Emotional Turmoil


In parenting your child with special needs, your feelings can be tumultuous.


Guilt

You might wonder if you did something to cause your son's or daughter's disability. You might be asking yourself if you were you irresponsible, or being punished for something you did. You may, in addition, feel terrible about having negative feelings towards your child.


Powerlessness

You may feel that before this happened, you pretty much had a handle on your own life. You know that you are a pretty intelligent person. Now the need to rely on knowledge of professionals can feel demeaning.

In addition, you might suddenly find that you are overwhelmed with logistics surrounding your child. All of your free time has disappeared. This major intrusion on your former lifestyle may seem to rob you of any power over your schedule and choices.  

Confusion

Everything seems to have changed. You might be confused as to how to best take care of your child. It can be baffling to understand the scientific explanations about your child's disability. In addition, it might be difficult to for you to carry out all of the treatments that you are suddenly responsible for.

Everything has changed

This child doesn't fit in to what you know about children. This isn't what you ordered. You didn't expect this. You may crave regular kids and a normal family that does typical things together. You envisioned hopping into the car with your kids for casual trips - you never dreamed about battling traffic to get your disabled child to his therapies on time.

 

Rejection

You may wonder if you can truly appreciate your own son or daughter. It's hard to accept see your child as valuable when his needs are strange to you, and he needs so much in areas in which you are not experienced. A parent can even wish for the child to die. This is a warning sign of depression, which should be diagnosed and treated appropriately.


Isolation

What people say might be well meaning, however it might not feel comforting. When you don't receive support from people you feel understand you, you feel utterly alone. When other people describe their child's situation, it might seem very different from yours, and unhelpful. The fact may be that others are trying their best to be there for you, but emotionally you are at a place where you cannot yet be reached.

Protectiveness

You can feel that you would do anything to spare your child pain or suffering. Your heart is totally committed to your son or daughter who has special needs.


You may feel extremely out of sorts, but intense emotions are very commonplace and normal.