As I sit here writing to you, our 18-year-old daughter is packing all her things and has stated that she will never speak to us again. How did we get here? What painful course of action led to this tragic end for our family? We raised our daughter, an only child, in relative privilege. She tested as gifted at nine. She struggled socially in school although she had one best friend all through primary school. As she progressed to middle school, she had a nice friend group of girls. However, at this time, I, her mother, went through a significant depression and was unable to work or meet her needs emotionally. We also moved twice during this time. I believe this had a significant impact upon her stability.
You are breaking my heart! But, I think it's good sometimes. It helps me to cry, and, for some reason, I don't seem to be able to cry for myself. I cry when I read others' stories, and it helps me cry.
I read this same story, or something similar, over and over again. My story is similar in some ways. My daughter is so smart, but socially awkward. She never had any long-term friends. She never showed any signs of gender dysphoria. She had always been very girly.
Yet, here we are. She fell down the rabbit hole of the internet when she was about 16. She found the answer to all her problems. I should mention, she has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, depression, and anxiety. But those things are so common together.
Now, she is on testosterone. I feel lost in this perpetual mourning, stuck in limbo. She has a five year old daughter. My daughter is an adult. Some would say that she's not hurting anyone but herself. But I beg to differ! I see the look of hurt and confusion in my granddaughter's eyes.
I move between despair and hope. When will this darkness end?
Sounds just like my story of my daughter. She started with DID though and all bc of that blasted phone during Covid and the influence of TikTok and discord. We are getting close to two years since she left. My heart breaks for these children and the adults leading them down this tragic road.
I can relate and feel sympathy for your story. May we all have the strength to keep strong through these tough times of misinformation on mental health. May these times bring truth to all these families who are being manipulated by the wave and rave of defining and diagnosing our children´s mental health.
I'm sorry for you and your family. Although billed as "One Family's Story", this could be our family story too and, I suspect, many others. Our daughter announced she was trans six months into college, dropped a year later, moved home and then packed up and moved out shortly after that. All because we said transitioning was an adult decision and we'd like her to wait until she was out of college before undertaking such dramatic and permanent changes.
I am so sorry you and your family are going through this hell. At a time when young adults should be looking to their futures, this Leviathan comes and grabs them and robs them of their destiny. I too suffered from severe depression and binge eating at that age. It kept me from doing so many things, and that is why I think all this stuff-trans, internet, glitterfamily crap-is just a terrible distraction from the life that is yours to live. Why is it so scary for some of us to jump in and really become independent adults? Deep wounds and anxiety that needs to be faced and wrestled with. I truly hope that for your daughter and all our kids.
Well yeah, that definitely should be restricted but it all starts with the indoctrination online doesn’t it. This new “trans” identity stuff is a social contagion propagated through platforms like tik-tok, it’s not a surprise that there is a direct correlation between the decline in young people’s mental health and the rise of social media platforms. They’re so impressionable and shouldn’t be exposed to online crap until they’re grown up, have experienced real life and are resilient enough to understand that online stuff is 99.9% shite.
I have heard far too many stories like this to be shocked anymore. At this point, I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop — will there be a tsunami of detransitions and shell-shocked, broken children limping back to their traumatized parents, or will there be a new society of dissociated young people, propping each other up to maintain their delusion?
Right now, I see no critical thinking or courage to go up against the lunatics. But, I do know it will come. I.e. labotomies, Japanese interment camps, the holocaust, etc.
My son and I just sat and watched the movie “The Mitchells vs the Machines”. What does that have to do with this? It’s subtle but the protagonist identifies as gay and so does our son. He knows that I believe marriage is a God-ordained, covenant relationship between a man and a woman BUT we can tolerate our differences and love one another. He saw first hand what this divisive, destructive ideology does and refuses to play by its rules. My heart goes out to you as our family’s story is one of estrangement with this evil capturing our “gifted” son as well.
Wow, what a shock. Your story is important to parents who aren't aware of what's going on. I shall share it. I pray your daughter comes back to you; there are mounting numbers of de-transitioners.
While you're smashing the patriarchy, every corporation and government agency is backing you up. Guess what? That's not how rebellions work. Please wise up. Now.
I am sorry this is happening to your daughter and your family. I feel so angry that this ideology has taken over our kids and is crushing so many families. I am angry at all the professionals, politicians, teachers , etc. who have no moral standing whatsoever and can actually think this is okay to recommend. I want this nightmare to end soon. I know many of our kids will be harmed to various degrees along the way. No matter how much pushback our kids give us, a parent will always be here with open arms. Even if my child is still home, I miss what he used to be and grieve all that he wanted to be.
She said she will never speak to you again, yet she's agreed to family therapy sessions? It sounds like she's confused about what she wants to do, and there is at least a toe hold for you to maintain some kind of relationship. I hope you can get through to whatever vestige of a rational person still lives in her head before she goes through with mutilating herself. Good luck.
I am so sorry for what you are going through! This is why efforts like PITT are so important -- parents need to be aware of all the traps before their kids fall into them.
Some kids just don't respond to psychological therapy -- what a temptation it must be for some therapists to say "You know what? Your failure to get better isn't a result of my approach, or that we're just not a good fit, or that talk therapy works only 30 percent of the time; You're transgender!!"
It's so important to get the news out to everyone. Thank you for your effort, and I pray your daughter finds her way back home.
You are breaking my heart! But, I think it's good sometimes. It helps me to cry, and, for some reason, I don't seem to be able to cry for myself. I cry when I read others' stories, and it helps me cry.
I read this same story, or something similar, over and over again. My story is similar in some ways. My daughter is so smart, but socially awkward. She never had any long-term friends. She never showed any signs of gender dysphoria. She had always been very girly.
Yet, here we are. She fell down the rabbit hole of the internet when she was about 16. She found the answer to all her problems. I should mention, she has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, depression, and anxiety. But those things are so common together.
Now, she is on testosterone. I feel lost in this perpetual mourning, stuck in limbo. She has a five year old daughter. My daughter is an adult. Some would say that she's not hurting anyone but herself. But I beg to differ! I see the look of hurt and confusion in my granddaughter's eyes.
I move between despair and hope. When will this darkness end?
Sounds just like my story of my daughter. She started with DID though and all bc of that blasted phone during Covid and the influence of TikTok and discord. We are getting close to two years since she left. My heart breaks for these children and the adults leading them down this tragic road.
I can relate and feel sympathy for your story. May we all have the strength to keep strong through these tough times of misinformation on mental health. May these times bring truth to all these families who are being manipulated by the wave and rave of defining and diagnosing our children´s mental health.
I'm sorry for you and your family. Although billed as "One Family's Story", this could be our family story too and, I suspect, many others. Our daughter announced she was trans six months into college, dropped a year later, moved home and then packed up and moved out shortly after that. All because we said transitioning was an adult decision and we'd like her to wait until she was out of college before undertaking such dramatic and permanent changes.
I am so sorry you and your family are going through this hell. At a time when young adults should be looking to their futures, this Leviathan comes and grabs them and robs them of their destiny. I too suffered from severe depression and binge eating at that age. It kept me from doing so many things, and that is why I think all this stuff-trans, internet, glitterfamily crap-is just a terrible distraction from the life that is yours to live. Why is it so scary for some of us to jump in and really become independent adults? Deep wounds and anxiety that needs to be faced and wrestled with. I truly hope that for your daughter and all our kids.
Well yeah, that definitely should be restricted but it all starts with the indoctrination online doesn’t it. This new “trans” identity stuff is a social contagion propagated through platforms like tik-tok, it’s not a surprise that there is a direct correlation between the decline in young people’s mental health and the rise of social media platforms. They’re so impressionable and shouldn’t be exposed to online crap until they’re grown up, have experienced real life and are resilient enough to understand that online stuff is 99.9% shite.
I have heard far too many stories like this to be shocked anymore. At this point, I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop — will there be a tsunami of detransitions and shell-shocked, broken children limping back to their traumatized parents, or will there be a new society of dissociated young people, propping each other up to maintain their delusion?
I’ll believe when I see it.
Right now, I see no critical thinking or courage to go up against the lunatics. But, I do know it will come. I.e. labotomies, Japanese interment camps, the holocaust, etc.
I'm so disgusted by these states and schools who are helping these kids destroy their minds and bodies.
My son and I just sat and watched the movie “The Mitchells vs the Machines”. What does that have to do with this? It’s subtle but the protagonist identifies as gay and so does our son. He knows that I believe marriage is a God-ordained, covenant relationship between a man and a woman BUT we can tolerate our differences and love one another. He saw first hand what this divisive, destructive ideology does and refuses to play by its rules. My heart goes out to you as our family’s story is one of estrangement with this evil capturing our “gifted” son as well.
Wow, what a shock. Your story is important to parents who aren't aware of what's going on. I shall share it. I pray your daughter comes back to you; there are mounting numbers of de-transitioners.
If these children only knew what it is like to be a parent, this whole pseudocult would never be able to fly so high on false wings.
Dear teenagers,
While you're smashing the patriarchy, every corporation and government agency is backing you up. Guess what? That's not how rebellions work. Please wise up. Now.
Sincerely,
Every generation that preceded you
I am sorry this is happening to your daughter and your family. I feel so angry that this ideology has taken over our kids and is crushing so many families. I am angry at all the professionals, politicians, teachers , etc. who have no moral standing whatsoever and can actually think this is okay to recommend. I want this nightmare to end soon. I know many of our kids will be harmed to various degrees along the way. No matter how much pushback our kids give us, a parent will always be here with open arms. Even if my child is still home, I miss what he used to be and grieve all that he wanted to be.
She said she will never speak to you again, yet she's agreed to family therapy sessions? It sounds like she's confused about what she wants to do, and there is at least a toe hold for you to maintain some kind of relationship. I hope you can get through to whatever vestige of a rational person still lives in her head before she goes through with mutilating herself. Good luck.
I am so sorry for what you are going through! This is why efforts like PITT are so important -- parents need to be aware of all the traps before their kids fall into them.
Some kids just don't respond to psychological therapy -- what a temptation it must be for some therapists to say "You know what? Your failure to get better isn't a result of my approach, or that we're just not a good fit, or that talk therapy works only 30 percent of the time; You're transgender!!"
It's so important to get the news out to everyone. Thank you for your effort, and I pray your daughter finds her way back home.