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Why Are They Acting Like This?


It’s Not You

Have you noticed that your child or loved one has had difficulties controlling their negative behaviors? Have they been having episodes of emotional outbursts? Have you noticed that they are having trouble making and/or keeping friends? Are there days when you feel that you have to tell your young person to do a simple task several times before something “ clicks” and they finally understand what you have been trying to tell them? Perhaps you have explained the same tasks several times and they still don’t seem to understand.

As a parent or family member, you feel that you have used “ every trick” in the book to combat your child or loved one’s negative behaviors, emotional difficulties, and unpredictable behaviors. You have not failed. Some issues run deeper than simple actions and reactions. Some issues are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain and need more intensive testing to pinpoint the cause of what your child or loved one is experiencing.

There are times when a neuropsychological examination has the potential not only to answer all your questions but give a name to what they have been experiencing. Once you have an idea of what the issue is, then you have options to explore how to alleviate the symptoms and find a solution.

Neuropsychological Examinations and Adults

For as long as you remember your loved one has had difficulties maintaining friendships. They also have been called forgetful or flighty because they never can remember anything—ever. Their forgetfulness and lack of being able to socialize may have caused issues such as isolation from friends and family, poor communication skills, and instances of self-medicating with drugs or alcohol. This may be a sign of a much larger problem.

Maybe you have noticed something is off about yourself. You have been forgetting things that you have always known, like phone numbers and addresses. Simple tasks that are part of your routine frustrate you to no end. Something doesn’t feel right. How do you tell those you trust the most about your fears and concerns?  Reaching out and asking for help is one of the most difficult and courageous things adults may have to face.

Admitting that you have a mental health issue is the first step to creating your wellness. It is understandable why some adults have problems reaching out for help. We live in a world that stigmatizes mental health diagnoses.  No one wants to be looked at differently because of something that they do not know how to fix. 

You cannot control or recover from something that you are not acutely aware of. A neuropsychological examination can bring you one step closer to understanding what can be done to deal with the issue.  Your medical history will be reviewed to give your medical provider a picture of your mental health history and you have the option for a friend or a family member to be contacted to provide more background and insight.

Neuropsychological Examinations and Children

Is your child having difficulties with controlling emotional outbursts and often displays bouts of bad behavior? If school makes them anxious no matter how hard they try, and nothing seems to help, there is hope. They may have a hard time passing tests due to not being able to remember anything they’ve studied. None of these challenges are reflections of your parenting or your child’s ability to learn or behave properly. Despite your and their best efforts, more needs to be done to assist your child in becoming the best version of themselves. Once your child can pinpoint their issues then they may not be so frustrated and in turn, can learn tools to self-regulate. 

A neuropsychological examination could help you pinpoint your child’s strengths and weaknesses. In essence, a neuropsychological examination can help you plan a better roadmap for your child’s education by being able to focus more on your child’s challenges and set goals that are both reasonable and attainable.

What to Expect When Your Child Gets Their Neuropsychological Evaluation

Your child will test in a friendly environment with a professional examiner. While your child is testing you will be in a separate room. No need to fret dear parents, you will be interviewed by the examiner after the testing is over. The examination is set up in such a way that your child will feel like they are simply engaging in fun activities. Testing methods include but are not limited to computer activities, puzzles, answering direct questions, games, and writing tasks. 

Experiencing mental health issues and not being able to determine the source of the discomfort and frustrations caused by their accompanying symptoms can be challenging. Having an undiagnosed mental health disorder may be causing you to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol. Asking for help can open the path to pinpoint the reasons why you are experiencing things like memory loss, substance abuse, and the inability to make or keep friends. At SokyaHealth, we provide comprehensive and compassionate mental health and wellness services for children, adolescents, and adults. Our centers in the  Oregon, Alaska, and California regions offer neuropsychological evaluations that can help determine why you or your child is having trouble in school, home, or community settings.  Taking this step will give you the tools needed to promote mental wellness. If you are concerned about you or your loved one’s emotional difficulties or memory problems, call SokyaHealth today at 866-932-1767.

More than 50% of Americans struggle with mental health.

Headlight is now collaborating with health plans and companies to make therapy more accessible and affordable. Speak to a Care Coordinator today.