:( this is the hardest thing I have ever been thru in my life!
I think if only he agrees to seek help? If only he could recognize how irrational his behavior has been?
I have to take it each day as it comes not knowing what the next day holds or wat kind of day will it be?
I wish I can leave work and b home with him full time! But I can't financially and emotionally wouldn't b wise either! It would mean I would b even more involved and more anxious!
Tried to look for support groups in my area Thot maybe different views will help! To try different things! But no luck!
if anyone has any suggestions or ideas would b a grt help! Thank u

6 replies

1 - 6 of 6

In response to: teenage son with undiagnosed ocd with poor insight

-karma-Senior Contributor25 Apr 2016, 8:33 pm AEST

Re: teenage son with undiagnosed ocd with poor insight

Welcome to the forums @Diamond

it must be so difficult for you to watch things transpiring before your eyes, sad

You point out some really important things in your post...

there has been a recent stressor (r'ship break down), marked changes in demeanour, possible illusions of grandeur (a very common theme in which people think they are famous, chosen, or even God themselves), family history, not eating or attending school.

Can I suggest you call the crisis assessment team (CATT) and mention the above information and his age. It may be possible for them to do an assessment of him at home after speaking to you/him. Read more about it here;

https://www.sane.org/mental-health-and-illness/facts-and-guides/dealing-with-crisis

Alternatively there are other options, (apologies if you have already tried these):

Headspace is a youth specific mental health organisation throughout Australia

http://headspace.org.au/headspace-centres/

Would he attend a GP with you, or even have the home doctor (through medicare) visit him?

http://www.homedoctor.com.au/

I hear you are concerned and rightly so!

Please let us know how you get on.

Regards

In response to: teenage son with undiagnosed ocd with poor insight

DiamondSenior Contributor25 Apr 2016, 9:01 pm AEST

Re: teenage son with undiagnosed ocd with poor insight

Thank u soooo much for ur reply! I will give that a try! Just a little worried that my son will reject me even more for doing this! But now I'm willing to take the chance in order to help!
Thank u soooo much again I will keep u posted with the results!

In response to: Re: teenage son with undiagnosed ocd with poor insight

CherryBombSenior Contributor29 Apr 2016, 12:36 pm AEST

Re: teenage son with undiagnosed ocd with poor insight

Hi @Diamond,

Just wanted to touch base? Did you get in contact with the services that @-karma- provided links?

I also wonder if @Janna and @Louise might be able to provide some advice here. They both care for adult sons who have a mental illness, which they've written about here. You might like to contribute to that discussion

Thinking of you and your son. Hope things are improving.

In response to: teenage son with undiagnosed ocd with poor insight

DiamondSenior Contributor29 Apr 2016, 1:27 pm AEST

Re: teenage son with undiagnosed ocd with poor insight

Hi @CherryBomb
thank u for thinking of us:)
The psychiatrist that my son saw once called and suggested to organize the crisis assessment team to call me and book an app for my son!
He was also going to help me out with sum pointers of how to best deal with my son and not to help feed his anxiety! This is the challenge because he is happy to just b left alone doing his thing which is going to school, church and his room!
And whenever I attempt to talk to him he gets agitated goes into his room and completely block me out!
Dr suggested to call ambulance if my son doesn't agree to go for app on the day!
I am struggling with that idea?
Really worried I might cause him more hurt than help him?
Any Thot on that plz?
Iam still struggling with the fact that this is happening with him? Grt Shock no warning at all? Omg unbelievable change its sooooooo sad:(

In response to: Re: teenage son with undiagnosed ocd with poor insight

Unknown userMember01 Aug 2017, 11:08 am AEST

Re: teenage son with undiagnosed ocd with poor insight

Hello @Diamond

This Topic Tuesday we are fortunate enough to have SANE Australia Speaker Tim join us.

During this session Tim will share his experiences of living with OCD and give you insight into what your loved one may be faced with.

Join us from 7pm, tonight August 1st to ask questions, get information and gain insight into OCD.

The link to the discussion is here : https://saneforums.org/t5/Special-Events/Topic-Tuesday-OCD-from-an-insiders-perspective-1-Aug-7pm-AEST/td-p/223292

Lunar 🙂

In response to: teenage son with undiagnosed ocd with poor insight

ThomsonCasual Contributor20 Sept 2017, 6:57 pm AEST

Re: teenage son with undiagnosed ocd with poor insight

I'm new too to site. Your story was so close to mine I was hurting for you . My daughter was becoming so aggressive towards me that she went to mums house to stay but now she sleeps there in her clothes , has hunger strikes from 8-27 hours on and off. Hates me with a vengeance that my face is a trigger if I visit . Cant shower regularly ,now awake till 2 am ?
I'm plugged iPhone 150 times one night . Needs repetition of words or sentences from husband over and over and over again till midnight when he twitches his phone off then she paces till 2-3? In the morning .
Are there inpatient OCD clinics in Aussie I'm from nz

1 - 6 of 6