I am a 28 year old single parent to an 8 year old child with Aspergers syndrome and ADD. I’ve been floating above surface level for the last 2 school years with my child just barely managing to deal with everything. Work, school, work, school, appointments, therapy and so on and so on and so on. but the amount of progress has been so minimilistic as far as the growth of my son. We’ve basically run around with band-aids patching things up and getting him through. The only thing we’ve ever attempted to treat was ADD and how was that done? With something I hate. Medication but it worked right? So that means its good?
Until you notice your child eats much more when hes not on the medication. Until his pediatrician points out that he hasn’t gained weight in a year. But why wasn’t the psychiatrist concerned with these things? Why on earth would he keep prescribing things that are hurting my child? And why was I so foolish to listen to the people advocating medication and talking about how much better he was doing while on them.
Band aids are not enough. I realize that now. There are things I’m unable to do; one of which is this major issue with keeping everything private and not talking about things with people who know me IRL. I mock individuals on facebook that have more nerve than I to share events that are occurring in their lives with people; I dismiss it all as attempts to get attention. But, during my travels and dealings I’ve realized that maybe that’s what I lack. The ability to admit openly that there’s a problem and it needs to be addressed and worked on. Isn’t that one of the major steps in treatment for addictions?
Is it as simple as that? Admitting that alone we are powerless we need help but I’m not talking about prayer, unicorn blood or gods. I’m not talking about welfare and Disability checks. I’m talking about managing, coping, dealing, learning and growing. Being guided, inspired, taught and supported.
Maybe there’s more than donuts and coffee at those support groups….
