What to Do if You Suspect Bipolar
- The earlier you have your child diagnosed the better.
- Realize that you cannot discipline a child with bipolar
disorder who isn't stable...it just won't work and will likely make
things worse
- Find a way to keep yourself calm, cool and collected (yeah
right!) as much as possible
- Find the right doctor, don't settle for the first
psychiatrist you find...if there isn't a fit, move on
- Remember that if you try
medication
(and don't feel bad if
you do--you will actually be helping your child in the long run) it can take many different trials of different meds to find
the right mix for your child
- Know that medication may be the only way for your child to
find stability so that they can live a normal life, learn, have
friends, etc. You have to get them stable before therapy will work,
before they can learn in school, etc.
- Remember that bipolar disorder is a chemical imbalance of the
brain...it isn't a mental illness caused by bad parenting! It is
genetic, it's chemical, it can be managed.
- Stability is vitally important as every rage your child has
makes the next rage more likely. The
'kindling' effect
says that
changes are made in the brain with every rage. This is the most
important reason to find stability for your child. Click on
"kindling effect" above for an article that explains this process
and how damaging it can be not to treat bipolar.
- Educate your other children, your family, your spouse about
bipolar disorder so everyone understands what is happening and why.
Make sure they know how to deal with bipolar disorder.
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