Student with Mental Illness

compmom
Fri, 07 Sep 2012 23:06:47 +0000

It is hard to tell what is really going on with the boy, from the original post. Skin picking is a category of obsessive compulsive disorder and is not related to being suicidal or homicidal. The other sullen, withdrawn behavior could have a variety of explanations. However, if an entire group of friends was concerned, probably something was there to be concerned about.

I share the other posters’ concern about the boy overhearing. Has your daughter or any of the friends talked with the boy directly? I know he has cut off communication, and can understand he would feel betrayed,and perhaps not be able to understand they were trying to help. Did any of the kids express concern to him before going to the RA? I feel for the boy, to be honest, and hope someone helps him if he is “ill,” and supports him if he is not.

That is not to say that the daughter and friends did anything inappropriate. A boy in my daughter’s freshman dorm had a psychotic break and some of his behavior was threatening. Other students went to the RA, who went to the dean, who then required a leave. My daughter did manage to have a conversation with him before he left. The boy came back the following year, and is actually quite brilliant and successful.

I hope that the daughter has a chance to talk to the boy at some point. Perhaps they will both have a chance to feel better about what has happened.

The idea of calling parents is a little off base I think. If the boy asks someone to, then fine. The fact of the matter is that if he is 18, the school itself probably cannot call his parents unless he has given a release. The school can “pink slip” him and hospitalize him involuntarily, but he would have to tel his parents, I believe, not the school.