Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 960202

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Failure to thrive as a child and mental illness?

Posted by Deneb on August 27, 2010, at 19:45:15

I was just wondering if my failure to thrive as a toddler has anything to do with my current mental problems.

My parents have always said I was extremely hard to take care of as a baby. I was colic. I cried all the time and didn't sleep much. By contrast my little sister would do nothing much but eat and sleep and was a very easy to care for baby.

As a toddler I had a failure to thrive. I wasn't growing much and was underweight. I actually remember a nurse coming to visit me at home and telling my parents what I needed to eat.

I remember the long battles at meal time. I would chew and not swallow food or refuse to eat altogether.

I was underweight my whole childhood, but puberty made me gain some weight. As an adult I am normal weight now but very short, at only 4'11".

I was just wondering if my lack of nutrition as a child contributed to my current problems. Hmmm...actually as a child I had a lot of mental problems too. Is it likely that the lack of nutrition caused my current problems or that I had problems as a child because I was born with problems?

Re: Failure to thrive as a child and mental illness? » Deneb

Posted by violette on August 28, 2010, at 13:18:45

In reply to Failure to thrive as a child and mental illness?, posted by Deneb on August 27, 2010, at 19:45:15

Deneb,

I highly doubt your were born 'defective'. Nutrition can affect mental health, but from what you've said in the past about your mother, I think her mental health issues may have had an adverse affect on your mental health as an adult.

Not that I'd base this opinion on my personal experience only, (but more or less attachment theory/object relations) but fwiw-I was a quiet, pleasant baby and have plenty of mental health problems myself.

I don't believe there is something fundamentally bad about you, nor do I think your mental health is your fault in any way.

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