Need help re: 11 yr old son (right area??)

I posted this under the forum of "Disassociative Disorders" as well because I am seeking guidance. It's not word for word, but general idea.....thanks!

I have an 11 year old son. He is a sensitive, smart, good boy. He has in the past year struggled with anxiety over storms. We live in Florida, so afternoon thunderstorms during the summer are very common and hurricane tracking, tropical storms, etc...He has "worried" about storms, but this year it seemed to get progressively worse. He actually had at least 2 panic type attacks that I am aware of. He avoided spending the night places, or even going in town with us, so he could be at home if a storm came. He obsessed about them. That is concerning, but what concerns me even more is the fact that he has had a few conversations with me now about "reality." Last night was the most recent and probably our third one over the past year. He has said things like, "He feels that this world is a program," "He feel like maybe he is the only person left in the world and and has been transported here and is in a "pod" type of thing and we are taking care of him," "He has said he feels like this life is only happening to him and not anyone else." He also will ask us (mainly me and his brother) questions to confirm that we are here with him and that this world is real. Last night we were all reading together on his bed and he would ask me what color was his desk that was behind me. He feels like if he questions us about something we can't see, but he can then he can confirm that we are here.

Me and his dad have been married for 14 yrs, and he has one older brother who is 13. I have had panic attacks and had episodes of disassociation, but they were abuse related. He has not suffered from any abuse or traumatic incidents. My husband has gone through several layoffs, but we have managed to keep our home. Any ideas.... disassociation, depersonalization, something more serious?? Thank you!

Your son is reporting symptoms of depersonalization and derealization (some authorities consider these to be one cluster of symptoms, not two). I did not notice any symptoms of dissociation per se, but that may be going on too. I would take him to a therapist member of ISSTD. The ISSTD website has a locator (link below), and there are many other therapists in your state who may be experienced treating trauma and dissociation. ISSTD has published a guideline for diagnosing and treating dissociative disorders in children.

Your son has dissociative symptoms but that does not necessarily mean he has a dissociative disorder. Dissociative symptoms are common also in many other disorders, including anxiety disorders.

You mention that you too have problems with dissociation. Have you ever been assessed for a dissociative disorder? Could it be possible that you have dissociative identity disorder? Undiagnosed, untreated DID in a parent is a significant risk factor for dissociation in a child.

I hope this helps. I have DID and children, so I share your concern.

ISSTD: Child Adolescent FAQs
ISSTD: Find a Therapist

Thanks for the info! I will follow up with researching the links and scheduling something with a therapist. I haven't ever been diagnosed with any disassociative disorder, but "disassociating" became a coping method for me when under extreme stress and it does seem to be anxiety related for him. He seems to have more worries than an 11 yr old should. Thanks again! I was hoping someone would reply.

You might want to administer yourself the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and give a copy of the completed, scored assessment to the therapist you consult with. The DES is easy to do and you can get it scored online plus there is comparative data online. See the link below. There is a similar tool for assessing dissociative symptoms in children, but as far as I know it is not available online.

DID Forum: Dissociative Experiences Scale