Seriously, day to day, month to month, to keep your program going and keep your hopes up... that is hard.
For families who realize their children are headed for sure toward independence, the stress can slowly reduce (it`s still stress, but not as before). But for families who are full throttle in a home program and begin to be frustrated by fall backs, stumbles and reaching plateaus, the struggle to keep going is genuine.
If you are fighting depression and the will to go on in your program, consider doing some of these things:
- Ask yourself positive questions about your child...like, What can he/she do now that he would not have been able to do without the program? Where would he be now with out his team and therapy? What progress have you seen that you would not have seen if you didn`t have a home program?
- Make a list of the good things about your home program. Some times our focus will rest on the negative( so easy to do) and we forget all the positive. ( I`ve done this time and time again)
- Check your burnout thermometer. You have no doubt been running a full speed for several years. Do you ever have dinner with a friend or go have a cup of coffee? Do you take vacations days?
- Consider a visit to your doctor if you are truly feeling depressed, anxious,etc. for any length of time. Any decisions you make about your home program you want to make with a healthy mind.
Finally, I mentioned that the struggle to keep going is geniune. The struggle is also lonely. No matter how wonderful friends and family are, they mostly don`t get how difficult the days can be for their friends battling autism. Even professionals in the field cannot empathize realistically, as much as we would wish them to. If I can help you at all, let it be to say that if you are in this struggle of trying to keep going, you are not alone. I`m right here with you.
My heart is with you,
Katherine Lee