Dear sisterhood,
I don't know what to do, I feel as though I have failed as a parent.
My child came to me last night and asked me what would the effect be if she had large amounts of her medication. I quickly asked why? She didn't respond, I kept quizzing her until she burst into tears and said she's all all of it. A whole new blister pack! I freaked out and took her straight into the emergency department. She's been monitored all night, but the peak of the medication as passed with luckily not too much damage.
Where do I go from here? In the car she kept saying she didn't want to be here any more, she was a waste of space. My daughter suffers from anxiety and she's a real introvert. I take her to see a psychologist monthly, she's just too busy to be able to get in more regularly, but she's the only lady my child trusts so we can't go elsewhere. We are waiting for a medical clearance before the mental health team can come to assess her. I am just at a loss of what to do. How do I help her? This is a cry for help but I'm lost.
5 Replies
Oh no mummy, MASSIVE HUGS! You have not failed as a parent at all. If only we were mind readers or knew what was going through their minds. That is great she has come to you for support and you're able to help her before it's too late. She must really love and trust you.
The best part is that she couldn't follow through with the attempt. She made a brash decision and immediately panicked. She is in the best place now (the hospital) and they'll be able to help guide you on where to go from here. Make sure you let your daughter know that you do not judge her, you love her and you are always here for her. She may not be ready to open up about what is going on and she may never feel confident enough to tell you everything, but just be there for her whenever she needs.
Don't ask too many questions about why she did what she did, try and move forward about how you can help her (let her guide you also!).
Do you have someone you can talk to as well? This is a really big thing and you don't need to do this alone. Make sure you have a psychologist of your own to talk to and a family or friend who can be there for you when you need a shoulder to cry on.
Again, huge hugs.
How scary and heart breaking got you.
Mental illness is real and it's not a parenting failure..
The mental health care team will give you some instructions.
Your daughter may need a psychiatrist as well as a psychologist.
It might be a good idea to take charge of your daughters meds for a period of time. My doctor would only allow the pharmacist to give me enough meds (3 days worth) so I couldn't over dose.
My son has a specialist medication dispenser that only allows him access to the days dose. Available from TabTimer.
Hi IM, I don't know if I'll be able to give much advice but I first started overdosing at 13 as well. I ended up spending time in the mental health ward which I can tell you was quite a wake up call for me to see other people with mental illnesses so serious they couldn't even leave their beds :(. It didn't stop me from overdosing but it left a fear in me to not want to end up back there in that state. I would suggest making her psychologist appointments more frequently even if she has to miss school. I went weekly, during school time as that was the only time my Dr was available & if I missed an appointment then my mood would rapidly change. Also, I didn't want to talk about my dark feelings or why I was doing it to my mother but knowing she was there for me without getting angry at me for overdosing or cutting myself gave me a comforting feeling amongst all the hate, anger and hurt. Please don't get angry at her, it will only make her feel worse and want to do it again. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. It's just really hard to find when you are in such a dark place but as long as she's getting out of bed each day then she's making an effort to try. I am now 26, I have an amazing partner and a beautiful child. I still sometimes get overwhelmed with that dark feeling but I could never ever even consider leaving my son or letting him grow up without his mum. I really hope that she finds something or someone special to give her the determination and love to keep pushing forward x
This happened to me late last year
My daughter tried to overdose on pills, same thing she didn't want to be here anymore
My advice is calmly talk to her and organise counseling sessions with headspace or something alike
That's the first step
It's a long road but now my daughter feels bad about it and we hug each other a little tighter
Big hugs and you two will get thru it day by day
Surely the psychologist will see her immediately considering the circumstances. Call them and tell them what's happening