Bipolar Disorder and Teens
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.
For example, a teen who is angry may yell at you and run to their room and slam the door. A teenager with bipolar disorder may yell, try to hit you and then run out of the house and not come back for days. There is a big difference. Another very important distinction- typical teens tend to calm down and go back to ‘normal’ once they have let you know how they feel. Teens with bipolar disorder can stay in certain upsetting moods for much longer.
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.
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.
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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Thanks so much for addressing bipolar and teens. It will come in handy when my kids reach their teenage years. My husband has bipolar and he had many many problems in his teen years. I have known him since we were 14 years old. I have no idea why he was not diagnosed with bipolar back then even being in a residential treatment center for behavior. and it was not till a year ago that he was diagnosed. it has been a rough journey but we are seeing light because I think we finally have his meds figured out YAY!!!
anyway Julie you have been such a big help in learning about this illness and I want you to know your work is so much appreciated.
I have two bipolar daughers and a bipolar ex-husband. My heart is hurting now for my teenage daughter. She’s not well right now and she seems only to become involved in destructive relationships with guys who have criminal records, drug issues, no job etc. How can I help her see that her own moods and health are affected by her choices and that I’m not just being a critical Mom who doesn’t like her boyfriends? (I do like them, they are just NOT good for her) She is also in counseling, on medication but the constant DRAMA in her life would cause anyone to feel like they’re living life on a roller coaster. How can I better help her help herself?
Also Julie, I so appreciate you devoting your life to helping others with this disease and sharing so openly your own experiences. You are helping many.
I am so thankful you are there to help parents know when their teen is not just being a teen. Two of our children have suffered with bipolar and both had different symptoms in teen years. If we had only known then what we were dealing with we could have helped them so much more. One stumbled through the symptoms and has learned to cope with them on a minimum of medication, but the other’s symptoms became more severe after his teen years and he has had seven years of trial and error with meds and therapy, still dependent on care givers to keep him stable. They were both diagnosed with depression and on medication for that in high school, but they would not stay on the meds. I hope parents who suspect this problem in their teens will learn all they can as well as do all they can to help them. Thanks to you, Julie, they can be well informed! Ruth
Thank You so very much for all you do Julie. My son is 13 and just got diagnosed with Bi-polar and was put on Depakote, he was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 6 so he has been on meds since then, but Depakote is new. After reading about Rapid Cycle … oh my gosh my son is the same way he can have 2-3 mood swings a day. I am doing as much reading and research on the subject and your books and newsletters are so awsome. I am so new to this illness I have a long road ahead of me, my husband was diagnosed 2 yrs ago and he is 38, and unwilling to accept it and it is very trying especially with my son, who is not his biolagical son. I am very appriciative to all you do and publish .. it will be a tremendous help to me to know where to go to read and find out more on how to help BOTH my son and my husband.
my daughter was 1st treated for depression @ age 9 after exhausting all possible physical causes for her stomach problems. She was DX’d w/BD @ age 13. Her Dad was bipolar & schizophrenic. I don’t even know my child anymore. I don’t know how to answer or respond to her because she is so touchy and takes me the wrong way constantly. She is constantly turning this around on me telling me to calm down when she has just gone off on me. I love her so much but I don’t ever know what I’ll be dealing with because she is rapid cycling and I cannot have a serious conversation with her because she starts melting down emotionally saying,”I cant deal with this…just stop it!!!” She doesnt go to school or do much to be productive. We cant find a medicine that works for her.
It is really depressing. I just want her to have more good days than bad.
And where have all her emotions gone because she seems so flat, just cold.
Let me look into your books (I just came on your site). We need all the help we can get! Thank you.