Do parents need to bear with bipolar teenagers or spoil them instead of going against them, just for the sake of preventing them from committing suicide?
2006-10-31 04:40:07 · 12 answers · asked by Meemee 3 in Health ➔ Mental Health
I'm not really sure what the question is here. I'm bipolar myself, and I know that it runs in families, but even so I'm no great fan of the diagnosis in children or teenagers. It is, and will continue to be a concern for me, and I watch my own children closely.
However, I think that the best approach is to nurture them as best you can, providing the most supportive and stable environment you can. Do not wrap them in cotton wool and spoil them from fear. Treat them like normal people, but be alert for the signs.
Bipolar disorder does not come on at the drop of a hat, and if you are aware of the signs and symptoms, you should have plenty of time to take action, should it be needed.
There are parenting sections on both of these boards:
http://z9.invisionfree.com/Bipolar_Haven
http://www.crazyboards.com
2006-10-31 04:49:20 · answer #1 · answered by Random Bloke 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Bi=polar disorder can affect people in various ways. Some want to commit suicide. Others do not have this urge. Generally a bi-polar person can be helped to a great degree if the doctor involved in the case really knows his/her psychopharmacology. It is not easy to treat bi-polar disorder by arbitrarily pushing drugs down a person's throat. It takes very careful experimentation to determine which drugs work well and which don't. It can take many months, even a few years to find the right combination; however, a well trained psychophamacologist can often find the combination much faster than a regular MD. Your parents are undoubtedly scared that you may hurt yourself and you should understand that they love you but are frustrated and confused. You should not be pampered but they must be kind and understanding, a very difficulty thing to accomplish when someone has a bi-polar disorder.
2006-11-01 03:38:21 · answer #2 · answered by wunderkind 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bipolar may not cause suicidal thoughts for many years. Genreally each manic episode is worse than the last. Bipolar is an imbalance and needs to be treated with medication and can lead to suicide attempts. Outsiders usually cannot tell that the person is taking medications it is only when they stop taking their pills that symptoms reappear. Then the cycle begins all over.Being a parent, I would do anything to keep my kids from attempting suicide.
2006-10-31 12:51:45 · answer #3 · answered by Brian G 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
people with bi polar disorder do infact have one of the highest rates of suicide. some medications in teens especially can increase the thoughts and even the act of suicide. you dont need to spoli your teen, but instead monitor their behaviors. do they seem extremely energetic and overly confident, engaging in sex or excessive spending and or drugs and alcohol? not sleeping and not feeling tired? excessive eating? feeling "on top of the world?" these are all signs of mania that are very severe. the person could last in this cycle for weeks or months, and suddenly switch into an extreme depression, in which case they may withdrawl from the hobbies or activities they once enjoyed, missing school or work, and in severe cases feeling suicidal and hopeless. do they talk of suicide? or do they not tell you at all whats going on?
most people and parents look at bi-polar as an excuse for certain behaviors, a cop out if you will. this is not true. people with bi-polar really have a hard time controlling what they are feeling. excercise, lots of water, and the right meds can def help. and try to talk to your kid as much as possible or have someoene they feel more comfortable with talk to them.,
2006-10-31 16:11:40 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a really bad idea to spoil an adolescent - bipolar or not.
Teenagers want and need boundaries set by their parents (they may not tell you this, and may get mad at you when you set limits, but if you don't set boundaries then they secretly feel you don't love them, and they will act out more, secretly hoping that you will set boundaries, and if you don't set boundaries then, they will act out even worse..and it spirals downwards from there)
If your child is bipolar, they need therapy, and you need to consult with their therapist on a regular basis, so you can work together as a team to help your teen heal...
2006-10-31 13:01:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
bipolar does not mean suicidal...why do you put the two together? you must know someone who is both bipolar and suicidal right?...well no the child should not be spoiled or get their way the child should be treated with meds and see a psychologist regularly to keep the issues under control or even be put in a therapeutic treatment facility if its real bad
2006-10-31 12:53:01 · answer #6 · answered by ELIZY 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I believe spoiling a child makes a child only weaker and more emotionally unstable. If they do not learn early on that there are consequences for their actions (disorder or not), they will not learn how to function as mature adults. A person with a disorder has to learn how to manage their condition if they want a chance at a normal life. If their parents coddle them, they are only doing them a disservice.
2006-10-31 13:33:39 · answer #7 · answered by AutumnLilly 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being a 22-year-old (recently a teenager) with manic depression, my suggestion would be to have sensitivites toward what your child is dealing with. That doesn't mean let them have whatever they want, appeasing their wants is not always in line with attending to what they actually need, if you, yourself, are not bi-polar, try and learn as much about it as you can. Granted every case is different but the more you understand what your child is dealing with, the more you'll know how to help him/her. But in doing this don't act as if you are all-knowing about the disease (even if you are.) It's a tough battle and an on-going one, and unfortunately everybody who is involved with a manic depressive will be effected... Deal with it to the best of your ability, be patient with your child and be patient with yourself... There's no RIGHT way of going about this.
2006-10-31 14:16:27 · answer #8 · answered by lilmisshelpful 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Spoiling them will just make matters worse.One of the jobs of parents is to prepare their kids for the real world,and nobody will 'spoil' them in the real world.Medication,therapy and just being there for them is the best thing.
2006-11-01 23:02:53 · answer #9 · answered by daddiesslut88 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like you're asking whether we need to discipline our wildly emotional teens at the risk of losing them to suicide or coddle them and give in to their every whim just to keep them from doing it?
Here's how I feel about it, you DISCIPLINE them. If you don't, there's a 100% certainty that you will create a monster that eats your bank account and thrives off of your frazzled nerves, who will have a hard time adjusting to a world that doesn't coddle them and give them everything they demand.
If they are truely bi-polar, there are meds that they can take to stabilize their brain chemistry.
2006-10-31 12:51:46 · answer #10 · answered by Manny 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋