Depression Support Group
Depression is a real and debilitating condition that is often misunderstood by family and friends. Its meaning can range from a prolonged period of sadness to an actual mental illness with specific symptoms. Find and share experiences with others who are going through the same struggles.
It has been 2 years since my grandaughter has come to live with get a me. I've been through one hell of alot. Last spring the school called for a "risk assessment" to find out if she was dangerous to be around other children. Her therapist at the time used the incident at the school to try to blackmail me into signing P up for an intensive, inhouse program which I'd already decided against, and I had to have a psychological profile done of the girl, now 9 years old, in order to determine why her behavior was so bad.
Turns out the girl has a depressive disorder which she externalizes as agression when she feels she needs to defend herself. While the risk assessor for the school department was great, the principal of the school has not. During this risk assessment several appalling things came to light that had been kept from me.
When I look back over the last 2 years with my girl, I can see the pattern more clearly, and alot of the problems I've had with her at home were because of mistreatment at the school. Mistreatment by the principal, who feels that 9 year olds should be isolated whenever they cause the slightest disruption - after they have been screamed at and publically humiliated.
My girl loves school, yet begged me to bring her back to her old school (in which she did not get into trouble all the time), and her old life, which I took her away from when I gained custody of her. She was nearly unmanagable for months and I didn't know why. A year later I find out that the school principal sat her down in front of her entire class so that each one of them could tell her how mean she had been to them.
I've been in this town for 3 years, and I haven't made any friends, cannot find a job, and cannot seem to find a way to support myself without one. I have run into more arrogant, lazy, thoughtless people in positions of authority than any small town deserves to have.
I am devestatingly lonely and depressed, and still feel the need to start my life over, which is why I moved here in the first place. But I cannot seem to get started!
I'm going to the doctor's office to discuss this with her, and I hope that there is some help that I can get to deal with this and move on. Unfortunately, I am beginning to get the feeling that "moving on" might mean "moving out", and leaving behind my dream of having a shop of my own and a self-sufficient life.
Turns out the girl has a depressive disorder which she externalizes as agression when she feels she needs to defend herself. While the risk assessor for the school department was great, the principal of the school has not. During this risk assessment several appalling things came to light that had been kept from me.
When I look back over the last 2 years with my girl, I can see the pattern more clearly, and alot of the problems I've had with her at home were because of mistreatment at the school. Mistreatment by the principal, who feels that 9 year olds should be isolated whenever they cause the slightest disruption - after they have been screamed at and publically humiliated.
My girl loves school, yet begged me to bring her back to her old school (in which she did not get into trouble all the time), and her old life, which I took her away from when I gained custody of her. She was nearly unmanagable for months and I didn't know why. A year later I find out that the school principal sat her down in front of her entire class so that each one of them could tell her how mean she had been to them.
I've been in this town for 3 years, and I haven't made any friends, cannot find a job, and cannot seem to find a way to support myself without one. I have run into more arrogant, lazy, thoughtless people in positions of authority than any small town deserves to have.
I am devestatingly lonely and depressed, and still feel the need to start my life over, which is why I moved here in the first place. But I cannot seem to get started!
I'm going to the doctor's office to discuss this with her, and I hope that there is some help that I can get to deal with this and move on. Unfortunately, I am beginning to get the feeling that "moving on" might mean "moving out", and leaving behind my dream of having a shop of my own and a self-sufficient life.
If I went back to RI, I would have to find a place to stay until I get a job and find an apartment, and there is nowhere. My mother has room, but living with her is not feasable because just staying with her for 3 days disturbed me so much that I know it is not an option.
RI is also deeply into the depression now, and jobs are being lost all over. At 52, with no degree, the competition for jobs is difficult (at best). When I lost my job at Fleet it took me almost a year to find another good job, and I had difficulty, because of my depression, dealing with the social aspects at my new place of work.
To make a long story short (too late, I think) I think that it has become necessary to move, but I cannot figure how to pull it off. I'm running out of resources.
Thank you for your help, guys, it helps to know that somebody cares!
Remember to be strong. If necessary get a childs advocate to help you. As P's primary support person the school can use so much "lingo" that you may not understand or may overwhelm you and an advocate is a great middle person who is not emotionally connected.
Oh, and advocates do not and should not cost anything. Because you are looking out for the wellbeing of a minor.
I hope this helps some.