My 8 year old DS has been struggling for a little bit over a year now. Started having a really hard time after his new baby brother was born (he also has another younger brother too.) . he adored the new baby and still does but became increasingly angry and self hating. He would have huge meltdowns and say how he hated himself, nobody liked him, that he wanted to die etc and having huge raging raging arguments with his middle brother. He was also pretty irritable when not having meltdowns and really hated school and kept saying he had no friends there.
We took him to a therapist, who he has been seeing for nearly a year now and he is better than he was for sure- fewer meltdowns, less irritability. But he still has these meltdowns about once or twice a month where he says he wants to die/ that he wants us to kill him etc. When I talk to him about it when he is calm he says he doesn't mean it, but he also just doesn't seem himself. He has become an incredibly fussy eater and often seems almost disgusted by food and can't eat things that he used to like. He is still incredibly anxious and upset about school (even though academically he does very well) . He also has huge meltdowns about homework and even though the work is easy for him, it's like he physically cannot concentrate and just loses it when we try to make him do it. He is also a lot more fidgety than he used to be and finds it hard to concentrate on one thing- eg Lego that he used to be able to do for hours. His therapist says she doesn't think he has anything seriously wrong with him- eg a mood disorder/ depression/ autism etc and that these are just big feelings in a sensitive kid. But I just don't think that is quite right. Surely this can't be normal? I have looked at the diagnostic criteria for childhood depression online and he seems to have a lot of the symptoms.
On the positive side he still has lots of things he enjoys/ looks forward to- eg his sport which he is really passionate about, reading (can get really immersed in certain series of books that he likes and read for hours. He enjoys his afterschool activities and weekends and still has his sense of humour. He definitely doesn't fit the profile of someone who is so depressed they can;t function/ get out of bed.
We are going to see a new therapist this week but I am so scared that this will be a lifelong thing for him. I feel like such a terrible mother that my 8 year old feels this way. FWIW he gets lots of one on one attention/ playing with us/ listening time etc although it's not always easy with 2 other little boys including a baby so maybe he does feel very pushed out.
Has anyone experienced anything similar? Is there any hope? is this treatable?? I am so devastated by it all. thank you.
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Child mental health
8 year old DS depression?? Please help
5 replies
beclev24 · 06/05/2019 20:54
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