Joining support groups
This morning I am joining support groups online in the hope of finding some kind of support. Especially in the area of Zack, I'm at wits end with the situation. Nothing is working with him, and its exacerbating my own depression and anxiety issues to the point that I can't cope.
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I hope you'll let me know what you find, Deb.
I miss live support more than I can say. I've felt potential for on-line support for all of my half-century computer career, but I never saw it as a full replacement for human contact. An emotional vitamin supplement and no more.
GIVE ME REAL FOOD! ! !
Screamed by a woman who doesn't much care for eating. . .
There is almost no live counseling or psychiatric treatment available near where I live. I do have a therapist, and we can do live or video, but she is only available about once per month. Last night I stumbled across "Cerebral Online", and it seems to be an affordable online option (that my insurance may even reimburse) for both counseling and psychiatric care....I signed up for a trial run, my first appointment is Monday morning.
I just know that my primary care doc isn't comfortable changing or prescribing (even my current) psych meds, and something needs to change.
I'm okay with the whole "virtual" thing, as long as they are having me monitor things like my blood pressure and report it, and as long as they really are addressing the issues at hand. Of course there's always the fact that I haven't had a lot of luck with "in person" treatment, and when I have been having any success that Dr or counselor has always left soon after to go some where else, so I end up back on the merry go round. None of them ever seem inclined to follow the treatment plan or medication regimen laid out by another.
So, wish me luck......
Thanks, Deb. I have pretty much given up, but am taking heart in your hopes. I have hearing issues that make all the televised options problematic for me. None of the VR options I've looked into have the closed captioning I need to watch TV. Even live, it's hard to decipher the mask mumble. I never knew how much I relied on lip reading until it became illegal.
Wishing you loads of luck and appreciation for sharing your efforts.
Hope springs eternal.
My "visit" with Cerebral went pretty well for a remote visit. She asked a ton of questions and actually took the time to listen to and respond to the answers. We mutually decided upon a medicine change based on symptoms, side effects and desired outcome, the meds should be arriving in the next day or so. However, I still feel as though I need someone "local", so I am still exploring those options. The nearest I've found is something like 75 miles away, that I'm willing to work with. There is an option about 45 miles away, however I've had dealings with them with my GS and it did not go well. The drawbacks of living in a remote area. My son and I are working out getting me a truck to drive, so that I wont have to rely on medical transportation to get to appointments, or my daughter/friends to go shopping, while they are out of town for work. And I am trying to get my license situation straightened out with VA, I've even emailed the Governor in desperation, as it seems I can't make any progress with the DMV. My license was not suspended over any kind of traffic violation, so there is no logical reason that I should be forced to take an in person safety (drug and alcohol) class that will cost me $300., especially since I held a CDL for 20 years with no accidents or tickets of any kind. I could teach their class and still have information left over. Further the court record does not reflect that my license should have ever been suspended in the first place nor that I should have to take this class, as DMV states. But that's VA for ya, make up the rules as they go along and make things as difficult as possible for people who are trying their damnedest just to get by.
In the meantime, things with the GS improved for a few days. Now he's lying to me and telling me he has completed his school work when he hasn't (like I can't find out), and then threw a MAJOR fit last night when I wouldn't allow him to play Xbox, because of the school issue. We had the whole kicking and screaming and hitting himself meltdown. So, I took his phone as well. He was left with his books to read or the TV. This of course makes me the most vile human on earth, because he doesn't deserve such treatment, because to his mind, he's done nothing wrong. Apparently there shouldn't be any consequences for his actions. But that's the way he was raised between the ages of birth to 8 years old. He hadn't had any teaching of proper behavior or consequences. He was allowed to do as he pleased as long as it didn't interfere with her getting high/drunk and doing absolutely nothing for her kids. If he made a mess or started a fire (due to lack of supervision) then he got beat up. Or if his little brothers did. They spent most of their time locked in a bedroom, and according to him, there were times she locked him in a dog cage. Some way to raise him. I get entirely too angry when I think about it.
Ok, so yesterday, my grand received an email from his English teacher.... in this email she told him that there was only 1 assignment (the final project) remaining for the year, and that she had posted what his final grade would be, if he did not complete this project, so that he would know if it was even necessary to do the work!!! His grade is an acceptable 89.75, however, I feel that he should complete the final project and bring his grade up those few extra points and not take "short cuts". I have struggled all year with the remote learning and his ADHD, to get his work accomplished to the best of his ability, and he has had the best grades of any year of school. He needs the boost in confidence and self esteem that he has gotten by attaining this success this year. Needless to say, this teacher got an email from me asking why on earth she would send such an email. Her response, "she was directed to do so by her director". What the hell are these people thinking???