Hi all
I’ve just had an explosive row with my 17 year old DD and I’m just at a loss as what to do next. For background she is diagnosed ADHD. She cannot take beds as they did not agree with her so life is hard for her at times especially with focus. Her moods are very up and down, she has quite bad anxiety and though she does very well in sixth form her anxiety surrounding her exams and work load is unreal. So last week she had a bit of a breakdown the night before an exam and I sat with her all night and we chatted, I told her she doesn’t have to go to university, she can do a gap year or get a job if the pressure of studying is too much. She recognised she can’t carry on the way she is and felt better that the university pressure was taken away. So I have suggested therapy so many times over the past couple of years but she’d always dig her heels in and refuse. This time however she agreed. But tonight she’s now saying that she never agreed and is point blank refusing to go. We are in a very fortunate position to pay for private therapy to get her help as soon as possible but she’s saying she won’t go.
She’s miserable every day, has started making superficial cuts to her arms which I’m worried over time will not be so superficial.
I have literally no clue what to do next… let her keep cutting, struggling, being depressed?
Blackmail her into therapy?
If I force her she probably just wouldn't talk in the session so it would be pointless.
Parenting teens is so hard!!