Ten exhausting years trying to
understand anger, anxiety, defiance, and reclusiveness. What causes a brilliant adult son to
fail to launch so spectacularly? The answer came to us during a long car
ride. It provided relief. Of course, now it all makes sense. Followed by regret.
How did we miss it? Where do we go from here? Is it too late?
When I was a teacher and a parent would ask when their child would be "fixed" I'd cringe because I didn't know that answer. What I did tell them, especially when the child was especially smart, that someday the child would find something that really interested them and that would be the beginning of a good change. I was proven right in a few cases, but most of those kids moved on, or I did, before it happened.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found some answers at least, but it looks like you found some more questions.
I just want to applaud Dona's answer.
ReplyDeleteAs I told my daughter when she was diagnosed with celiac, I can't think of a better time to discover this than now, with so much information, understanding, and support out there. When my son's school brought up ADHD I chafed at the label because I think some "conditions" are just The Way Some People Are. But those labels make it a lot easier to do the research.
ReplyDeleteAnd I applaud both Dona's and Susan's answers. Your brilliant son made it through post-secondary education, so he's obviously capable and there's got to be a way forward. Hopefully it's just a matter of finding the right help for him.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone. Helen and I have a mutual friend whose daughter is profoundly affected by autism. Our challenges pale in comparison. We'll get there- It's just not a journey I realized we were on until recently. I don't know what people did before online support groups were a thing.
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