17 years old constantly smiles at his own thoughts

[take10yearsofmylife]

Posting for traffic, I've got no where to go 😞

My son is 17, he used to be a happy, sociabl little boy before adolescent. Now he is constantly smiles at his own thoughts, it happens when his mind is not engaged with doing something like talking to people or playing games. It's like he is in a different world...

This becomes very problematic, he had a part time job working in a retail shop. Whenever he is not engaged, he starts to walk up and down and smiles at his own thoughts, he is like this at home everyday, otherwise he is a normal 17 years old. We are not able to change him because he is not aware of it when this happens... Unsurprisingly, the shop owner decided to 'let him go' shortly after, we were all extremely devastated as he really enjoyed it. I can't blame the shopkeeper neither because he does look crazy when it happens.

I really wanting to help him and CAMHS dismissed him. He had a few private psychologist sessions but they are totally useless to him, I guess because he is quite unusual...

I never seen anyone like him, not even on TV or internet search. He looks completely normal and able to socialising with people and strangers, but when his mind is not engaged, he walks into different world involuntary, he enjoys humours and giggles, I guess that is his fantasy world.

I don't really know what I am asking for.. I guess to see if anyone know anybody like my son?

Again, not saying any of us know enough to say the OP’s son has a diagnostic condition or not from the info given, but the fact it appears to be affecting his life is the key thing here. Almost all MI and ND behaviours are on a spectrum where most people experience them to a lesser degree. For example, almost everyone can feel overstimulated by sensory input or lack of sensory input or almost everyone can feel ecstatic for a few moments - or in this case grin and laugh to yourself, but if it interferes with daily life that tends to be the pointer there’s an issue. Almost all of us do laugh and smile to ourselves, but not to the extent we have lost a job.

I completely understand what you're going through. It’s incredibly difficult to watch your child navigate such tough times. Although it seems like they’re doing okay on the surface, those moments when everything feels overwhelming can be heartbreaking for us as parents. My teen is also experiencing similar challenges, and we’ve been on this journey for over a year now.

It all started due to verbal and emotional abuse from classmates at school, which we only learned about later. Once we discovered what was going on, we made the decision to change schools, but the effects linger on. My teen had been suffering in silence, and it’s painful to think about how alone they felt during that time.

During this challenging period, we’re relying on our faith in God and praying for their healing. Being there for our kids, guiding them, and providing them with love and support is our top priority. We’re exploring different activities like sports, daily workouts, and establishing a healthy sleep routine to help them cope. It’s not easy, but we’re committed to finding what works best for them.

I truly hope you can find a path to support your son as well. Sending you both my best wishes and strength during this time.