Hi. I was in an A student in high school and assigned to an accelerated schedule. This was in the late 50’s and early 60’s when the pressures on students were much simpler. None the less, I ended by dropping out of high school (unheard of for successful students). I could not control the lethergy and sleepyness. Of course, the more classes I missed, the more I felt out of touch and the harder it was to return to school (there was no recognition of a need for special programs or at least no one in my family knew how to arrange one).
In short, KLS is responsible for your son’s hibernation. My experience of the episodes (all the way back) is although I know I am behaving strangely, I cannot change it. I could not “pull myself up by my bootstraps”, I could not stop being lazy, there was no amount of will power that would stop an episode. Due to the then prevailing ignorance and silence about psychological conditions and unique family dynamics, my parents just didn’t know what to do. Although I dropped out of high school, I did manage to thread my way through the symptoms and finish high school (night school) and eventually graduated from U.C. Santa Cruz with a BA in Politics.
I know you are scared and confused. However, you and your son have a place to begin - a diagnosis. In the meantime, and I know this sounds uncaring, but don’t panic. All of my best to you and your son.
