Anonymous
Post 03/31/2025 12:46     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
Anonymous wrote:OP I commend you for looking into this further. So many moms/parents just give up on their teens or shrug and think they will outgrow this stage. But drugs and vapes are so easily accessible and schools are overwhelmed. So if a teacher is reaching out, that means they are very concerned.

The notion that teen boys just pull away from family, sulk, do bad things, slip here and there is just not true. Keep us up to date. I hope it’s not too serious


Exactly. It’s always boys will be boys
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2025 15:10     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
OP I commend you for looking into this further. So many moms/parents just give up on their teens or shrug and think they will outgrow this stage. But drugs and vapes are so easily accessible and schools are overwhelmed. So if a teacher is reaching out, that means they are very concerned.

The notion that teen boys just pull away from family, sulk, do bad things, slip here and there is just not true. Keep us up to date. I hope it’s not too serious
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2025 12:44     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
Anonymous wrote:I guess OP will never update


She might be in pretty deep right now. Whatever’s going on, posting here probably isn’t top priority. I’ve also found that when s**t really hits the fan, it can be hard to even find the right words for a long time. I do hope op and her kid are getting answers and are getting the support they need.
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2025 09:10     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
Anonymous wrote:My son (15) has developed some strange new behaviors over the past few months.

He hasn't been sleeping like normal lately. In the past couple of weeks, I have been woken up by walking around the house at very early hours. I'm not sure what he has been doing. I'm thinking about installing an alarm system on the house/windows, but I haven't heard him exiting. We live in a safe area in NoVa, so I haven't been worried about this until now.


I've also gotten emails from FCPS from his teachers expressing concern about his absences and/or his lack of energy/paying attention. He's normally a motivated student, and I worry about what's keeping him from class.

Along with his disturbed sleeping schedule, I've noticed that he's lost some weight. This popped up at the doctor's office earlier last month. We took him in because we were worried about some mood swings and irritability, alongside his insomnia, that he was having. His vitals seemed alright, aside from an elevated heart rate.

What should I do? Should I take him to a therapist to get evaluated?


Blood work and an evaluation. This describes my dc at that age and he was depressed and anxious. He did therapy, was on meds for about a year and now he’s great
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2025 09:07     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
Anonymous wrote:https://medium.com/@thekatieallison/parenting-an-addicted-teen-what-i-wish-id-known-4f600e3be213

Have someone very skillful come over and check your IT data and it may reveal something.

If you can air tag him, that would shed some light on the absence thing.


WTF. No just no
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2025 03:27     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
I guess OP will never update
Anonymous
Post 03/27/2025 10:31     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There are medical conditions that could result in unexplained weight loss, disrupted sleep, and low motivation/fatigue. Have you done any bloodwork?


For example:

Addison’s disease: weight loss, difficulty falling asleep and frequent wake-ups, fatigue.

Hyperthyroidism: weight loss, irritability, nervousness, difficulty sleeping, fast heartbeat, fatigue

Type 1 diabetes: weight loss, extreme irritability, fatigue/low motivation, frequent wake-ups due excessive thirst/urination and muscle cramps.

If you haven’t done bloodwork, I’d ask for a CBC, metabolic panel, and thyroid panel.

- not a doctor but have been through it

Kids don't skip class for these and then lie about it.


No, but kids who feel terrible in non-specific ways, who are underslept and extremely low-energy, and for whom the change has been incremental, unfolding over a long period of time rather than acute and sudden, might experience their situation as a general “I can’t deal” feeling. And kids do skip class for not being able to deal.

There’s just no reason not to rule out medical conditions as a part of all of this.
Anonymous
Post 03/27/2025 09:43     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
Anonymous wrote:Do you have access to his social medias? That along with urine drug test is where I would start



He absolutely has one or more really unhealthy social media issues.

Social media is toxic.
Anonymous
Post 03/27/2025 08:26     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
Anonymous wrote:I’d be screening for schizophrenia.


That isn’t where you start

You look for drugs, drinking, or vaping. Get urine and blood tests

You put a tag and life 360 to find out if they are leaving school or just coasting in a bathroom

You contact all teachers and counselor for concerns and updates

You take away all bedroom electronics and phone is on downtime and somewhere else all night.

Get physical, extensive bloodwork, and then get a referral to a psychiatrist.

You try working and talking with them. But you also set firm boundaries on expectations and punishments
Anonymous
Post 03/27/2025 02:48     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
I’d be screening for schizophrenia.
Anonymous
Post 03/27/2025 02:37     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There are medical conditions that could result in unexplained weight loss, disrupted sleep, and low motivation/fatigue. Have you done any bloodwork?


For example:

Addison’s disease: weight loss, difficulty falling asleep and frequent wake-ups, fatigue.

Hyperthyroidism: weight loss, irritability, nervousness, difficulty sleeping, fast heartbeat, fatigue

Type 1 diabetes: weight loss, extreme irritability, fatigue/low motivation, frequent wake-ups due excessive thirst/urination and muscle cramps.

If you haven’t done bloodwork, I’d ask for a CBC, metabolic panel, and thyroid panel.

- not a doctor but have been through it

Kids don't skip class for these and then lie about it.
Anonymous
Post 03/27/2025 02:10     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
Anonymous wrote:Walking around in the middle of the night not weird for my kids.

Weight loss is weird as are teachers reaching out.


I’d say teachers reaching out is the most concerning
Anonymous
Post 03/26/2025 23:21     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
Def sounds like depression and then masked with drugs. I was in denial with my son because they shrug off everything but low grades, missing classes, etc… as a change usually points to drugs or vaping. You need to get a urine test and start there. Be a mom, not a friend.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2025 21:36     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
Do you have access to his social medias? That along with urine drug test is where I would start
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2025 08:23     Subject: DS acting strangely... Any advice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Phone in room at night..teens stay up and have silent text exchanges or watch YouTube andTikTok for hours.

I stay up really late regularly. It's a bit odd, I admit that. But I don't have trouble falling asleep. So I'm not an insomniac. I was the same way in my teens but society did not facilitate me doing so...no computer, no headphone jack on t.v., no silent way to have a conversation.

People who are ND can have different sleep habits. Don't go straight to drugs as the reason.


What teenage boy loses weight ever and why isn't he in class?


Depression, sexual assault, another type of assault, bi polar disorder (which appears at this age), girl problems.

My son lost 40 lbs and it was because he had a tape worm. Come on.