Thoughts On Watching My Child Struggle
I’m a mom.
I’m a mom with bipolar 2,
with anxiety.
I’m a mom with a teenage son.
My son has depression
anxiety,
obsessive compulsive tendencies,
sensory issues,
My son has an attention-deficit.
dysgraphia,
and social awkwardness.
My son is brilliant.
Overcoming challenges for academic success
are elusive.
Finding ways to cope is a struggle.
He shuts down,
mentally breaks down,
emotionally breaks down.
He succumbs to uncontrollable tears,
hands over face in embarrassment.
I’m his mother, and I want to comfort him,
protect him,
help him,
But at this moment, I just want to hug him.
I’ve worried about him since kindergarten…
the first time I heard him say he wanted to die.
He’s in therapy
and takes medication
and has school accommodations.
He has parents who love him beyond all else.
Nothing seems to be enough.
I want to take away his pain,
to see him successful in school
and in life;
to be happy,
to feel he has a purpose.
I am his mother,
and I feel helpless.
Copyright © 2018 Alicia Rust. All rights reserved.
First published on Medium September 2018.