Reply to Has anyone solved the escalating meltdown problem (teen AudHD)? Need hope/advice.

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[quote=Anonymous]Ugh, OP - you are not alone.  My DD 16 is so similar but not really anything in public.  Besides over talkative and slightly impulsive, she is very friendly, outgoing, plays sports, has friends and even a few boyfriends.  Most people would never know.  And for her these meltdowns are usually when she is caught in a lie or has to own accountability for actions.  She is in DBT and is getting better.  We have tried a lot of meds as you. Right now Lamictal seems to be helping.  It is really hard because for us as these episodes are like 1-3 a month now, so trying to medicate for it is a struggle. Do I want to flatten her affect or do I want her to get the right therapy to help herself.  It's been really hard. Trying to do both.

A few ideas:

A rubber band on her wrist she needs to snap if she is feeling herself escalate.

If you see her getting to the level before it escalates (I know it happens so quick) we say we will talk all you want after a quick shower or head plunge in ice water.  That has stopped a few and I usually hear her crying in the shower.

Do they happen more around her PMSing time?  My DD was diagnosed with PMDD and is on year round birth control (skips placebo week) and this made a huge deal.  Like we saw 50% decrease keeping her hormones regulated all month and also a perk of no more periods.

There are emotional regulation workbooks for teens if you haven't done that yet.  A bunch on Amazon.

Have you thought about a mood stabilizer.  A lot of teens do well on Lamictal or Latuda.

And you said stimulants did not work, but have you tried Clonidine?

All of these meds help emotional regulation and impulsiveness.  Sometimes these work on their own and other times it works to calm while starting a stimulant to focus and clear the overthinking

Has she been diagnosed with anxiety?  It tends to go hand and hand with teen girls with ADHD. Maybe treating that may calm the meltdowns that may increase with internal anxiety.  Buspar and Propranolol work really well to decrease anxiety without the terrible side effects of SSRI

Another idea is a teen girl therapy group. My DD was completely against it but now loves going each week.

Good luck!  
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