Friends, Family & Carers Forum

[Cp63]

Hi,I’m a newbie and am a little apprehensive at joining this forum but here goes.

Parenting a special needs child is beyond exhausting at times, especially supporting them from adolescence to adulthood.

My issue is how do you successfully support a young 21 yr old man who has ADHD, Autism level 2 and Social anxiety: understand the future challenges he will face in relation to his current paranoia diagnosis which is linked to his frequent marijuana use. He firmly believed it helped him relax so that he could communicate with his grandparents or talk to his peers. He believed it helped  him with focus, reduced his restlessness yet the reality is so different. Lack of motivation, irritability, disturbed sleep, super powers resulted in social isolation controlled by his internal voices in his head. 

ASD individuals are obsessed and become extremely fixated on ritualised behaviours therefore,  I would be interested in hearing from anyone in a similar situation.

@Cp63 

[RiverSeal]

Hey @Cp63, thank you for sharing your experiences with the Forums community!

It takes courage to be vulnerable and you have demonstrated your resilience and strength by reaching out to your peers. 

It can be challenging supporting someone who doesn't have insight into their own mental health issues. Sometimes all you can do is be there to support them and hold the light of hope that one day they will begin to recover. People have choice and control over their lives, and we can't make decisions for them as hard as it may be to witness them in need. 

Please stay connected with your peers on the Forums and I encourage you to share your thoughts and feelings. Also, there is support for carers: Home | Carer Gateway

Thank you again for sharing with the community!

Take care

RiverSeal