18 YO with MH problems has utterly ground me down.

[BoffinMum]

Been off MN for a while because of pressures of work. But in a bad way and needing the loving embrace of the MN massive.

Some people on here may remember DS2 (now 18) who has had MH problems for six years, culminating most recently with a year spent in a CAMHS unit. DS2 was discharged from there in September 2018. He started sixth form college, was doing fine for a term, and has now relapsed. We have a meeting on Friday where they might well give him an ultimatum as he hasn't been in college for a month. I am dreading that. I don't know what the hell he could do next if he got kicked out, and indeed there is absolutely nothing he wants to do, apparently.

The strain is just awful. It's like having a dementor living in the bedroom across the hall, with all positivity sucked out of us all. I hate coming home and I hate evenings and weekends. He's frequently verbally and occasionally physically abusive. We're stranded between Child and Adult services, and while the GP has been nice and tried to tweak his medication, the reality is DS2 hasn't agreed to engage with other outside support, and just feels sorry for himself the whole time, taking it out on us and his siblings. He's also started binge drinking.

I have compassion fatigue and would quite like to go to bed and not wake up myself. Brexit stress isn't exactly helping matters.

[BoffinMum]

When they revived the Part 2 Cambridge Tripos in Plant Sciences a decade ago, a local unintended consequence was to end up with a lot of very skilled and motivated growers creating their own varieties. I am reliably informed 'Stephen Hawking Kush' is both the most politically incorrect and the strongest variety available locally. If the stuff ever becomes legal, South Cambridgeshire will absolutely clean up in the gourmet weed stakes.

[TheRollingCrone]

How's things @BoffinMum - sorry but I did laugh at South Cambridgeshire - maybe we won't have to rely on the sales of Kendal mint cake in the event of a no deal .

Hoping today has been better!

[BoffinMum]

Actually DS2 got up this afternoon and came down for a chat, then we went out for coffee and cake, then we chatted a bit more, and he's gone out to a drama club performance this evening. He was looking for a bit of advice about how to get himself out of his current hole and he was quietly receptive. So a bit better today. But I've emphasised that he needs to take control of this for himself if he wants to learn to manage his condition properly.

[BoffinMum]

I think we can do pretty well with MN Hawkin Kush brownies in the event of a disorderly withdrawal from the EU 😁

[TheRollingCrone]

Oh that does sound positive ( the chat & coffee - not hash cakes!). It's such a difficult age - they just get themselves stuck in a moment and everything is monumentally difficult to see clearly.

Baby steps - I'm so glad today was better

[BoffinMum]

It was so great to have a break from the gloom

[Tarrarra]

Glad you've had a bit of positivity. It does make life seem a bit less gloomy when you have a good day with them -)