I’ll admit that at times I felt that a good smack on the bum would perhaps go a long way. Yet my heart urged me to be patient and involve as many people as I could find to regain some balance and stability for all of us.
I found friends and family, teachers, neighbours and acquaintances, anyone who ever had anything to do with Georgie and who liked her smile or who enjoyed her company, even if only briefly. Late at night with the rest of the family sound asleep, I found events, people, places and objects. I unearthed everything in Georgie’s past that gave her a little pleasure at some stage. And I strung all of these stories and messages together to bring her a message of love and worthiness and appreciation.
After many months of hard work, at Georgie’s 13th birthday I presented her with Georgie’s “Life so far” manuscript and our management plan based on what I had uncovered.
It worked .. for a little while.
Did I find a miracle cure for depression? Nope. Did we find a way to manage Georgie’s depression? Yes, very much so.
We went from a dizzying rollercoaster ride to a tame merry-go-round, which occasionally malfunctions, by either going a little too fast or stopping altogether. But ask either one of us which we prefer and the crooked merry-go-round will get thumbs up every time.
The events described above took place between 1987 and 2001.
Afterword written in the year 2014
Today I read in the news that psychiatric drugs soar among Aussie kids. The website News.com.au tells me that the number of prescriptions for antipsychotic drugs jumped 49 percent among 10 to 14-year-olds over a four-year period, according to a study of government subsidised prescriptions.
The number of prescriptions for antidepressants increased by more than a third in that age group, according to figures for 2009 to 2012 published in the latest issue of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry.
It doesn’t look as if we have made much progress with regards to helping our troubled youth.
You cannot protect people from themselves.
Georgie letter to self
The most terrifying thing for me throughout the whole ordeal was the feeling that unless I kept my eyes on Georgie constantly … she was not safe. Of course, it is impossible to keep your eyes constantly on any child. This meant that I lived in constant fear. Eventually, I came to realise that you cannot protect anyone from himself or herself.
Fifteen years later
It is now fifteen years later and we’ve travelled a few more valleys since. We’ve tried and applied whatever is available for mood disorders and then some.
We discovered and applied God’s Word
We gave up altogether on counselling, natural therapies and whatever else we tried that worked a little, for a while. What happened was that we discovered God’s Word and instead of searching out new methods, therapies and supplements, we prayed. We prayed a lot. We searched the Scriptures and applied whatever verses were relevant and we did so continuously and persistently.
Slowly, little by little, dark clouds parted and little devils got chased out … and some big ones too.
I’m proud to say that Georgie has matured into an adolescent who’s managed to grab hold of her mind and her life and with God’s help is rapidly becoming the master of her universe.
God heard our prayers
Once more God heard our prayers. In the process, I learned much. One major lesson for me was, that as human beings we have many limitations and not in my hand but,
Is Georgie still fighting demons? You betcha, but no more than any of us. Nowadays she battles her demons so gracefully and with such a sense of humor that I enjoy hearing about her adventures, and instead of pulling my hair out, I now roll over laughing when she relays her occasional roller coaster rides.
Hahaha, all my fears have evaporated, both my girls are now better to me than seven sons each and I really did give birth to an angel all those years ago …
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