New forum?

[InsaneCdn]

I have to admit. "Desperate Parents" definitely fits! But it also fits any other forum here. Nobody gets to CD without being a desperate parent. Perhaps "we" are just more desperate than most? Fewer resources out there, fewer answers, for our really complex kids.

Desperately Complex? Desperate Complexity?

Maybe more people will find us if we are more clear in our title, though.

How about:

Mind Problems: Teen and adult children with complex developmental and mental challenges.

 

[BusynMember]

Active untreated schizophrenia causes cognitive didabilities. Many collrge students no longer can comprehend what was once easy. It's a very sad disease.

Some people like autisics, fetal alcohol and brain trauma can do some things well but have trouble reasoning and making life choices.

There are all kinds of reasons why book smart people are unable to make life decisions well. Many. And some adults really cant do life without outside supports. Thar doesnt mean they cant be happy. My Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) son is happy and so beloved but he does stll need some supports
I am so proud of him. He is my hero. by the way he has an above average IQ. Its not about IQ with him.

 

[toughlovin]

So I am trying to think about what we are trying to do here.... So it would seem to me that the PE forum would be general parenting of adult children and the kinds of issues that come up wth young adults who wee difficult children. The substance abuse forum would be for issues of substance abuse where that is a big issue... Definitely not the only issue but the main issue of concern.

So I am thinking what we are needing in this new forum is issues dealing with adult children (are we looking at mostly adult children in this new forum) who have developmental challenges that make it more difficult for them to navigate the adult world that is not related to substance abuse?

I think if possible we should have the definitions of the 3 different forums clear enough so there is not so much crossover.

 

[InsaneCdn]

So I am thinking what we are needing in this new forum is issues dealing with adult children (are we looking at mostly adult children in this new forum)

Teens would be included, but not younger children. Serious mental illnesses usually start to show up in teens and young adults.

I think if possible we should have the definitions of the 3 different forums clear enough so there is not so much crossover.

Totally agree.

My take is that Substance Abuse and this new one will be highly specific. In Substance Abuse, the primary driver is substance abuse. This is for kids of any age, but of course most will be teens and adults. The new forum will have mental and/or developmental challenges as the primary driver, for teens and adults. Same age group, different primary issues. Therefore, PE would be the "other" category - the adult extension of "General", covering whatever doesn't fit in specific categories.

People may move between forums, or be on two different forums depending on which kid we are talking about. Someone in SA may find that once the addiction is dealt with, but the child is still difficult, they fit better in PE - or in the new forum depending on what the actual situation is. Or someone may start in PE, and then discover they are actually dealing with addiction.

 

[New Leaf]

I am following along here gang, good work.

I think if possible we should have the definitions of the 3 different forums clear enough so there is not so much crossover.

I actually don't see a problem with crossover?
While it can be confusing to some, I think the point is to have a place for parents to come to seek and find help and comfort. I have posted in P.E. and Substance Abuse, and have found help in both. Given the situations of parents landing here for the first time, I think trying to be too definitive might impede one from participation, cause more confusion and hesitancy, where Substance Abuse and PE are concerned. JMO, but both forums support each other, i.e. a parent whose adult child is not using but exhibits addictive traits, is posting in PE, but also will be able to post and respond to a parent seeking help in SA?


What is being discussed here, is having a forum for parents dealing with developmental and psychological issues, aside from substance abuse. I do believe that is a challenge that needs its own forum with more specific definition.

Just my thoughts.......
leafy

 

[InsaneCdn]

I have no problems with cross-over in responses - all of us have been through so much that our experience overlaps more than just the forum we start threads in.

As much as possible, it does help if we can be a bit more differentiated in where new threads get started.

 

[Copabanana]

My take is that Substance Abuse and this new one will be highly specific.

I make my choice of forum by where I feel more comfortable and understood.

I am thinking about the first 2 or 3 words, that is where we are. We seem to have consensus about who we are and what is our business:

Teen and adult children with complex developmental and mental challenges.

Trauma and complex pervasive illnesses such as Schizophrenia change the structure of the brain as does drug exposure and infant deprivation as suffered my son. So it can be argued that the underlying element is hard wiring.

What about:

Differently Wired: Parenting teen and adult children with complex developmental and mental challenges.

Hardwiring: Parenting teen and adult children with complex developmental and mental challenges.

COPA

 

[InsaneCdn]

Trauma and complex pervasive illnesses

Actually, I kind of like this.
Complex pervasive *somethings*.

That will include traumatic brain injury, which also affects "wiring" - but this is not a brain injury support forum. I'm thinking of cases like Buddy, whose son had Autism/Asperger's, plus a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) - a really complex case.

I'm thinking "conditions"? instead of illnesses - Asperger's isn't an illness, it's a syndrome. Schizophrenia and bi-polar are illnesses. Traumatic brain injury is an injury, not an illness. Developmental deprivation and drug exposure... aren't really illnesses either.

Complex pervasive developmental ... *something*

I really want to call it... brick wall. (that's where I am today).

Can someone else help here? I'm ... not having a good day for thinking.

 

[Nancy]

Since the original thought was that a forum was needed for mental and developmental disabilities it seems that should be the name. Just about everything else could encompass everyone else, it's too broad.

 

[Copabanana]

Hardwiring: Parenting teen and adult children with complex developmental and disabilities.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Nancy... our kids - the kind we are trying to discuss in a new forum - aren't even adequately covered by the word "disabilities". Not all of the issues are disabling - but definitely majorly increase complexities, based on multiple challenges.

Substance abuse is straight forward as a label (not as something to deal with). Anyone out there looking for help for a drug- or alcohol-addicted kid is going to search for that.

We - this little group of far-edge outliers - are trying to find a way to define ourselves so that others find us. I sure wouldn't have been looking under "mental illness". Developmental, maybe - we suspected that much.

 

[InsaneCdn]

How about...

Distorted Brains: Parenting teen and adult children with pervasive or complex impacts to their "wiring", due to some combination of injury, illness, or developmental factors.

 

[Copabanana]

Insane, I think the word "distorted" is too pejorative, even judgmental as opposed to descriptive.

What about:

I prefer your use of differently wired. It is neutral.

After al, there is some who say that the Schiziphrenia gene persisted because of the association with brilliance.

And many say the same about ADD and ADHD.

And you have written beautifully about your own experiences and indirectly about your gifts and worldview which while they may be different, are not distortions. They may channel energies differently but do not distort. In my way of thinking there is the great capacity to see more clearly many things.

What about:

Brain ways: Parenting teen and adult children with pervasive or complex impacts to their "wiring", due to some combination of injury, illness, trauma or developmental factors.

or

Brainwaves: Parenting teen and adult children with pervasive or complex impacts to their "wiring", due to some combination of injury, illness, trauma, or developmental factors.

COPA

 

[InsaneCdn]

I am running out of brain power this afternoon. Will need to think on it and see if any brainwaves come my way. I'm definitely warped enough to need it.

 

[Copabanana]

Brain Matters: Parenting teens and adults with different "wiring", due to some combination of injury, illness, trauma, or developmental factors.

Brain power: Parenting teens and adults with different "wiring", due to some combination of injury, illness, trauma, or developmental factors.

How about one of these?

I qualify. My son has mental illness, brain injury, developmental issues and trauma.

I think all of us who are interested would fit with this tag. The question still is whether or not it will appeal to search engines, if it is too broad, and if it appeals.

We are getting closer, I think.

COPA

 

[InsaneCdn]

Brain is made up of matter, and it matters how we are wired, so I get that one but neurotypicals probably won't.

Brain power is part of the challenge for some of our kids - they are smarter than they seem, and in ways professionals don't expect. But not all of these kids have exceptional brain power.

Atypical brains? But that can be said about the SA and PE and General kids too.

We are unique.

Unique Minds: parenting teens and adults with different "wiring" due to some combination of injury, illness, trauma, or developmental factors.

 

[Copabanana]

But not all of these kids have exceptional brain power.

Except that they are exceptional in themselves. In this sense of uniquely wonderful and ours. The term exceptional can be used in the USA in the sense of outside of the typical, as in unique.

Exceptional Minds could fit too.

I think Atypical could work, too. Because it is qualified by the latter description. Other kids on the forum may not necessarily have a combination of traumatic experience, mental illness, developmental challenges that ours have had.

Atypical: Parenting teens and adults with different "wiring", due to some combination of injury, illness, trauma, or developmental factors.

We have several candidates now.

What about:

A Beautiful Mind: Parenting teens and adults with different neurological "wiring" due to some combination of injury, illness, trauma, or developmental factors.

Brain Matters: Parenting teens and adults with different neurological "wiring", due to some combination of injury, illness, trauma, or developmental factors.

Exceptional: Parenting teens and adults with different neurological "wiring", due to some combination of injury, illness, trauma, or developmental factors.

Atypical: Parenting teens and adults with different neurological "wiring", due to some combination of injury, illness, trauma, or developmental factors.

Brain power:

Unique:

Others will weigh in. I am happy with what RB and the rest of you choose. I give you, Insane, my power of attorney to decide for me. I think we are seeing the need and the potential audience pretty much the same.

I think I like the words Unique, Atypical, Exceptional *I do not see the need for mind *Copa here argues against her earlier position. Because we began this endeavor with your statement that our situations were unique, different, atypical from that of the broader pool of parents here in that our children had multiple challenges that were neurological, complex, multiple and/or pervasive.

By using unique or atypical or exceptional we are defining how we see ourselves in what we face and confront.

You know I just heard Lady Gaga's Oscar performance of the song "How I feel." I was greatly moved. What about that?

How I Feel: Parenting teens and adults with different neurological "wiring" due to some combination of injury, illness, trauma, or developmental factors.

Hardwiring: Parenting teens and adults with different neurological wiring due to some combination of injury, illness, trauma, or developmental factors.

COPA

 

[InsaneCdn]

How about:

Exceptionally Exceptional: Parenting teens and adults with different "wiring", due to some combination of injury, illness, trauma, or developmental factors.
These are the kids who are the exceptions to every rule. The "one percenters" (or less) whose cases and situations don't fit anywhere... except, of course, "here".

 

[Copabanana]

I am happy with any one of the candidates so far, including Exceptionally Exceptional.

COPA

 

[Copabanana]

I am trying here to put the link to the Lady Gaga song,

I do not know why there is no sound for me.