ODD, ADD, depression: Charlie*

When you hear your parents shout, ‘Clean your room!’ most would reply with a grumbling ‘Okay’ or a slight argument, but that is not the reality for Charlie*. He was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, depression and Oppositional Defiant Disorder—a mental disorder which causes the victim to be disobedient, uncooperative and even violent. Charlie began showing signs when he was only 5, suffering from uncontrollable anger and violent outbursts.

As Charlie grew older, his ODD symptoms led to severe depression. He got to the point where he was Baker Acted—detained for under 72 hours in a mental institution—on four different occasions. People can be Baker Acted by first responders if they are believed to not be able to make rational decisions, or if they become a danger to themselves or others.

Charlie had terrible experiences at the mental institutions, including people smashing glass, getting beat up five times by other patients and watching someone kick a door and shatter his foot.

Charlie’s ODD has also caused his relationship with his family and friends to suffer greatly. Due to his outbursts and other factors caused by his ODD, ADD and depression, such as refusal to listen to signs and things she told him, his girlfriend broke up with him.

“I don’t feel like I belong. I get so angry it’s hard to keep jobs, I always feel like everyone is out to get me, like I’m not worth anything,” Charlie said.