my days in child & adolescent psychiatry

dear blog,

i feel like i have forgotten all about you. ive been so busy at work, school, after-school and with life that ive neglected the one thing that keeps me sane - writing!

i have so much to tell you but i dont even know where to start! work at the hospital is amazing. ive been doing so well in my unit. i was afraid that after my supervisor quit, id be lost but quite the contrary- i am found! i realized that any test ive been put through i could pass. no challenge was unmet or neglected. each obstacle was conquered and diminished. and now, my new challenge:
child and adolescent psychiatry.

i started seeing a new patient this week. a very sweet young boy who was neglected by his parents and will seemingly be diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. its so difficult for me to imagine that he has ever done anything wrong. anytime ive walked onto the unit he has greeted me with a smile. he seems to respect his elders, and articulates himself whenever he feels the need. i thought he got along with his peers well, but because he is the youngest he does get picked on and thus, rebels against the entire group.

my diagnosis is that this is a child who feels unloved, is misunderstood and homesick. i suppose its easy for me to say these things as a first year msw student, with no prior experience, knowledge or expertise on the matter. i haven;t even read a full page in the dsm-iv.

there is a small place in my heart for this child and unfortunately i will have to leave him too once this internship is over. just another person to leave him, in his sad life.