Hi Meg,
I have just discovered your podcast and am enjoying listening. I have a teenage daughter who has been struggling for the last 4 or so years. She is 19, lives at home, works part-time and has no ambition for her life. She vapes, overeats, addicted to her phone, no goals or dreams for her life, generally unpleasant to be around. She is secretive, withdrawn and seems sad. Her favorite thing to do is "hang out" with her friends. She has recently been fired from her latest job. Tried a semester at junior college but made bad grades and decided not to go back.
We have been to a pediatrician in her earlier years to see if there was a medical issue. We have tried counseling. She seems happy to just do the bare minimum. Hangs out with people who also have no ambition. Her on again off again boyfriend is a homeless boy who treats her terribly!
I so badly want to help her (fix her) but she is resistant to any help and says everything is fine. I feel very sad for her, want to help her, but do not know how! What am I missing? How do we (her father and I) help without making things worse?
Anonymous