Welcome & getting started
Hi @TGKC
I'm not sure if you got a response from this post but I just read it and really wanted to reach out.
It sounds like you've got a lot on your mind at the moment, I don't blame you for feeling so worried. From the sounds of it you are doing a great job of being there for your daughter. As someone who went through an incredibly rough time as a teenager with my mental health I would have given anything for my parents to have any mental health awareness, the fact you even went to a training is incredible.
I don't think the worry will ever go away, just as mental illness doesn't ever fully go away either. I like to use this diagram a lot when talking about grief and worry as it helps me best understand.
These big emotions of grief and worry sometimes never go away or shrink, especially when they are related to people we care deeply about however as life goes on, our circle of our life fills up with more memories and experiences. While sometimes you'll still hit that circle of fear, it happens less and less often as life goes on (I hope that makes sense)
I guess what I'm trying to say is clearly you care deeply about your daughter so that fear will always sit there with you, just like if someone you loved got in a car crash, you would always be worried every time after they got in the car. But it does get easier.
From what you've sort of said it seems like there hasn't been a lot of previous conversation with her around mental health. But now I assume it is more frequent. As this conversation continues she will hopefully feel more comfortable to open up with you and express how she is going.
I would also say, if she is making poor choices and being disrespectful a great approach may be to try having a calm conversation about this after she has calmed down and just talk with her about whats happening and how her actions may make you feel.
As long as you are trying (which clearly you are) there is no need to feel like you have to walk on egg shells. I would just try being open and honest with her, have a conversation about your concerns and let her know how you are feeling.
I really hope this helps, and also would love to know how her first day back at school went?
Hi @TGKC
Absolutely, it really connected with me when I first saw it. Especially when you talk to people and they say "It gets smaller as time goes on" just didn't sound right to me as this person I've lost or this situation I've lost matters to me and I don't want that significance to decrease as time goes on. But as my life gets fuller it doesn't take up so much space and I liked that analogy.
That's such a great idea to change things, I know my grades took a dive when I struggled with mental health through high school (but honestly high school grades don't matter at all anyway) There are so many ways to get to different careers now a-days. I mean even myself, I failed some exams after some time off high school and now years later I'm getting distinction marks at university in studying psychology (humble brag 😂) I'm going to include another image that I really love, it's about failure and all these amazing people who started out with huge failures before they became successful.
Those links seem amazing! I'm glad to hear you've been able to get support from her psychologist as well and I'm glad to hear communication has been getting better.
I think if you both can try and keep real open and honest communication with each other, even when it's hard and it hurts, it's going to help a long way and it seems you are both on that track! I hope you both have a lovely holiday break, sounds like it's definitely needed.
