Joined: 12 Dec 2005 Posts: 2 Location: Jackson, MS
17 Year Old Daughter Has Bipolar (and I Think Possibly Odd) Posted: 04-19-07 08:22am
My daughter (I'll call her CL) was
diagnosed in 12/05 with bipolar and
depression. Been lots go on since then -
in and out of behavioral mgmt facilities,
etc. One ignorant psychiatrist actually
took her OFF all of her meds!! Finally,
got her back on Trileptal, and she is just
getting back on Abilify today. I'm hoping
this combo helps. Last weekend, she had a
back manic episode where she kicked a full
length mirror, broke it in half and had
glass strewn everywhere, and also knocked
down a shelf above the mirror. It was a
rough night. She spent the night at her
grandparents' house that night.
She dropped out of high school last
September, but did get her GED in February
2007, and is going to register for some
college courses next week. Still working
on getting her a job. She has a good lead
at a restaurant, so she'll go there
tomorrow (Friday).
I guess I'm just looking for encouragement
that she'll grow up and out of some of
these behaviors. She's also dating a 21
year old "boy" who doesn't work, smokes
dope (although they both say they have
stopped smoking dope - especially CL
because she's trying to get a job and
everywhere she goes they drug test!).
I just get so tired of feeling like I'm
always walking on egg shells around her -
never knowing when I might say or do
something that sets her off. I love CL
with all of my heart and soul - she's my
only child. I just want her to get an
education and a career and to be happy.
Any suggestions?
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enxilme
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 27 Apr 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Canada
Posted: 04-27-07 14:59pm
Your daughter will be fine, I'm also 17
and a female, I'm going through the exact
same thing. I was diagnosed when I was 10
years old and it's been very rough. My
parents refused to put me on medication
though, because it can do more damage than
it can do good. The best thing you can do
for your daughter right now is just hold
her when she feels bad and tell her
everythings going to be fine. I had
dropped out of school last year too, and
now I'm back in this year. Just keep
encouraging her, tell her she can do it
and always let her know she has someone to
fall back on. She will be fine, but it'll
be a tough road. Just keep on smiling for
her, and she'll eventually smile back. =)
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minikuinini
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 May 2007 Posts: 6 Location: California
I Can Relate Posted: 05-19-07 02:04am
I am an 18 year old female bipolar/schizo
who went through many of these peoblems.
It seems that the bipolar-ness adds to the
rotten teenager stage of life, dont you
thnk? Most of my big experiences with
being wild were at only 13 years old. The
only reason they stopped was because my
family stopped me. She needs your support.
Rather than nagging (which I'm sure you
get accused of all the time even if you're
not), calmly bring up ideas about new work
for her. Or calmly express how you really
feel about her boyfriend. Let her know
that you are concerned and worried. I'm
sure you would love to have a good
relationship with both daughter and the
boyfriend. But apparently he just doesn't
seem the type. She's already 17... Almost
out of her teenage years. I had a pretty
crappy relationship with my mom until this
year at 18 years old. The only thing that
changed was that I started taking
medicines that worked for me and she
started trying to be open minded and
understanding about anything and
everything. I don't know if this helps at
all but it's all I got. haha.
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Rachel B
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 May 2007 Posts: 6 Location: PA
Most Teenagers Posted: 05-25-07 14:53pm
I really do hate to sound cynical but I
think the drug companies would like every
person on the face of the earth to be on
meds. I had those kind of dramatic mood
swings when I was a teenager; I remember
thinking that maybe I was manic-depressive
(what they used to call it back then.) But
no, just regular teenage craziness, I'm a
psych nurse and calm as can be yoga
teacher. Some things, like oppositional
defiant disorder, different adjustment
disorders, depression and really lots of
other diagnoses are not abnormal. Like
everybody gets depressed sometimes, you're
supposed to. (Like when something sad
happens...) But there are plenty of
doctors throwing antidepressants at people
the second they say they feel sad. It's
crazy. I mean, I know some people are
helped by them but just because you're sad
doesn't mean you need them or that they
will work for you. And you have to
remember that teenagers' brains are still
growing and medication alters the brain.
They can have rebound effects that makes
the symptoms seem even worse than they
were.
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Birch
Supporter
Joined: 07 Nov 2005 Posts: 4159 Location: Bliss,
Thanks: 159
Thanked:16
Re: Most Teenagers Posted: 05-25-07 15:04pm
Rachel B
wrote:
I really do hate to sound
cynical but I think the drug companies
would like every person on the face of the
earth to be on meds. I had those kind of
dramatic mood swings when I was a
teenager; I remember thinking that maybe I
was manic-depressive (what they used to
call it back then.) But no, just regular
teenage craziness, I'm a psych nurse and
calm as can be yoga teacher. Some things,
like oppositional defiant disorder,
different adjustment disorders, depression
and really lots of other diagnoses are not
abnormal. Like everybody gets depressed
sometimes, you're supposed to. (Like when
something sad happens...) But there are
plenty of doctors throwing antidepressants
at people the second they say they feel
sad. It's crazy. I mean, I know some
people are helped by them but just because
you're sad doesn't mean you need them or
that they will work for you. And you have
to remember that teenagers' brains are
still growing and medication alters the
brain. They can have rebound effects that
makes the symptoms seem even worse than
they were.
I agree. Dx of bipolar d/o and adhd are a
'fad' right now. The drugs are abused
for $ as well as behavior management
issues.
I think every teenager has a 'touch' of
bipolar, or borderline. And that's fine
and normal.
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minikuinini
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 May 2007 Posts: 6 Location: California
Uh Oh Posted: 05-25-07 15:10pm
i didn;t even think about the fact that
teenagers brains are still growing ...
that makes me nervous because ive been on
medication since i was 13.
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Rachel B
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 May 2007 Posts: 6 Location: PA
Don't Worry About Something That's Already In the Past Posted: 05-26-07 09:19am
Worry probably has a worse effect on you
than anything. Just relax and be okay with
the way things are at this moment.
And that's fine
and normal.