bipolar-could it be the cause of anger?

Question

i found out my son was bipolar when he was put in a home for being a handful in school and at home. could that be the cause of his anger fits with myself and his lil sister and big brother?

Answer 1

I am also bipolar.. age 29 and on specific medication (Lamictal and Seroquel) for the affliction. Anger and irritability have been spoken about in great detail throughout this post.. in my case it is complete and total frustration that is what leads to the anger and irratability. Before finding the right treatment to get my head somewhat under control I was mad at the world because of their collective inability to understand what I was going through and what was happening in my mind. At times being bipolar can be a very thing.. the powerless of knowing that something is very wrong but not having the ability to put the pieces together enough to make sense of it all.. and be able to decribe it in a way that people that were not bipolar could understand. I can see how this aspect of it would be especially difficult for any child with the affliction.. All I can suggest is that you educate yourself as much as you can about whatever form of bipolar disorder the doctor believes fits his situation.. and look into the other forms of bipolar disorder as well .. if he is young, chances are he can't express his feelings or emotions well enough for a doctor to make a proper diagnosis.. it gets very difficult to find the words sometimes.. and it is a natural reaction to internalize it all, for fear of hurting the ones around you.
Here are some weblinks you may find useful in your quest for knowledge for what he is probably going through with this illness..
http://www.mentalhealth.com/p20-grp.html
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/index.cfm
Remember being bipolar is not a choice.. he was born with the chemical traits necessary for this to come over time.
It is rare that kids develop this illness so early in their life.. not unheard of.. but rare..
I would also suggest speaking with your son and finding a second and third opinion.. the drugs used to stabilize moods can be very dangerous at times with side effects.. especially in children.
Perhaps some kind of therapy or counseling for your other children might be helpful in helping them cope with your sons affliction.. Part of the mood swings of being bipolar can make people say and do things that are very different from who they really are.. it helps to learn to differenciate your son from the illness in times like these.. he is a great kid with a dangerous monster hidden deep inside that takes over his mind at times. He has very little control over it all. Medication can help tame the monster.
I wish you the best of luck on this difficult road :)

Answer 2

Irritability is a symptom, yes. Anger control issues can a part of the illness. There's also the diagnosis of intermittent explosive disorder. You didn't say how old your son is- is he also ADHD?

I get sensory overload when there's just too much going on- and that's when I lose it. I need a quiet place to get my head together. I avoid crowds, noise, conflict of any kind. But I still manage to break inanimate objects now and then, when I get overwhelmed. (I'd never lose it with another living thing- only inanimate objects that can be replaced. You can buy old plates in a thrift store and let him break them against an outside wall when he feels the need to vent his temper.)

He needs to be allowed to deal with one thing at a time- and if he's in the middle of a large family, a lot going on- he just get overwhelmed with it all. Give him space when he needs it, if you at all can. Take him aside, somewhere quiet and relaxed when you need to communicate with him. Take the time to explain things so he understands- he may have trouble paying attention when everything is happening all at once. Be careful not to overstimulate him with too much at one time.

Eventually he'll learn what he can handle and more then likely do fine. The key is not to put yourself(him, I mean) in a situation that's overly stressful.

Answer 3

No bipolar is not caused by anger. It can be a symptom during some mood swings. Get your son some help controlling his behavior with therapy.

Answer 4

Bipolar can make the most Innocent people nasty. It does awful things to a person and can be very hard on loved ones. I think people living with someone who is bipolar should seek help with learning how to handle and cope with situations that will/may occur

Answer 5

Yes. My grandmother is also bipolar, and when she quits taking her medicine and becomes manic, she has fits of rage that are scary to witness. I read some case studies of other bipolar people online after she was diagnosed, and a lot of people reported that they felt intensely angry, often for no real reason.

Answer 6

most likely i know a couple who adopted a child and recently discovered he was bipolar after he was rejected from 2 pre-schools for bad behavior and they took him to a doctor. Anger is a negative effect of bipolar disorder that could stem from both genetics or environment.

Answer 7

Some cases of bipolar causes anger. If that is what he was diagnosed with be thankful at least now you know and it can be dealth with and controlled as long as he does what he is suppose to which includes taking his meds when he is suppose to. If he is in denial and refuses to be in compliant it can become worse. Acceptance is the key to treatment.

Answer 8

Yes, anger and irritablity are common in each of the three types of episodes (manic, mixed or depressed) in Bipolar Disorder.

Answer 9

Yup - when a bipolar person gets in his manic phase, he can be a handful everywhere. Then, when he comes down, he could be so depressed that he'll be thinking along the lines of suicide.

Answer 10

Yes. My son is also bi-polar. The anger is usually symptomatic of a manic spell.