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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

What to do about bullying adult child of DP

53 replies

bagface · 05/05/2015 11:20

My dp was absent for many years of his son's upbringing due to his own problems but for the last 10 years has been present and involved in the lives of all his children. His eldest son (lets call him Peter) is 26 years old and lives with his father, his grandmother (80 suffering from early dementia) and his half sister (19).

In the two years I have been with my partner (I live in my own house and my dp stays with me much of the time) the family have been through hard times with the death by suicide of dp's other daughter (23) (sister of Peter) a year ago leaving two dgcs with no mother. Peter refused to attend the funeral.

DPs son is bullying his grandmother and father and anyone who comes into contact with him. For years he did not work, he stayed in his room playing computer games and drawing dole and when that stopped because he was forced into a work or no dole scheme he suddenly got a job- working nights in a warehouse 24 miles away for which he demands lifts (his f has no car, he borrows mine).

He comes in from work and goes to bed and when he gets up he wanders around the house declaring it to be filthy and disgusting, he does no cleaning or tidying and finds excuses not to pay his dad the £20 per week he asks for towards bills. He swears at his father and calls him a freak and demands that his dad goes out to buy food or cigarettes for him and his father goes and shops for him. Peter will not go to shops or on buses or leave the house except for work. He wont have a bank account because he lost his passport and wont pay for a new one so he uses an account of his father's. He refuses to come down for meals insisting that they are brought to him in his room and rarely sees anyone outside but sometimes will go out with friends and when he does he gets so drunk that he ends up in fights and with losses of memory.

The family are at a loss to know what to do. Peter will not talk about anything so suggesting to sit and discuss anything will result in a rant, swearing and him retreating to his room. His dad is scared that he will also kill himself if he tries any kind of tough love. I keep my mouth shut but I can see how unpleasant it all is and when my partner and I discuss it we are at a loss to know what to do.

I think there is a personality disorder present in the son but how does this type of thing get diagnosed or helped if the person with the problem does not think they have a problem and everyone is so scared of him that they continue to allow him to rule the household. How can mental health services be sorted for someone in a situation like this? I am not sure if this should be in mental health or here but I know its affecting my relationship with dp who is struggling with what to do for his mother and daughter as well as his son.

OP posts:
springydaffs · 09/05/2015 11:28

All very well but dp's daughter killed herself. Peters sister. That leaves a savage wound on all those left behind, particularly a parent

It's very probably why do is cowed and terrified to cross Peter for fear it could happen again.

I feel for your dp in this op. I can't imagine the agony of losing a child in this way. Yy 'tough love' is definitely necessary but dp is going to need significant (ie professional) support to work his way towards it.

bagface · 10/05/2015 21:18

Today we have had a conversation where dp discussed going himself to see a psychologist to see if he can get any help with tactics to get Peter to see his gp or a therapist and in the long term to family therapy with dp.

Springy, thanks for your last posting, you clearly do understand the deep sorrow and pain there is in that family, I really appreciate you coming back to show understanding for how difficult tough love is to do for dp. He tried tough love with his daughter but she carried out her ultimate threat, he really though that if he could get her to NA (she was a drug addict) she would be on the right road, but it was too late, she hanged herself.

Tough love here needs to be done carefully and in a thoughtful, consistent and considered way, dp needs help to do this. I have stopped offering any suggestions other than "please get professional help, start with you".

OP posts:
Lurgano · 15/05/2015 15:41

bagface - you have done your very best in the most horrific of situations - i wish you all well.

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