Teenage Bipolar Disorder: the difference between a ‘normal’ teenager and a teenager with bipolar disorder
August 20, 2008 Friends & Family, Teenage Bipolar Disorder No CommentsBipolar Disorder and Teens- a guide for parents.
I did two newsletters on teens a few months ago. The response was amazing. There is not enough information for parents or teens with bipolar. He is a quick tip on how to distinguish ‘normal’ teenage behavior as compared to ‘bipolar’ teen behavior.
It can be difficult, but it’s not impossible.
It’s all about degrees- ‘normal’ teens and bipolar teens act in similar ways, but not at the same intensity.
Here are some examples:
| Non Bipolar Teens: | Bipolar Teens: |
| Difficult | Out of Control |
| Need to be Alone | Abnormally Secretive |
| Angry | Violent |
| Runs to Room and Slams Door | Runs Out of the House and Doesn’t Come Back |
| Focused | Obsessively Focused |
| Shouting | Screaming |
| Sexual Experimentation | Aggressive Sexual Pursuit |
| Scared of the Dark | Real Demons in the Closet |
| Sad | Suicidal |
It’s not the behavior only- it’s the way the behavior is played out. I know bipolar when I see it because I’ve lived it. If you’re a parent with a teen- start writing down the behavior you see in ‘normal’ teens- the ones who go to school, hang out with friends, have good relationships with their family, don’t have a lot of fights, crying, etc. and then write what you see in your child. You can find the difference there. If you’re a teen, you can do the same.
Adults with bipolar disorder have the same dichotomy of course- but we have more ability to recognize and change the extremes. For teenagers it’s all so new! These are often first time emotions. If you’re a teenager with bipolar disorder, you will have to grow up faster than most people. You will have to learn about your emotions sooner than other kids in your life.
You can do it. I’ll write a lot more about it in future blogs.
I made it through teenage bipolar disorder as did all of my friends. There is SO much more information now- if you were diagnosed in your teens- or if you care about someone who was diagnosed in their teens- it’s a really good thing to find out about the issues early and go from there. I wish it had happened to me!
Julie
PS: My Health Cards Treatment System for Bipolar Disorder is available at www.bipolarhappens.com. This is an exceptionally good system for teenagers with bipolar disorder and the people who care about them.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Julie A. Fast best selling author of Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder, Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder and Get it Done When You're Depressed is a critically acclaimed six-time author, award winning bipolar disorder advice columnist, national speaker, and sought after expert in the fields of bipolar disorder and depression. Julie’s work specializes in helping people manage all aspects of their daily lives -despite the complications that bipolar disorder creates. To learn how to personalize a plan to help yourself or a loved one find and create stability that ensures the quality of life that we all deserve, visit: http://www.bipolarhappens.comThis site uses WordPress Candy Plugin

This is my amazing nephew David. He’s six. I was pretty depressed yesterday. David came up to me and gave me a hug. I said, “Auntie Wee is sick today.” He said, “I know.”









