self mutilation | ADHD Information
I agree, if she's hurting herself rhondacty take her to a doctor. The therapist has his/her place, but see the psychiatrist. You need to figure out exactly what is going on.she has a Therapist and just seen the Phsychiatrist yesterday. He knows about it. He sees her again in two weeks. We all think it is her trying to express her anger and frustration. Because her anger is severe at times. And she will grab a pencil and I stopped her tonight. The Physch didn't mention yesterday why or what it could be. We did change her med's though, the phsychiatirst put her on Vyvanese , today was her first dosage at 30mg's. I hear this is the most potent medication, I only pray it doesn't make her anger worse. I'm a good mom and watching her closely. Thank God she has some positive role models in her life.
The kids are what got her angry tonight and I was trying to get her to do her homework and all the kids were out playing and she was very angry she couldn't be out with them. I think I will let her play first, since their all out when we arrive home. Basically waiting in the street. And about 6:00 call her in for finishing homework, bath, eat, etc.... Her peers are what set her off to do this. I wonder why she takes them so seriously. I mean the slightest transition too quickly or them saying something to her will set her off enormously. I have been so stressed tonight!!!
Also it cannot be the change of med's because before yesterday she had done it as well.my daughter has now twice tried to hurt herself, usually grabs a pencil to pound in her skin. The therapist is working with us to express her anger with scribbling on paper, or jumping on trampolene, or even swinging on a swing set (which we don't have yet). Has anyone else child expressed this type of behavior?
Her Therapist is aware of the first time she did it. But I will tell her she tried again this evening. PS we have a trampolene but not the swing set yet.
Am I alone on this???
SOunds like she needs to see a Psychiatrist ASAP, not a therapist. As a teen with ADHD I use to cut myself to escape the great amount of pain I was in. My parents were in their own world and didn't treat or care much and my dad beat me up all the time. I wanted someone to notice and love me and take away the pain. I only did this for a short time as I did recieve help after that. Today I am a sucessful mom with an ADHD child that is refusing meds. This scares me. I have been to hell and back and don't want him to go there.[QUOTE=spamula]As a teen with ADHD I use to cut myself to escape the great amount of pain I was in. My parents were in their own world and didn't treat or care much and my dad beat me up all the time. I wanted someone to notice and love me and take away the pain. I only did this for a short time as I did recieve help after that. Today I am a sucessful mom with an ADHD child that is refusing meds. This scares me. I have been to hell and back and don't want him to go there.[/QUOTE]
Thank you for the insight on this. I just wanted to know if anyone else has ever been there. I'm patient with her. I do spend extra time with with her to help her feel loved. But there are others in the family that do not. Like I said in the other posts on this subject, she is doing it because of the anger she feels towards others when they upset her, almost all the time her peers. I feel better that getting help for her now at almost age 8, that this will pass.
When my youngest was in the 3rd grade (prior to diagnosis and treatment of ADHD), she was so frustrated with school she developed anxiety and depression. She started scratching herself when really upset. For her it is anxiety that pushes her to do this (along with rage and run away). When we got the meds right, she experienced less issues at school, homework became a 30 minute chore not a 4 hour ordeal, she became happier and does not scratch or rage any more. Note that she is on guanfacine and risperdal to help with her issues as well. These were added for more effective control of aggression and anxiety and to give her full coverage for her needs. Everyone is different in thier needs and what works for them; the point is to find it which can be really hard. I have also worked hard giving her ways to express her frustration and working to deal with what frustrates her. She is learning to have more control over her world which helps alot.
So keep supporting her and keep working on the treatments until they are as effective as they can be. Coach her on how to better control her world and solve the problems that confront her. Basically be the mom you already are. It will get better.
[QUOTE=vickie]When my youngest was in the 3rd grade (prior to diagnosis and treatment of ADHD), she was so frustrated with school she developed anxiety and depression. She started scratching herself when really upset. For her it is anxiety that pushes her to do this (along with rage and run away). When we got the meds right, she experienced less issues at school, homework became a 30 minute chore not a 4 hour ordeal, she became happier and does not scratch or rage any more. Note that she is on guanfacine and risperdal to help with her issues as well. These were added for more effective control of aggression and anxiety and to give her full coverage for her needs. Everyone is different in thier needs and what works for them; the point is to find it which can be really hard. I have also worked hard giving her ways to express her frustration and working to deal with what frustrates her. She is learning to have more control over her world which helps alot.
So keep supporting her and keep working on the treatments until they are as effective as they can be. Coach her on how to better control her world and solve the problems that confront her. Basically be the mom you already are. It will get better.
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that sounds exactly like Brittney right now. We have church, Phsychiatrist, Therapist, and mommy. She will be ok. But it is tearing my heart to shreds
Brittney will pick her skin around her fingers too and also scratch like she is itching. How old is your daughter now, if I may ask?
My youngest is now 11 and in the 6th grade. Things hit crisis for us in the 3rd grade and have steadily gotten better with time (and treatment and support). She is no longer fighting with her dad much and they are playing games together; this is a huge contrast from them fighting over everything and calling me at work to settle the arguements-he was always the worst target for her.
One thing that used to help in the transition for homework was having her run the dog around for about 10 minutes before starting homework (she loves the dog). The exercise gets dopamine going and can ease stress and prepare the brain for work.
[QUOTE=rhondacty]Also it cannot be the change of med's because before yesterday she had done it as well. [/QUOTE]
It very well could be the med she was on BEFORE. My daughter was picking and scratching compulsively last year on Concerta. It took a while after she came off it for it to stop and it has not returned. She wasnt hurting herslef, nor is she even a little bit aggressive, but the picking and scratching she was doing. Give it some time on the new med, it may get better. I feel for you, that was one of the most heartbreaking times for me. I cried every night and rarely slept. It did pass, and we're in such a much better place this year.
Is your daughter being treated for anxiety? What was she on before the Vyvanse?
[QUOTE=Diane V][QUOTE=rhondacty]Also it cannot be the change of med's because before yesterday she had done it as well. [/QUOTE]
It very well could be the med she was on BEFORE. My daughter was picking and scratching compulsively last year on Concerta. It took a while after she came off it for it to stop and it has not returned. She wasnt hurting herslef, nor is she even a little bit aggressive, but the picking and scratching she was doing. Give it some time on the new med, it may get better. I feel for you, that was one of the most heartbreaking times for me. I cried every night and rarely slept. It did pass, and we're in such a much better place this year.
Is your daughter being treated for anxiety? What was she on before the Vyvanse?
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She was on the strattera for a month, then changed to Vyvanse. She has hulicinatins on Vyvanse, heard things and saw an evil clown when she closed her eyes she said. I know all these med's can make aggression worse, but it was worse last night on the Vyvanese. Phsych said take her off, don't give her anymore and Strattera only. She was doing good on Stratttera just it was wearing off too fast. We are doing 25mg's in the Am and a 10mg for when she gets home to get her through transition's and homework and routine. I have a strict routine, but she tends to get angry with that. She wanted to be outside playing and I called her in to study for her topic tests and that is what set her off last night to jab herself with a pencil.
i am just wondering what med your daughter is on now. my 6yo daughter had sever anger issues on the strattera. She also had hulicinatins, she would see spiders and bugs while on the strattera, she also had a very very low grade fever. she was a totally different person, she did not hurt herself, but would talk about running away and was very negative about herself. once we stopped the strattera, it took about 10 days for the negative side effects to completely stop.
we ended up taking her off everything till her personallity leveled off, before we started any new meds.
My son does a different form of mutilation, he picks at any little sore. It takes forever for the sores to heal. I often get looks from strangers like I am abusing him or mistreating him.
We live in Florida so I am just happy it winter and he is in long pants. Any scraps or sore can heal without him picking at them.
Sounds like things are getting better. 
wow Spamula I"m sorry to hear your parents were that way, that may be why you also cut yourself. I'm all up in my daughter, sometimes she wants to do things alone in her room, she loves that. Because I am always talking to her, she says I talk too much. But I ask her and interact with her daily. She is very much in my life and I'm NOT by any means in my own world. My girls are what I live for. Love much to you Spam.
i am just wondering what med your daughter is on now. my 6yo daughter had sever anger issues on the strattera. She also had hulicinatins, she would see spiders and bugs while on the strattera, she also had a very very low grade fever. she was a totally different person, she did not hurt herself, but would talk about running away and was very negative about herself. once we stopped the strattera, it took about 10 days for the negative side effects to completely stop.
we ended up taking her off everything till her personallity leveled off, before we started any new meds.
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She is on Stattera 25mg's. I am actually wondering if it is the side affects.
Today I found out that she said to an adult friend of ours, "You better stop or I will hurt you". This person is our neighbor and had taken some of the kids to see Santa. the neighbor got stressed , yelled a bit and all the kids were hyped a bit.
And that is when Brittney said that. If these mood swings don't stop I'm going to try all natural?
is she taking anything else (omegas, vit, etc)? we took our daughter off the strattera and tried focalin and now we are on vyvanse. my daughter is kind of stubborn and can be a bit emotional and moody. she has been on 1000 mg of epa for about 2.5 months along with other suppliments, and i think that has helped with her natural moodyness and a bit academically. we have just started 5htp, to hopefully help with her 'tude. i am keeping my fingers crossed. her doctor recomended possibly zoloft, (she also has a touch of ocd) but i would like to try every other thing before we go that route.
on a side note, my daughter was on the focalin and strattera combined for a little while also. initally not knowing what was making her so explosive, i stopped the focalin for a weekend and when it still didn't stop, it left only the strattera. also my daughter is about 44 lbs and was on 35 mg of stratters (a 25mg and a 10mg) i think that if the dosage is too high or too low you can also have negative side effects. 25 mg sounds like shemight be on the low end of the dosage for strattera?
One of the kids in our family was into self-mutilation, picking at sores, cutting up the bed sheets, being extremely destructive, etc...he was diagnosed by a Child Psych with Bipolar, ADHD, OCD, and anxiety isues. As the meds were/are adjusted on a monthly basis the self-mutilating stuff has ceased. since my first post on this on Dec. 11th, my daughter has NOT tried anymore of it. Giving her allot of love as usual but in fact more love than usual has helped. The Stattera is still working well. At first I wasn't sure, but seems to be good now that it is in it's full affect.My sister was a cutter. It seems that quite a few kids are these days....not sure why. My sister, who is now an adult, told me that she grew out of it and it was just a phase. There is always that possibility. But monitor closely and talk to her doctor about any changes.
I was bulimic in high school and first part of college. I seemed to outgrow that even though many "experts" say you can't. Religion is what did it for me. Just saying.......
twirly1
my 5 yr old son stabbed himself with a pencil 3 separate times at school. He said he just wanted to go home. He thought if he were hurt we would come and get him. He was frustrated w/always getting in trouble for behavior and thought he was a very bad boy. He was just looking for a way out. Since we started him on adderallxr we have not had any more incidents, thank GOD. His behavior has settled down and he seems much happier and even likes school again.I'm glad to hear things are going well now, with the meds change.
I know when Ty's meds are too low, he gets very angry, yelling, stomping feet, frowning and even whiney and crying easily. He also complains everyone is mean to him. But, we upped the meds and that goes away!
Getting the meds right is such a frustrating section of the ADHD path! It's an emotional rollercoaster for the parents, never mind the kids whose attitudes go up and down at the drop of a hat.
[QUOTE=edbson]SOunds like she needs to see a Psychiatrist ASAP, not a therapist. [/QUOTE]I agree with edbson hurting herself is saying there is something else going on besides ADHD and she needs help before it worsens. I also wonder can it be a side effect from her medication so check with the Pediatrician as well.
Brittney has not done anything anymore it was just those few times. I handled it at home with talking, spending more time, etc. She is also now on Concerta, not Strattera. Things are going very smoothly as of now!!