Dr Phil: 7-Year-Old Obsessed with Knives & Born Addicted To Meth

Dr Phil: Our 7-Year-Old Son Threatens To Kill Us

Kim and her ex-husband Ryan turned to Dr Phil for help with their 7-year-old son Rylan, whose bizarre and violent behavior could be putting others in danger. The former spouses are co-parenting Rylan, who is obsessed with knives and his imaginary friend Bleeder, whom he says tells him to kill his entire family.

Rylan is one of the couple’s four children, and they adopted him as an infant. He has always displayed aggressive behavior, and the couple has tried multiple medical approaches in the past to help manage it, with no success. Now the couple fears that he is a ticking time bomb, and they don’t know what to do for their son.

Dr Phil: 7-Year-Old Obsessed with Knives

Rylan’s mother was a drug addict, and he was not able to be touched because of the pain caused by his withdrawals. This young boy also knows how to hold his breath until he passes out, and seems to be fascinated with knives. By age 4, he began physically lashing out toward his siblings.

Rylan loves sharp, shiny objects and can speak very specifically about how he would use them to hurt people. Kim said that she takes his threats seriously, especially after an incident in which he used his brother’s razor blade to cut off his fingertips, so he could see the blood. He says he is motivated by his imaginary robot friend, Bleeder.

Dr Phil: Are These Parents Raising a Murderer?

“My biggest fear is that we’re raising a school shooter, a mass murderer, a serial killer,” she said. A past therapist compared him to Ted Bundy. Kim and Ryan have hospitalized Rylan on six occasions. Now the couple is living in fear because they feel that they are out of options.

According to Ryan, Rylan is physically strong and it seems that he also swears like a sailor. Rylan’s unpredictable and unmanageable behavior has taken over his parents’ lives. Their last resort is a Therapeutic Hold, which can last for up to an hour. Ryan has also found evidence that Rylan has been hiding sharp objects.

Dr Phil: Born Addicted To Meth

Ryan was desperate and felt helpless about his son’s behavior. He and Kim joined Dr Phil onstage, where they said they live in fear for their lives and the lives of their other children, not to mention the boy’s threats to others outside the family.

“There’s a lot we don’t know about the prenatal effects of exposure to meth,” Dr Phil said. In addition, both of Rylan’s biological parents were diagnosed as Bipolar, a condition that is known to be genetic. In a home video, Rylan calmly explained how he would use multiple knives to kill his mother. Dr Phil tried to determine whether the boy was speaking in terms of fantasy, and his conclusion was that though his words are alarming, his tone and delivery were not menacing.

Dr Phil: Is a Violent 7-Year-Old Manipulating These Parents?

Dr Phil suggested that Kim telling Rylan his words are scary might actually be rewarding bad behavior by making him proud of what he has accomplished. He said that Kim and Ryan are reinforcing his habits without even realizing that or meaning to do it. There was one thing Dr Phil was able to quickly conclude: “This kid is smart,” he said.

“The power of language is very important,” Dr Phil said as he questioned the severity of the incident in which Rylan cut his fingertips with a razor. “I think if we’re not careful with the language that we use in talking about this to ourselves and to him, then we can inflame and exacerbate this situation,” Dr Phil.

Dr Phil: Can Rylan Control His Behavior?

Later, Dr Phil showed a home video of Rylan being put in a Therapeutic Hold. After watching it, Dr Phil told Kim and Ryan to avoid using suggestive language that could give him ideas he did not already have. In another clip, Rylan was taken away in a police car, and during that interaction he was completely pleasant toward the officer.

Kim said that sometimes he can be sweet and wonderful. Dr Phil pointed out that this proves he does have some control over his mood and behavior that he exerts around other people when he is outside the home. “Whatever the motivation, he has the ability to shift gears and be socially appropriate,” Dr Phil said. “The way you’re dealing with this is inflaming the situation.”

The good news was that there was hope for change in this family. All the best to this family as they take the next steps to improve their son’s care and continue to co-parent. You can share your two cents about this show online with the hashtag #SonNCrisis.

Dr Phil: Tips for Parenting a Violent Child

Every case is different, and you should rely on personalized support or individualized attention whenever it is available, to get the most accurate, current expertise available. But here are a few concepts that could help you get started as you consider your approach to a violent child.

Consult a psychologist. Having a professional evaluation will help you learn where you stand what what next steps you should think about.

Parent as a team. Kids are smart enough to know how to play parents against one another, so try to be consistent and work together toward a positive outcome. Don’t be intimidated, and remember that you are a parent, not a friend.

Figure out what motivates your child. Once you find the currency (such as toys, screen time, or another fun activity) that is meaningful to the young person in question, you can use it as positive reinforcement for good behavior.