Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) Support Group

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) an ongoing pattern of disobedient, hostile, and defiant behavior toward authority figures that goes beyond the bounds of normal childhood behavior. When a child cannot seem to control his anger or frustration, even over what seems to be trivial or simple to others, the child will often react in violent or negative ways to his own...

1,201 Members
1,683 Posts
0 Online
Children's Mental Health
/ Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) Support Group

Animal Cruelty

Parent_Zero
Parent_Zero

Hi, I'm new here, and I feel so alone. My 10-yr-old stepson has ODD and ADHD, but he seems pretty atypical; he has a sunny nature, never raises his voice in anger, and he's extremely passive. BUT. . .he lies constantly, and I mean CONSTANTLY, and about things that don't even make sense, and he's horribly cruel to animals. I'm so ashamed to admit that, but it's true. We have kept our cats locked away from him for two years, which is ridiculous unless you know that he is constantly abusing and killing animals at his mom's house, and he crushed one of our cats so badly that she limped for days and didn't jump on things for weeks. He has no empathy, a fairly low IQ (lots of academic problems), and sometimes he scares me to death. He's been violent with kids and other adults, though not at our house. . .yet. He has a psychiatrist and a therapist, but neither of them (or his previous team) seem to take his behavior very seriously. His mom thinks we're overreacting. It's like we're the crazy ones. Do any of you relate? 

deedeebee
deedeebee
I think that animal cruelty is definitely a major cause for concern. This article might be helpful:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-human-equation/201104/children-who-are-cruel-animals-when-worry

I hope this helps. Take care of yourself.
Parent_Zero
Parent_Zero
Thank you, deedeebee: that was better information than I've gotten from the therapists, and a lot of food for thought. I can definitely identify Mood Enhancement and Vehicle for Emotional Abuse (he threatens to hurt his sister's dog if she doesn't do what he says) as his motivations, but the statistic about animal abusers having witnessed abuse themselves really makes me worry. That certainly hasn't happened at our house, but what if he's Identifying with Child's Abuser? And what if he's Rehearsing?

I'm glad we've already done the right thing by getting him professional help, but it doesn't seem like enough.
oddmom
oddmom
I have been researching ways to help my 7 year old and came across this blog. I ordered everything she recommends. Gonna give it a try when it all comes in. Read her whole story with her son Camden.

http://www.thefamilythathealstogether.com/pandas-syndrome-how-we-healed-it/