Tonight around 10:30 my aunt called my house and b/c my 10yr/old cousin started "freaking out and attacking everyone" in his house (he lives with his mom, a 2 and 11yr/old sisters and 7yr/old brother)this is the second time that this has happened in two months and last time his mom had to take him to my grandma's house for the night. My family is very close and I watch the kids often. His father is manic depressive and is in the hospital for it for the 4th time this year. I'm worried about the kid b/c of his father's mental illness and the fact that mental illness runs in our family. If I knew the outburst are just b/c he is upset about his father or his parents divorce I would be more comfortable but the fact that there is the possibility that it is something mental or b/c of s.a. or even physical abuse worries me a lot. Sorry this is so long
Any insight?
Thanks
Bryan

Hi Bryan,

It's really hard to say what could be causing his behavior, because it could be anything of those reasons you listed or it could be a combination of several of them. Is this behavior unusual for him, or has he seemed to have these tendencies pretty much ongoing? I think that would factor a lot in trying to figure out what is going on with him. If it's been ongoing all his life, then it sounds like he has some behavioral problems that perhaps medication could help with. If it seems like it has come about in him as a change, then I would think it's a response to his envionment and what's going on in his life, in which case he probably needs some counseling. Good luck to him and your family, I hope things work out well for him.