Hi. I'm new here. My 13 year old son has adhd/odd. I'm also lost and overwhelmed. When my son started on new drugs 6 months ago, I noticed a higher level of aggression. I've talked to his psychiatrist and psychologist. They said to keep the dosage the same and chatted with him a few times, then out the door we went. Visits seemed rushed and feels like no real help ever happens and this goes on for years. It's a vicious cycle that leads to nowhere. I also learned to read the fine print in psych meds because some doctors fail to point out that the drugs may cause symptoms to aggravate mood disorders furthersuch as aggression or suicidal thoughts. I have 3 fist holes in my home. Father had to pin him down a few times because he became uncontrollable. He also threatened to grab the kitchen knife and hurt himself and us. It's so emotionally draining to have to deal with daily drama. Just last month, two weeks before school was out, he threatened a teacher. The Ambulance went to school to escort him to the hospital but he was too agitated so the cops took over instead and brought him to the hospital. A lot of times I go to work feeling like a zombie because I stress out about the future. It feels like there's no hope. I'm so glad I found this site. I can relate to a lot of the issues here and it helps make my day go a little better because I know that I'm not alone. We stumbled across something called Neurofeedback and will be taking our son to his first session in 2 weeks. I'm skeptical as to whether it will work but we're desperate.

Kadens, is your son on meds? Some of these meds can actually worsen symptoms or actually cause new/bad ones. Please read the fine prints. I learned this the hard way and realized that his meds could in fact worsen certain behavoies. Many psych drugs have a lot of negative side effects. I hope this helps and thank you for sharing your story. Aloha

Very similar to my son. Are you in the UK? My son always tells me he wants to kill himself if I tell him off or he goes the opposite way shouting you don't love me to pull at my heart strings. You say you had your son admitted? Where? My son don't sleep so is medicated daily for his conditions then nightly for his sleep disorder but by 1am he is awake again and stays awake for at least 3 hours, we then have to get up at 7am so I can get all 3 kids fed, dressed and ready for school. Im now 30 but have bags under my eyes making me look 40

Hi Caroline. I'm so sorry. You must be so stressed. I can hardly take care of my one and only son, let alone 3 kids like you. I admire you. My son takes risperidone at bedtime because it was making him too sleepy during the day. No, i'm not in UK. After his altercation at school, he went to the community hospital for a few hours. Sounds like your son isn't getting enough sleep which probably makes him even more crabby and on edge. Is it Ritalin that's making him insomniac? My son used to take Ritalin but he wasn't eating and sleeping. It made him zombie-like so we stopped it. He's now on Strattera and Fluoxetine (Prozac) for about 6 months now and I believe his aggression and suicidal thoughts are from these drugs. Please read the fine print of these drugs--there are many negative side effects. I want him to stop or at least reduce these drugs so i'm gonna try him on neurofeedback. It's pricey but at this point, i'm desperate... I hope you find some kind of solution soon. Please take care of youself.

My son was taking Adderall but his doc recently took him off saying it was the reason for his anger & suicidal thoughts. It was causing him to hear voices. He's taking Abilify and Zoloft now. I will read the fine print on the medicine's he is taking. Thank you for the advice. I also have been told about natural oils to try. I'm am fixing to do my research on the oils to see what it's all about.

I am sorry to hear this. My daughter ended up being hospitalized due to voices caused by Vyvanse last year right before Christmas. She never told me what they said. She said I did not want to know. Her psychiatrist told me the same. It was heartbreaking to admit her and not know if she would be home before Christmas. The psychiatrist at the hospital had completely different opinions than her treating psychiatrist. She is about to be 17. This all started around the same time she started her menstrual cycle. She self harms, had a suicide attempt, she has BiPolar, ADHD, Major Depression Severe with Psychosis 1 Episode to date, Social Phobia and Generalized Anxiety. I am a single parent with a 13 year old son. I want to find a doctor that will look into hormone levels as well as psychiatric care but doctors do not confer with one another. I feel perhaps a lot of this could be treated naturally. I am fixing to loose it myself and it is hard to work full time and deal with doctors and medications and try to be a supportive parent, but push her at the same time so she can live an independent life one day. I pray a solution / cure will come. I pray for understanding and wisdom. I spend most nights researching, because doctors just want to patch it all with a pill. I do know that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Neuro Feedback is a tremendous tool if you can find the right therapist that is well credentialed. My daughter takes Adderall and without it, she cannot do the simplest of tasks or retain anything. She does not take it when out of school, because she doesn't want to get addicted. She's tried other non-stimulant medications, and they just don't work for her. I am looking into Magnesium, Vitamin B's (Niacin to be exact), as well as Zinc and Selenium. All are to be very beneficial in the treatment of mental illness. However, if you mention this to an MD, PsyD or other they disregard it, because pharmaceutical America runs the world! Has anyone had success with natural processes's?

Hey there. It's a pretty late reply but I hope things have gotten better since your original post. You are NOT alone. My eight year old cried for an hour about our nightly routine. He has ADHD and ODD which he was diagnosed with about 6 months ago. He has good and bad days but the meltdowns are unreal though their not everyday. He hates being redirected and thinks the world is his and we're all just in it. This made it very hard for school and home life. As of now he's a little better but we continue to pray we'll guide him on the right path.

Yes yes yes! This is exactly our story too! Only difference is that ours is always worse at night. Not that days are good, but night is unbelievably bad.

mandy1110....You asked if anyone has had any luck with the natural process. YES!!! We have. My daughter is 10...ODD and when I asked our behavioral therapist about a mood stabilizer, she disagreed so I started my own research of natural solutions. I WAS DESPERATE!!! I found GABA and it has CHANGED OUR LIVES! Our bodies actually make GABA. It help slow down the neurotrnasmitters from firing so rapidly. My daughter used to be mad at the world and always on the defense and very irrational. The slightest bump and we all felt her wrath. She started GABA in November and she is a different kid. It knocks off the edge for here and she says it helps her feel happier....I think it's because she's calmer on the inside. You have got to try it. It's cheap,...it's natural,,,our bodies already make it. Do your own research....I'm telling you! It's changed our lives and given me my daughter back! It's not perfect....but my God....We won't go another day without it.