JustAnswer > Mental Health
Ask A Question|Register|Login|Help
JustAnswer

Mental Health

Ask a Mental Health Question, Get an Answer ASAP!

Have your own Mental Health question?

6 Mental Health Professionals are Online Now
characters left:
Not a Mental Health Question?
Bookmark and Share

Question

My daughter has been having thoughts of harming her children for about nine months. At first she just went to the doctor for difficulty sleeping and mild anxiety. Then, these terrible thoughts developed. She is on strong medication, and has had some relief, but now appears to be getting worse again. She is a wonderful mother and great person, and feels this is ruining her life. Please help if possible. Thank you.

Submitted: 68 days and 18 hours ago via HealthBoards.
Category: Mental Health
Value: $15
Status: AWAITING CUSTOMER ACTION
+
Read More

Optional Information

Gender: Female
Age: 36

Already Tried:
This is my daughter. She has tried counseling with a therapist. She is now working with a psychiatrist and is on geodon and a few other medications. As I stated, when she first went for help, she did not have these disturbing thoughts, she was just going for mild anxiety and problems falling asleep. In April or May she was admitted to the hospital, spent several days there, and went for full day workshops for two weeks as a follow up. She was feeling somewhat better, never completely, but now she seems to be relapsing. She is devestated by all of this, because she would never want to harm her children. She loves them dearly and is an outstanding mother. She says the thoughts are coming back and include everyone, not just her children. She has never had anything like this in her life. She fights this every day, she is a strong person, but I feel this is exhausting her physically and emotionally. Don't know where to turn. Could medication possibly be causing this? Or what else could do this to an ordinarily happy, good person? Thank you.

Posted by Nancy 68 days and 18 hours ago.

Answer

<p>Hi,</p><p> </p><p>You need to get her back into her psychiatrist AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. If she is not seeing a psychiatrist, get her in to one today or tomorrow. These thoughts are part of a psychotic process and progress... they get worse and worse.</p><p> </p><p>These thoughts will not go away on their own, they will continue to progress and you need to be aware that this often results in tragedy.</p><p> </p><p>She needs help as soon as you can possibly get her in to see someone - this is extremely dangerous and I don't want you to assume that since she hasn't harmed them as of yet - that she won't. ANYONE can harm their children under certain circumstances. </p><p> </p><p>Nancy</p>

68 days and 17 hours ago.

Reply

Nancy,

My daughter is under psychiatric care. She still isn't getting better after all these months. What other suggestions do you have? Can medications be causing this? The psychiatrist is well aware of her condition. He says the medication will help her, but she is getting worse. Isn't there anything else she can do. This present treatment isn't working.

Answer

<p>What's happening is a process that is not being adequately addressed.</p><p> </p><p>For example, she went in originally for sleep issues and anxiety - that is what was happening then, but NOW, it's progressed into a psychotic process - which could be a worsening of depression (many times depression starts with anxiety) and now, she is having what's called intrusive thoughts... </p><p> </p><p>She either needs to have her meds changed, increased, or started on something new. This is fully controllable with medication (there is no alternative).</p><p> </p><p>If her psychiatrist isn't giving her the right meds or right dosages, she needs to see someone else.</p><p> </p><p>Again - this is fully controllable by medication alone - and there is no alternative - plus she needs the medication to treat the underlying problem- which could be depression, depression with psychotic features, or some other psychosis.</p><p> </p><p>Nancy</p>

Picture
Expert: Nancy
Pos. Feedback: 98.7 %
Accepts: 
Answered: 9/15/2009

Psychotherapist

ABD for a PhD in Psychology, Psychotherapist for over 20 years

68 days and 7 hours ago.

Reply

Nancy,

Thank you for your time and for addressing these issues. My daughter's meds have been changed and increased. I would still like to know if medications themselves can have caused this more serious problem and or if you know of medications or courses of treatment for this type of problem. She continues to be diagnosed differently; obsessive compulsive thoughts, post partum, although her youngest child is almost three, psychosis, etc. Thank you.

64 days and 17 hours ago.

Reply

Nancy,

I would still like to know if medications themselves could be causing this problem. I have read that antidepressants can cause suicidal thoughts and other negative responses. Since she wasn't this ill before the medications and since they haven't made her better, could they in fact be contributing to the more serious problem she is facing now. Thank you

Posted by Nancy 64 days and 17 hours ago.

Info Request

<p>What are the names and dosages of the medications she is on? </p><p> </p><p>And what was she given first, second, third etc...</p><p> </p><p>Nancy</p>

+
Read More

Related Mental Health Questions

  • I am a Schizophrenia patient for 10 years. Recently, I take
  • I'm a new univeristy student and I recently stopped taking
  • can Tardive Dyskeneisa be controlled?
  • Hello, I have a question about boundary issues with my ps...
  • hello doc. i have a problem of excessive sweating.and palpit...
  • Hi I think I schizophrenic. My symptoms include: clumsiness,
  • my husband is suffering from bipolar 11 he was on treatment
  • I am 29 yrs old, male, smart, good-looking, and empathetic;



Disclaimer: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site ("Posts") comes from individual users, not JustAnswer; JustAnswer is not responsible for Posts. Posts are for general information, are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (medical, legal, veterinary, financial, etc.), or to establish a professional-client relationship. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty or representations by JustAnswer regarding the qualifications of Experts. To see what credentials have been verified by a third-party service, please click on the "Verified" symbol in some Experts' profiles. JustAnswer is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.
Question List | Become an Expert | Terms of Service | Security & Privacy | About Us
© 2003-2009 JustAnswer Corp.