# Very unhappy teen with T1 and a Mum feeling helpless



## Azure_Skies (Aug 23, 2016)

Hi everyone,

My son was diagnosed with T1 three years ago, he is now almost 15. 

He used to be such a happy little kid, doing well at school with loads of friends. Over the last 2 years this has changed - his friends have deserted him and his school work is suffering too. 

He doesn't go anywhere or do anything. I have tried signing him up to after school clubs, but he goes once or twice then gets upset about going back. He insists he's not being bullied, but I think he's just being left out and his friends have formed stronger friendships with each other and moved on. 

His school work is really suffering and I can't get him to focus on anything.

I managed to get him some appointments with the child psychologist at the hospital, but after 3 sessions he said they weren't helping at all and he didn't want to go back. I spoke to her and she said she was really struggling to build up any trust with him, he wouldn't open up to her at all and the sessions were just awkward for both of them. 

I'm at a loss, I feel so guilty and so sad. School holiday after school holiday we have not a single kid wanting to do anything with him. I've tried arranging cinema trips and sleepovers but they all (very politely) end up making excuses that they can't make it and so he spends his days like a recluse (because the only thing worse than that is apparently going out with your Mum when you're 15!!)

He has become addicted to playing games on his laptop and now it's hard to even tear him away from that to do anything else at all and I'm starting to hate asking him if he wants to do something or if he has any plans because I know I'm just drawing attention to his isolation and he always says no. 

I want my happy social little boy back and it's breaking my heart. I don't expect there to be any easy answers, I guess I just wanted to share how bad I feel and how sorry I am for him. I wish with all my heart that I could have his T1 instead of him, but I bet every parent on here feels the same!


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## grovesy (Aug 23, 2016)

Welcome, sorry to hear your son has problems but nothing seems to be helping!


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 23, 2016)

Have you contacted diabetes UK as they do or used to do holidays for youngsters with diabetes this might be an option for your son to show he is no different than anyone else. Having diabetes as a teen is the worst time ever due to hormones etc.


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## Copepod (Aug 23, 2016)

Welcome to the forum, Azure Skies. Sorry to hear about your son's problems. Being a teenager is tough enough, even without type 1 diabetes or any other long term health problem. Are there any other people in your home or in your son's life - father, siblings, uncles, aunts, grandparents, neighbours etc?


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## AJLang (Aug 23, 2016)

I'm not sure this will help but in my early teens I really didn't have any friends at all (I've been diabetic since I was 2). When I reached 15/16 my mum told me off for going out too much, I found friends who I've now known for over 30 years and my social life went from nothing to brilliant. But the years before that were incredibly difficult and then a new girl started school and she became my friend. Coincidentally she was also diabetic. Being a teenager with diabetes is incredibly hard, I hope that you find a way to get your son to be happier.


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