Bipolar Teenagers...trigs

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Bipolar Teenagers...trigs
3
Mon, 06-06-2005 - 10:10am

Hi all!


I had a horrible episode with my almost 15 year old son yesterday.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-17-2003
Mon, 06-06-2005 - 12:32pm

You're doing the right thing by getting it treated now. We didn't know it at the time, but I had BP as a teen too, and I could have saved myself so many years of misery, relationship-wrecking, and what-the-heck-is-my-problem if it had been caught and treated then. You guys have the advantage that I didn't in that you know what the problem is, so use that power and do whatever it takes to get this treated so that your son doesn't have to go through what I did.

As to not punishing him because he can't control it- um, no. I don't think so. You're in the right about not using it as a crutch or an excuse, and moreover, he is going to face the same sets of consequences as everyone else when he grows up and gets out in the world. Better that he should learn how to do so now. I had people in my life as a teen who set consequences for my bipolar behaviors, and people who did not, and I can tell you that when people did not, all that they did was get worse. All teens are looking for what the boundaries are anyways, and when you throw BP into the mix, it's that much more important to make sure that they are there so that they know what is expected and what will happen if expectations are not met. He may not think so, but consistency will help in his recovery.

(And, I don't know how he meant the "you know I got this from you" line, but if he meant it as a jab, don't let him do it again. This was not your big idea for him to have this, and you didn't have any control over passing it onto him. Don't feel guilty over it, because you had no control over it. What you have to do now is get the help he needs and move forward. My parents were in la-la land and didn't do this, so you are one step ahead of them already! :) )

UCAUTIONIN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY IT IS ADVISABLE TO KEEP ERIN AWAY FROM FIRE AND FLAMES.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 06-06-2005 - 4:20pm
bumping up
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2003
Tue, 06-07-2005 - 6:31am

(((((keli))))) i agree with all that has been said. you by no means decided to "give" your son this illness, nor should you not correct his actions when he steps out of line. however, that said, correcting and over-reacting are 2 different things. i know, first hand, that dealing with a bp teen is the pits at times. here lately, i have not been able to deal with her mood swings and as a result, i've driven my ownself up the wall.


but my dd is on meds now, so hopefully this will alleviate some of the swings. the pdoc took her off the zoloft and she doesn't have the manic episodes as bad now. i had misgivings about putting her on meds, primarily because nobody in my family (parents, sibling, ex-dh) believes that depression is something that requires meds. everyone should be able to just ' get over it' without pumping drugs in your body. however, i finally got to a point where my dd's life was more important than everybody elses opinions. yes, it's a hard decision, but sometimes a necessary one.


hope this helps.


many hugs,


traci