children taken if confess extreme depression?

Question

friend of mine has a 5 wk old baby a 9 yr old son and is a single mom. she doesn't have any help with the baby and is up with the baby all the time who seems to cry nonstop. she is in therapy but she's scared to tell the psych just how bad she feels for fear she might get her kids taken away. she told me she wouldn't do anything to hurt her kids, but that she feels like she's gonna snap. she cries a lot and cussed at her 9 yr old the other day and threw the phone when he didn't do what she was asking. then she ran in the room and screamed in the pillows and started crying. should she tell her therapist? can she lose her kids if she tells her therapist she feels like she's depressed, stressed, and "on the edge".

she moved to another state 2 yrs ago and doesn't have any friends or family there. she says she remembers her therapist told her everything in their sessions was confidential unless she admitted to wanting to hurt herself or somebody else or if she was suspected of child abuse. hence, she doesn't want to reveal all of her depression symptoms.

Okay, so if by chance they do get taken away-even temporarily, how easy would it be to get them back?

Answer 1

I'd say it's a possibility, but it certainly wouldn't be permanent, and I think they'd be taken only if another situation (ie their living with a relative temporarily) wasn't possible. She should absolutely tell her therapist. If she's not going to be 100% honest at therapy, it's not going to truly help her. She says now that she wouldn't do anything to hurt the children, but what happens if she's pushed to her limit and there isn't anyone there to help? For her children's safety, please make sure that she's taking steps to get the help she needs, and if she doesn't, report her to children's services. That may seem cruel, but it really might be what's best for the children until their mother is able to get the help she needs.

Something you might offer to do to help her is to try to gather a group of friends and family members willing to babysit or to help her with daily tasks. Just knowing she has a support system should be a big help to her.

Answer 2

It definatly sounds like post-partum depression. That and the stress of being a single mother can be soooo scary. Not to the kids but for the mom. It sucks really bad waking up not knowing how you are going to feel when you get out of bed. However, she needs to tell somebody so she can get on some meds. Also, in most states there is a number you can call when you get really frusterated with your kids. It's usually anonymous and it's just someone to talk to when you feel like you can't take it anymore. And she shouldn't worry about people coming to get your kids. Thats actually a common worry for people with post-partum. And maybe you could help your friend if you scheduale is right to spend the night so she can get some sleep or something. Or even in the middle of the day.

Answer 3

No they cant take her kids. She may have post partum depression seeing she just gave birth. This happens in a lot of pregnant women. They will probably talk to her and give her a prescription that will help. I understand shes scared and wouldn't do anything to harm her kids but if she doesn't get help she just might do that and not mean too, because shes not really herself right now. Depression is a common thing just imagine if they took every ones kids for that. That would be a lot of kids. Best Wishes and I hope she is feeling better soon and you are a really good friend for wanting to help.

Answer 4

I have a 7 month old, and I feel like that a lot of the time, too. I am very reluctant to say anything, because I know that my family will think that I am just trying to get attention and be dramatic. I have suffered from depression for years, and I have always felt like I couldn't say anything, that people wouldn't believe me. It got so bad at one point in high school that I was hospitalized for a week.

Please try and encourage your friend to tell her therapist that she is feeling worse. Maybe there is some kind of medication or something that will help. I have been trying to find the courage to tell about my feelings too.

Answer 5

Sounds like postpartum depression. She needs to tell someone! I really don't think they would take her kids away. TONS of women go through this. She would have to be proven unfit to have her kids taken away. If she does not get help she could end up doing something that could have her considered unfit. She needs to tell someone!!
I have a 4mo baby & I've been diagnosed as clinically depressed (for the last 18 years) I'm on Paxil and klonopin and have never had any problems at all taking care of my baby or having anyone say anything at all to me about my "condition" or the meds I take.

Answer 6

If depressed people aren't allowed to have kids than many, many parents would have had their child/children taken away from them. If she's not on medication, she needs to see a psychiatrist and get some. She could be having Postpartum depression which is becoming more common, or at least more recognized lately. Telling someone about it shows that she wants to fix it so she won't have her children worry. I don't see what's wrong with her bringing it up.

Answer 7

it is much more important that she tell just how bad she feels and all for the safty of her children.
yeah if she admits to having thoughts of killing her self or the kids theres a chance the kids would be taken away from her for a short time (she would have to go thru therapy and get medications to get them back its not that hard)

your friend should be more worried about the welfare of her kids that who they live with!
If I thought for a second that I would hurt my kids I would rather someone else have them till I could get strightened out; than have my kids with me and try to hold all those feelings in until I actuall snaped and hurt my kids!

Answer 8

I kind of agree with her. Last year my babysitter bailed out on me and I had to leave my son home for a couple hours a day while I was at work until I looked for someone. That whole week I was so stressed I confided in my work counselor who refererred me to another counselor, who reported me for neglect! He had his own key and dinner on the table and he was fine. They didn't take my son, but I did have to meet with a child protective service worker. They called me periodically for a month after I got a new sitter to make sure I wasn't being "neglectful" again.

Answer 9

In my experience, children can only be taken away from a parent if it can be proven that they are in danger. I have seen kids who were left in homes where they should NOT have been left, so I can't imagine that someone who is actively seeking out help would automatically lose custody of their children UNLESS he or she is saying that they want to hurt them or hurt themselves.

Of course, every state is different as is every situation.

I hope this helps!

Answer 10

If something happens and it is found out she did not tell, then the kids would be taken away. If she is actively seeking help authorities lean towards leaving the family intact if no immediate danger is percievable.