Guest guest Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Maybe bipolar disorder... I think schizo-affective disorder and bipolar have a lot of overlap. Was his dad put on meds and were they helpful? Not that your son would accept them now. But if he were to have a breakdown, he might be more amenable to the idea of meds and counseling. And any clues from family history--what meds worked for what symptoms in other family members--might help. People can have various symptoms or characteristics outside of the ordinary, but if neither the person nor other people are suffering because of those characteristics, then it's not a problem. Your description sounds like your son is in danger of sliding into the 'suffering' category. I'd want to have a safety net in place--people who can keep an eye on him and intervene if he does get into a crisis/breakdown situation. Do you live nearby his university? Do you normally visit him or talk to him fairly often? Universities can be very restrictive about violating a student's right to privacy. But when does his safety take precedence over his privacy? No doubt the University's counseling dept. has dealt with such situations before. Hopefully they have helpful advice on how to construct a safety net. > Hi, I usually post on here issues regarding my 17 yr. old son. I have another son,22, who has never been diagnosed with anything but is funky in his own way. Very driven, very bright in an academic way (goes to stanford on scholarship), little common sense, focused to the extreme, rigid, classical philosophy major. As a kid, he would only wear four dif. costumes I made him and would rotate between them. He wore a hockey helmet and carried a bat when he got his kindergarten shots. wear He was out of synch with the other kids academically but still had friends. Tough time in MS with no friends until HS when he found a good group of friends. We thought maybe Asper. but he always had good social skills. We thought maybe ADD b/c extreme focus. We have a strong dose of ADD/ADHD and anxiety and OCD in our families. His dad had a mental breakdown at 23 and was diag. with schizo-affective disorder. He also has ADHD. He functions well now. My son is set to grad. this June and seems very off. This has been getting worse since about 1 1/2 years ago, since he has gone intensively into the Greek and phil. He came home this xmas and was talking rapid fire about some people he twitters with on the internet. Then he talked about a website project he was working on, prob. legit. but I cannot understand what he talks about. Alot of ranting about corporations, etc., kind of typical stuff for his > age. He said he has to move out east b/c that is where everything is happening. His aunts have commented that he seems off too, no eye contact and in another world. He has always had strange sleeping patterns but this seemed worse. Up til 5 or 6 am and sleep all day til 5 or 6. He says he is working on his project and can't adhere to normal people's sleeping patterns. I asked him about therapy and he does not believe in therapy, doctors or med. Said we just have to accept him. We told him that he may be headed for a nervous breakdown which he listened to a little. My husband and I are in our 50's and don't know if we just don't get him b/c dif. era. If this is normal for a 22 year old with that personality. I am going to call the Univ. tomorrow and see if I can talk to someone in the counseling dept. I feel like my hands are tied as far as getting him to accept help. Sorry for the long post. He has always been a puzzle for us. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 Maybe bipolar disorder... I think schizo-affective disorder and bipolar have a lot of overlap. Was his dad put on meds and were they helpful? Not that your son would accept them now. But if he were to have a breakdown, he might be more amenable to the idea of meds and counseling. And any clues from family history--what meds worked for what symptoms in other family members--might help. People can have various symptoms or characteristics outside of the ordinary, but if neither the person nor other people are suffering because of those characteristics, then it's not a problem. Your description sounds like your son is in danger of sliding into the 'suffering' category. I'd want to have a safety net in place--people who can keep an eye on him and intervene if he does get into a crisis/breakdown situation. Do you live nearby his university? Do you normally visit him or talk to him fairly often? Universities can be very restrictive about violating a student's right to privacy. But when does his safety take precedence over his privacy? No doubt the University's counseling dept. has dealt with such situations before. Hopefully they have helpful advice on how to construct a safety net. > Hi, I usually post on here issues regarding my 17 yr. old son. I have another son,22, who has never been diagnosed with anything but is funky in his own way. Very driven, very bright in an academic way (goes to stanford on scholarship), little common sense, focused to the extreme, rigid, classical philosophy major. As a kid, he would only wear four dif. costumes I made him and would rotate between them. He wore a hockey helmet and carried a bat when he got his kindergarten shots. wear He was out of synch with the other kids academically but still had friends. Tough time in MS with no friends until HS when he found a good group of friends. We thought maybe Asper. but he always had good social skills. We thought maybe ADD b/c extreme focus. We have a strong dose of ADD/ADHD and anxiety and OCD in our families. His dad had a mental breakdown at 23 and was diag. with schizo-affective disorder. He also has ADHD. He functions well now. My son is set to grad. this June and seems very off. This has been getting worse since about 1 1/2 years ago, since he has gone intensively into the Greek and phil. He came home this xmas and was talking rapid fire about some people he twitters with on the internet. Then he talked about a website project he was working on, prob. legit. but I cannot understand what he talks about. Alot of ranting about corporations, etc., kind of typical stuff for his > age. He said he has to move out east b/c that is where everything is happening. His aunts have commented that he seems off too, no eye contact and in another world. He has always had strange sleeping patterns but this seemed worse. Up til 5 or 6 am and sleep all day til 5 or 6. He says he is working on his project and can't adhere to normal people's sleeping patterns. I asked him about therapy and he does not believe in therapy, doctors or med. Said we just have to accept him. We told him that he may be headed for a nervous breakdown which he listened to a little. My husband and I are in our 50's and don't know if we just don't get him b/c dif. era. If this is normal for a 22 year old with that personality. I am going to call the Univ. tomorrow and see if I can talk to someone in the counseling dept. I feel like my hands are tied as far as getting him to accept help. Sorry for the long post. He has always been a puzzle for us. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 The staying up late, sleeping in sounds like college age behavior, but I remember doing that because we were up all night partying, haha. A few of the things that you said sound like manic behavior. My brother in law was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a few years ago, after having a manic episode. We always knew he tended to be on the " depressed " side of things, and just a bit " off " , and then the mania happened, leading to him being hospitalized briefly, and then medicated. My daughter has ocd, my husband has adhd, and her grandmother (brother in law's mother) committed suicide when my husband was a teenager, after many years of depressive episodes. So, I think it does all run in families, and I think you have reason to be concerned. My bro in law was talking very fast, putting out all these pretty crazy ideas for jobs and businesses, telling them to everyone he knew, being very animated, overly pushy, and pretty agressive. You could just look at him and tell that things were definitely not right. Also, weird sleep patterns without much sleeping really. So some of those things overlap with what you are saying about your son, but that doesn't mean he is manic, but might be some red flags and maybe you should keep your eyes open for any sign of trouble. My brother in law didn't believe in medications either, well, he still doesn't, and I don't know if he takes his meds now or not. I think that a lot of people with mental disorders are like that. But, good luck in finding out if there is something going on. Sounds like he has a lot going for him, just marches to the beat of a different drummer! > Hi, I usually post on here issues regarding my 17 yr. old son. I have another son,22, who has never been diagnosed with anything but is funky in his own way. Very driven, very bright in an academic way (goes to stanford on scholarship), little common sense, focused to the extreme, rigid, classical philosophy major. As a kid, he would only wear four dif. costumes I made him and would rotate between them. He wore a hockey helmet and carried a bat when he got his kindergarten shots. wear He was out of synch with the other kids academically but still had friends. Tough time in MS with no friends until HS when he found a good group of friends. We thought maybe Asper. but he always had good social skills. We thought maybe ADD b/c extreme focus. We have a strong dose of ADD/ADHD and anxiety and OCD in our families. His dad had a mental breakdown at 23 and was diag. with schizo-affective disorder. He also has ADHD. He functions well now. My son is set to grad. this June and seems very off. This has been getting worse since about 1 1/2 years ago, since he has gone intensively into the Greek and phil. He came home this xmas and was talking rapid fire about some people he twitters with on the internet. Then he talked about a website project he was working on, prob. legit. but I cannot understand what he talks about. Alot of ranting about corporations, etc., kind of typical stuff for his > age. He said he has to move out east b/c that is where everything is happening. His aunts have commented that he seems off too, no eye contact and in another world. He has always had strange sleeping patterns but this seemed worse. Up til 5 or 6 am and sleep all day til 5 or 6. He says he is working on his project and can't adhere to normal people's sleeping patterns. I asked him about therapy and he does not believe in therapy, doctors or med. Said we just have to accept him. We told him that he may be headed for a nervous breakdown which he listened to a little. My husband and I are in our 50's and don't know if we just don't get him b/c dif. era. If this is normal for a 22 year old with that personality. I am going to call the Univ. tomorrow and see if I can talk to someone in the counseling dept. I feel like my hands are tied as far as getting him to accept help. Sorry for the long post. He has always been a puzzle for us. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 The staying up late, sleeping in sounds like college age behavior, but I remember doing that because we were up all night partying, haha. A few of the things that you said sound like manic behavior. My brother in law was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a few years ago, after having a manic episode. We always knew he tended to be on the " depressed " side of things, and just a bit " off " , and then the mania happened, leading to him being hospitalized briefly, and then medicated. My daughter has ocd, my husband has adhd, and her grandmother (brother in law's mother) committed suicide when my husband was a teenager, after many years of depressive episodes. So, I think it does all run in families, and I think you have reason to be concerned. My bro in law was talking very fast, putting out all these pretty crazy ideas for jobs and businesses, telling them to everyone he knew, being very animated, overly pushy, and pretty agressive. You could just look at him and tell that things were definitely not right. Also, weird sleep patterns without much sleeping really. So some of those things overlap with what you are saying about your son, but that doesn't mean he is manic, but might be some red flags and maybe you should keep your eyes open for any sign of trouble. My brother in law didn't believe in medications either, well, he still doesn't, and I don't know if he takes his meds now or not. I think that a lot of people with mental disorders are like that. But, good luck in finding out if there is something going on. Sounds like he has a lot going for him, just marches to the beat of a different drummer! > Hi, I usually post on here issues regarding my 17 yr. old son. I have another son,22, who has never been diagnosed with anything but is funky in his own way. Very driven, very bright in an academic way (goes to stanford on scholarship), little common sense, focused to the extreme, rigid, classical philosophy major. As a kid, he would only wear four dif. costumes I made him and would rotate between them. He wore a hockey helmet and carried a bat when he got his kindergarten shots. wear He was out of synch with the other kids academically but still had friends. Tough time in MS with no friends until HS when he found a good group of friends. We thought maybe Asper. but he always had good social skills. We thought maybe ADD b/c extreme focus. We have a strong dose of ADD/ADHD and anxiety and OCD in our families. His dad had a mental breakdown at 23 and was diag. with schizo-affective disorder. He also has ADHD. He functions well now. My son is set to grad. this June and seems very off. This has been getting worse since about 1 1/2 years ago, since he has gone intensively into the Greek and phil. He came home this xmas and was talking rapid fire about some people he twitters with on the internet. Then he talked about a website project he was working on, prob. legit. but I cannot understand what he talks about. Alot of ranting about corporations, etc., kind of typical stuff for his > age. He said he has to move out east b/c that is where everything is happening. His aunts have commented that he seems off too, no eye contact and in another world. He has always had strange sleeping patterns but this seemed worse. Up til 5 or 6 am and sleep all day til 5 or 6. He says he is working on his project and can't adhere to normal people's sleeping patterns. I asked him about therapy and he does not believe in therapy, doctors or med. Said we just have to accept him. We told him that he may be headed for a nervous breakdown which he listened to a little. My husband and I are in our 50's and don't know if we just don't get him b/c dif. era. If this is normal for a 22 year old with that personality. I am going to call the Univ. tomorrow and see if I can talk to someone in the counseling dept. I feel like my hands are tied as far as getting him to accept help. Sorry for the long post. He has always been a puzzle for us. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 It sounds as if your son may need professional help. I think you are smart to be contacting the university and should probably have a conversation your family doctor and/or psychiatrist as well. Schizophrenia has hereditary features. In light of your husband's schizoaffective diagnosis and family members concerns about his seeming to be in his own world, you are right to be taking action. I have kids in their teens and twenties and am no stranger to ADHD and OCD. The sleep patterns you describe are actually quite normal, however ranting, rapid speech, being incomprehensible and failure to make eye contact are not. What you are describing are symptoms of mental illness rather than ADHD or heightened anxiety, particularly in an individual who used to have good social skills. Good luck. > > Hi, I usually post on here issues regarding my 17 yr. old son. I have another son,22, who has never been diagnosed with anything but is funky in his own way. Very driven, very bright in an academic way (goes to stanford on scholarship), little common sense, focused to the extreme, rigid, classical philosophy major. As a kid, he would only wear four dif. costumes I made him and would rotate between them. He wore a hockey helmet and carried a bat when he got his kindergarten shots. wear He was out of synch with the other kids academically but still had friends. Tough time in MS with no friends until HS when he found a good group of friends. We thought maybe Asper. but he always had good social skills. We thought maybe ADD b/c extreme focus. We have a strong dose of ADD/ADHD and anxiety and OCD in our families. His dad had a mental breakdown at 23 and was diag. with schizoaffective disorder. He also has ADHD. He functions well now. My son is set to grad. this June and seems very off. This has been getting worse since about 1 1/2 years ago, since he has gone intensively into the Greek and phil. He came home this xmas and was talking rapid fire about some people he twitters with on the internet. Then he talked about a website project he was working on, prob. legit. but I cannot understand what he talks about. Alot of ranting about corporations, etc., kind of typical stuff for his > age. He said he has to move out east b/c that is where everything is happening. His aunts have commented that he seems off too, no eye contact and in another world. He has always had strange sleeping patterns but this seemed worse. Up til 5 or 6 am and sleep all day til 5 or 6. He says he is working on his project and can't adhere to normal people's sleeping patterns. I asked him about therapy and he does not believe in therapy, doctors or med. Said we just have to accept him. We told him that he may be headed for a nervous breakdown which he listened to a little. My husband and I are in our 50's and don't know if we just don't get him b/c dif. era. If this is normal for a 22 year old with that personality. I am going to call the Univ. tomorrow and see if I can talk to someone in the counseling dept. I feel like my hands are tied as far as getting him to accept help. Sorry for the long post. He has always been a puzzle for us. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2012 Report Share Posted January 8, 2012 It sounds as if your son may need professional help. I think you are smart to be contacting the university and should probably have a conversation your family doctor and/or psychiatrist as well. Schizophrenia has hereditary features. In light of your husband's schizoaffective diagnosis and family members concerns about his seeming to be in his own world, you are right to be taking action. I have kids in their teens and twenties and am no stranger to ADHD and OCD. The sleep patterns you describe are actually quite normal, however ranting, rapid speech, being incomprehensible and failure to make eye contact are not. What you are describing are symptoms of mental illness rather than ADHD or heightened anxiety, particularly in an individual who used to have good social skills. Good luck. > > Hi, I usually post on here issues regarding my 17 yr. old son. I have another son,22, who has never been diagnosed with anything but is funky in his own way. Very driven, very bright in an academic way (goes to stanford on scholarship), little common sense, focused to the extreme, rigid, classical philosophy major. As a kid, he would only wear four dif. costumes I made him and would rotate between them. He wore a hockey helmet and carried a bat when he got his kindergarten shots. wear He was out of synch with the other kids academically but still had friends. Tough time in MS with no friends until HS when he found a good group of friends. We thought maybe Asper. but he always had good social skills. We thought maybe ADD b/c extreme focus. We have a strong dose of ADD/ADHD and anxiety and OCD in our families. His dad had a mental breakdown at 23 and was diag. with schizoaffective disorder. He also has ADHD. He functions well now. My son is set to grad. this June and seems very off. This has been getting worse since about 1 1/2 years ago, since he has gone intensively into the Greek and phil. He came home this xmas and was talking rapid fire about some people he twitters with on the internet. Then he talked about a website project he was working on, prob. legit. but I cannot understand what he talks about. Alot of ranting about corporations, etc., kind of typical stuff for his > age. He said he has to move out east b/c that is where everything is happening. His aunts have commented that he seems off too, no eye contact and in another world. He has always had strange sleeping patterns but this seemed worse. Up til 5 or 6 am and sleep all day til 5 or 6. He says he is working on his project and can't adhere to normal people's sleeping patterns. I asked him about therapy and he does not believe in therapy, doctors or med. Said we just have to accept him. We told him that he may be headed for a nervous breakdown which he listened to a little. My husband and I are in our 50's and don't know if we just don't get him b/c dif. era. If this is normal for a 22 year old with that personality. I am going to call the Univ. tomorrow and see if I can talk to someone in the counseling dept. I feel like my hands are tied as far as getting him to accept help. Sorry for the long post. He has always been a puzzle for us. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Oh yeah, I also thought of contacting the university health center regarding . I never did, but if I had I think they would have arranged to have him come in and talk. I knew he wouldn't go on his own. I think if you call them with concerns, then they *have* to follow up. > > > > It sounds as if your son may need professional help. I think you are smart to be contacting the university and should probably have a conversation your family doctor and/or psychiatrist as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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