How do I deal with a delusional teenager?

[Nane1]

My 13yr old daughter appears happpy and confident with some very close friends that she's had for a while. I made the mistake of reading my her diary... . In it, she says how lonely she is, how she'd be better off dead, that no-one loves her bar her hamster, and she has made up stories in there about us that are so obviously not true but I think she genuinely believes them. I know I shouldn't have read her diary but I'm really shocked and now don't know how to deal with this. Is this normal? Any advice...?

Yes it's normal. Certainly how i felt as a teenager. Naughty mum for reading it though but i am not sure i could have resisted either!

Diaries tend to be a place for young girls to write fantasy rather than reality in. Reality is dull. I would be concerned about the thinking she was better off dead but I am sure it's just something she's written in a grump, not how she feels day in day out.

Maybe talk to her, ask her how she's feeling but for God's sake never admit to reading her diary. She'll feel humilliated and angry.

It is very normal for a teenager. It is also normal for them to tell you all sorts of insane nonsense that you have done (which you haven't) and shout and slam doors and leave you looking like this

prime example in our house this week:

"you are always hiding my text books"

"what you mean this one on your desk."

"you just put it there while i wasn't looking didn't you"

[cue hoopy backing slowly away muttering things about insanity and PMT]

don't read the diary again it will only distress you it is for her own private rantings

you know the worst PMT you have ever felt in your life?

this is her life. And then, she gets PMT on top of it!