Are there any bipolar parents out there with concerns on how your raising your child and the effects on them?

Question

I suffer from a form of bipolar and am often wondering how this will effect my child. I am currently under treatment and have it pretty controlled but I know that she see's me when I slip. I wonder if she will suffer as an adult or if she is now.I would like to hear from others with similar concerns and possible solutions and ideas. I would hate to have her with the same illness or have to have therapy because of me. I worry.

Answer 1

I have two boys and I have a hard time being compliant with meds. I hope it doesn`t have too many traumatic effects on my kids. I think it does come down to the fact that you are mentally ill, and there is always something wrong with someone. Parents are human beings too, some parents are physically abusive, some parents are negligent. It`s just the way it is, I do the best I can. I didn`t ask to be mentally ill.

Answer 2

AMEN to that. I have a 12 year old step son and a set of 2 yr old twins. This has been my biggest fear, and the sole reason that I decided I am DONE having children(not good with the pressures accosiated with no sleep for months on end, fired along by bipolar tendancies, needless to say I was a wreck...) But on the other hand maybe its alot about how hard to work towards providing your children with a stable loving safe place to be kids. I work towards those ends everyday, and although I stumble more often that maybe other parents, I've found a dozen coping mechanisms that reduce what my children see, and feel. The biggest thing that I have found that helps is recognising my own cycles, and adjusting what I am doing to that. You can do that alot of times without overly effecting your children. Summer months for me is my roller coaster of the year. so day to day I look at how I am feeling(if I am feeling edgy and anxious then the last thing I really need to be ooing is taking my kids to the mall, then coming home to bust out my arms length list of chores while battling my little emo, and two toddling terrors......if I am feeling under the weather, I have found a trip to the park with the twins often takes my mind off of it and puts me in a different frame of mind, while giving them a place to burn off their endless energy.....don't sit at the sidlines and watch, get involved even if you dont want to.
I think your kids will know no matter what if there is something wrong, its about how you handle it. Especially these little ones, they are not just recievers they are little amplifiers. The more wound up and stressed out I am, the more they are....Myabe give a more secific for instance. Something got you thinking about this, feel free to emailme
[e-mail]
best of luck!

Answer 3

I have a close friend who is bipolar. I do see her kids suffering. They have picked up her habits and they can not deal with any type of frustration. She has not been under any type of treatment. So I am sure that your situation is a little different. Just let them know that you love them. Everyone screams or gets really mad in front of their kids.