Ptsd???

[Hannathy]

Hugs to you, OP. I don't care how old your child is, it's no fun for a mother to see her child hurting.

Second this!

 

[scrapquitler]

I agree with the poster who said that maybe your son is deeply embarassed about not being able to complete boot camp. I also agree with the posters who said that it sounds like he might be suffering from depression.

I think you might want to suggest to him that he 1. see a doctor to rule out anything physical (and that doctor might prescribe some anti-depressants or something), and 2. see some sort of counselor to discuss his feelings.

In the meantime I don't think I would be forcing him to go and visit people, it might make him feel more embarassed/ashamed. But do encourage him to start doing something, like maybe participating in some sort of hobby/exercise to divert his attention and give him something positive to focus on while he works out whatever is bothering him.

I hope he gets over this hurdle soon.

 

[RitaZ.]

I am the same poster. He isn't cut out for the military and actualy did get a General discharge with failure to adapt. He knows now that he isn't cut out for the military. He isn't talking much about what specificly happened but what he has told me isn't pretty. As far as the girlfriend goes, HE actualy broke up with her.

That's a whole lot of change that he has undergone in a short period of time. Even positive changes cause stress.

I do agree that he is probably embarrassed to face his friends right now. I wouldn't force that until he is ready. Give him a little time to work through all these changes and his feelings. Try to get him to go out for walks, take him out to lunch, out to a movie, etc. Just get him to go out of the house even if it's for a short period of time. If he continues to isolate himself, then you'll have to step in and get him to see a psychologist or a psychiatrist. Just continue to keep an eye on him.

I wish him the best.

 

[kirbydog48]

Do you think there is any possibility that he's taking drugs?

 

[PUZZLDY5]

Do you think there is any possibility that he's taking drugs?

No not at all. I know how he feels about those things.

I've always considered myself lucky.
He doesn't drink, no drugs, went to school every day, had a part time job and didn't get anyone pregnant. So to me he is darn near perfect.

 

[Magic Mom]

I am the same poster. He isn't cut out for the military and actualy did get a General discharge with failure to adapt. He knows now that he isn't cut out for the military. He isn't talking much about what specificly happened but what he has told me isn't pretty. As far as the girlfriend goes, HE actualy broke up with her.

Perhaps it isn't PTSD, maybe he is having some situational depression because he "couldn't hack it." That has to be a hard blow to a young mans ego, especially if he had built it up in his mind ahead of time.

You and I might be able to see it in perspective that just because this opportunity wasn't fit for him doesn't mean there won't be lots of other great opportunities, but he may be looking at it as he is a failure. At his age, that's not something that a boy would generally share with mom and dad, even if they shared that kind of emotional info in the past.

 

[wvjules]

No not at all. I know how he feels about those things.
I've always considered myself lucky.
He doesn't drink, no drugs, went to school every day, had a part time job and didn't get anyone pregnant. So to me he is darn near perfect.

But you said he isn't the same "child" he was when he left, right? Not saying that it is drugs but don't rule it out as a possibility.

 

[Magic Mom]

But you said he isn't the same "child" he was when he left, right? Not saying that it is drugs but don't rule it out as a possibility.

If he never used them before, and he just got home, then it's unlikely that he is using them now unless he just started immediately when he got back. BCT soldiers are heavily monitored and they have virtually no free time. It's safe to say he didn't start using while at BCT.

 

[Luv2Scrap]

You say he's not sleeping much. Been there - both with myself and with my husband. Everything, and I do mean everything, is so much harder and feels so much worse when you are trying to operate with very little sleep. His most immediate need is sleep, and lots of it. Sleep has healing powers, both physically and mentally. Will he consider taking one Typenol PM, to try to help him get to sleep?


While I'm sure he probably is feeling a little embarrassment over not being able to make this work, I think there probably is more to these changes than just that. To me, the following statement speaks volumes:

"He isn't talking much about what specificly happened but what he has told me isn't pretty. As far as the girlfriend goes, HE actualy broke up with her."

I think whatever happened to him there must have been pretty bad, and like someone else said, there can be sick people anywhere. He could very well be suffering from depression or even PTSD, and it might not have anything to do with the actual boot camp itself, but from what he experienced with the other people there.

 

[PUZZLDY5]

But you said he isn't the same "child" he was when he left, right? Not saying that it is drugs but don't rule it out as a possibility.

Point taken but I still don't think that's a possibility.