[alexeim]

Hello. I have a 13-year-old son and he likes to write and draw. I think he has talent. I've never been very imaginative myself... But should I be concerned if he's drawing and writing things that are strange?

He never shows me his writing, but sometimes he shows me his pictures and a lot of them are of injured young boys. Boys with missing arms and legs. Boys with pieces of metal piercing their bodies. People with their bodies stitched together in odd ways. The thing that bothers me the most is that the drawings are very sexual and I find them a bit nauseating.

Another matter is the writing. He hides it from me, but I've found some of it by his bed and a lot of it seems to deal with sexual relationships between young boys and older men; sometimes even father and son relationships. Usually something sadomasochistic. It makes me feel very uncomfortable, because I don't know if he's writing about me. I have never abused or hit my son before. I don't know why he thinks about these things.

[Samual]

Just a thought, it might not be this but at my last school we had a problem with students who wrote erotica, they started bringing it to school to write in their spare time, maybe thats what he is doing, you can post it on certain internet sites to share it with others, it would explain the pictures as well.

[alexeim]

Er I don't think that's the case. He hasn't had any trouble at school and I don't believe he shares anything he's created with anyone. I wouldn't call any of it erotica either. Mostly just a lot of mentions of things happening and detailed violence that's sexually suggestive. Basically, one of my main concerns is that from what I've seen, he seems to view sex and love and human relationships as something based completely around violence and I don't know where he picked that up. If he was older, I would be less concerned, but this has been going on for a long time (since around the age of 10) and he seems too young to think of such things.

[Samual]

If you are so worried then why have you left this for so long?

[alexeim]

It hasn't been a consistent problem. Whenever I try to talk to him about it, he covers his ears and runs away, yelling that I shouldn't look at his things.

A (possibly) related matter is that he's recently asked to see a psychiatrist, but our insurance doesn't cover it.

[angelic_ky]

i would definitely get him to see a psychiatrist, especially seeing as he has asked to see one

[purelegance]

his school may actually have somebody he can talk to, which obviously be cost free. if nothing else, they should be able to refer you to someplace affordable. him asking to see a psychitrist is a huge step, i wouldn't shove it to the side just because insurance doesn't cover it. i know it's a large expense, but i would much rather cut corners to get him that care then not and possibly regret it later.

[browneyes01]

I would be alarmed to if i were in your shoes maybe you could ask him about his drawings when he comes and shows them to you ak him what they mean and what they represent to him. you should also think to get him into some form of counselling so they can dig deeper into why he is doing these strange things. Are you a single mother if so think back to times in your life with him were he could have come into contact with an older male maybe he is drawing out something that has happened in the past. I would really try to get to the bottom of why he is drawing the things he does.

[mcmama]

Originally Posted by alexeim

It hasn't been a consistent problem. Whenever I try to talk to him about it, he covers his ears and runs away, yelling that I shouldn't look at his things.

A (possibly) related matter is that he's recently asked to see a psychiatrist, but our insurance doesn't cover it.

Get him to a psychiatrist. Now.

That is surprising that insurance does not cover it, since most major medical plans have at least some limited coverage for initial diagnosis and medication management.

Sometimes universities will have medical students or psychology students working in counseling centers under the supervision of faculty and they charge a sliding scale.

Regardless of the insurance or availability of affordable psychiatric treatment, you need to get him to a psychiatrist. He is very troubled and he is trying to tell you this.

[oweirdo]

I agree with Janet, he sounds like hes crying for help, but does not know how to tell mom about it.