My daughter keeps telling people she was institutionalized in a psych facility. Why does she do this?

Question

When she was 15, she was dumped by a boyfriend. He ditched her for a girl who for some reason tried to beat her up at school.
My daughter got really upset and tried to kill herself. When I took her to the hospital ER, they sent her to the psychiatric unit at a nearby hospital for counseling and we found out she had been cutting herself up.
That was over 4 yrs ago, and now I would like for her to move on with her life. She is 19 and tells people she has psychiatric problems and she cannot get a job, go into the military, almost not able to get a drivers license because she keeps telling people she is a psycho, almost like she thinks its cool.
She has serious maturity issues and about drives me nuts. How can I get her to knock it off? I want her to get full time employment, go into the navy or do something besides what she is doing which is sitting home all day, reading poetry and being goofey acting.

Answer 1

Sounds as if she still has issues with the whole incident and maybe doesn't want to face the adult world which may be painful and scary, or should I say will be painful and scary. I think she needs counsellings to resolve these issues.

Answer 2

Unfortunately she is now an adult so it is too late to force her to do anything drastic. I would say move someplace where her "friends" can't influence her anymore.

She has no perspective. If you can, sign her up to volunteer with a charity that works with the poor. The worse the conditions the better. Best of all would be someplace in Mexico where conditions can be truly appalling. Look up Volunteer Service on Google and find something that looks good. I've seen people completely change their world view after such programs.

Our church sent a high school youth group for two weeks to help rebuild New Orleans. Those kids were different when they came back.

Maybe volunteering at an animal shelter would be more her style if she like animals.

Otherwise pray. The human brain isn't really mature until around age 24, so there is still some time for her to snap out of it.

Answer 3

I would hate to say this but she is playing the role of a victim. And unfortunately there is nothing you can do about it. If there was I would be doing it for my older sister.

She has to learn to stand on her own two feet. She has to learn to take responsibility for her own life.

I don't know if this works or if I would have been any different had I continued to live in the same state as my parents. I moved to a very remote location of Australia. Because I recieved a job offer there. Being there, and not knowing anyone and not having anyone to catch me should I fail to succeed, forced me to grow up.

Maybe that is what your daughter needs. To realise she is on her own. Course it didn't work for my sister, but then again she only moved to a different suburb not a remote location. So she has never really had to go without.

I believe that for your daughter to recover, she needs to hit rock bottom. I cannot say when or if that will ever happen, and the term rock bottom is different for everyone.

For some it may be not having a place to live or fresh food to eat. For others it may simply be not having any friends.

Good luck with your daughter.

P.S As much as it hurts me to do so I am going to have to try the hands off approach with my sister. She is after all 35.

Answer 4

I think you need to have her assessed by a psychologist... someone that will do some real testing and not just sit with her for 15 minutes and then give her some pills. It's too difficult to diagnose over the internet, there is not enough info and we need more details about her history and life situation. But it sounds like she is seeking attention and needs to see someone with expertise in adolescent issues, promptly.

Answer 5

The psychiatrist may have told her to act like it isin't anything bad and be proud of the fact. They're sort of bad as thouh they do promote the good issues that people should rely on, they also promote the bad ones like telling someone they're well when they're not.

And if this has happened years ago there isin't much you can do now. It's become part of her personality and if you try to take it away from her, you'll end up having arguments all the time. I can't tell you to accept her like this, but there isin't much help for her now.

Answer 6

Sadly, your daughter hasn't dealt with her emotional problems after these 4 years, she still needs help, perhaps more than ever. Her emotional issues go far deeper than that rejection of a teenage boyfriends rejection. Try and get her the help she is longing for before she has a repeat of her desire to hurt herself again. She is a gun looking for bullets. Good luck to the both of you!

Answer 7

It is not fun to get broken by society system so early..I am with you..you going through hell.. It is society spell, somehow considered by your daughter to be cool..She realized that those who declare themselves psycho somehow opportune themselves to avoid close encounter with people...It is people she afraid of. Big time...Comes from teen dramas and reactions of closest ones within family circle...Result fear and deeply buried distrust to others , tendency to avoid them by speaking mentioned above and in another hand it creates isolation, absense of confidence, deep sence of being unfairly lonely and that establishing a belief that no one is able to understand her. That belief if grows inevitably dangerous, for it leads to suicidal state....Good psychologist can handle it...not psychiatrist...Psychiatrist will only suppress that which needs to be released. Hypnosis in a good hands would be a solution, but under supervision of MD psychologist...And of course loving attitude of those whom surrounding your daughter. It cannot be done overnight, would take some time...Patience and Faith is a requirement..expected from all participants.

Answer 8

I am happy for her that she is not ashamed of her treatment for a genuine medical condition. I only wish that you would not be ashamed, either. It is the reaction of ignorant people to shun people who suffer from mental health issues.

However, she does need to get a job, and you will need to stop giving her a free ride. Tell her it is time to pay rent or get out. It is called tough love.

Answer 9

Seems like she is trying to get some attention. Have you taken her to see a Dr.? She might need some medication or something. Good luck!

Answer 10

Put her in an instutiution then soednat have to lie. she is really looking for sympathey aas she thinks someone owes her something . also she knows that she can use that to her advantage in that most people avoid people that are looney she needs Help