I have a 10 year old son, who I was just told is bipolar by a psychiatrist. I am taking him for a second opinion as soon as I can find a another doctor..I started reading about pediatric bipolar and so far all I read is how aggressive they can be..my son isnt aggressive..he has panic attacks, anxiety and has mood swings, mostly depression. any out there know anything?
2007-10-26 04:03:43 · 8 answers · asked by just a friend 1 in Health ➔ Mental Health
I have bipolar disorder, and i can remember having symptoms as young as 11 or 12 years old... before that, i can't remember. Today, i'm 50.
I have found that my disorder is manageable, and i have learned to deal with my SYMPTOMS. Treating a person with bipolar disorder can be tricky, and i would think that, at 10 years old, even more complicated.
Perhaps you can ask the doctor(s) to treat the child's symptoms, insead of focusing on "bipolar disorder". You said he's not aggressive, and that is great. You might also consider any life changes in the past year or two. Was there a death in the family? A divorce? Did something happen which could have possibly brought these symptoms on?
I'm pleased to hear you are taking your child to another doc for a second opinion -- you are a very smart, clear thinking parent.
I am sorry for your worries, because i'm sure you have many. Taking your son to a therapist might help too. Sometimes we do need periods of therapy throughout life.
take care of you, as well.
2007-10-26 05:47:34 · answer #1 · answered by letterstoheather 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES! I have sever bi-polar disorder. It is so bad that they almost locked me away for good at the state mental hospital. I'm 54 and as it turns out I've had this thing since I was a kid. I very soon turned to alcohol to medicate my illness and stayed a flaming drunk for 28 years becoming a rip roaring alcoholic. I have been sober for 16 years now!
Like your son I was not aggressive either. I definitely went through all the other moods you describe and many more especially suicidal tendencies. The closest I got to aggression was intense mania. At those times I was like a way over wound chicken on powerful amphetamines.
There was a plus side to that. I always got a tremendous amount of work done. But inevitably the crash and burn would follow.
This is nothing to fool with. Get that second opinion ASAP. Bi-polar disorder is the leading cause of suicide but it can be treated.(never healed).
Here's my email addy should you have any more questions. Do not hesitate to write me....
tommyoverload@yahoo.com
Good luck.
2007-10-26 04:30:46 · answer #2 · answered by Thomas Watts 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why is it every kid has a problem now? Is it not normal for a kid to be a kid. Everyone has up and downs they are based on circumstances in ones life due to pressures and forced ways that are placed on a person.
I find it funny that ever since drug companies started to develop drugs to treat these conditions that now almost everyone is diagnosed as being one with a mental disorder.
A mental disorder to what? To getting hooked for life on a drug that puts money into some corporation.
do the math lets say 300 a month for 80 years, that is roughly a quarter of a million per life. You get enough and hey good business.
Kids are kids is his father around does he feel left out, maybe finding something that brings him joy some thing that he likes and can excel at, is all the medicine a 10 year old needs.
2007-10-26 04:24:27 · answer #3 · answered by Bri 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In order to be diagnosed, there is a list of criteria, one has to fit several, but not all of those criteria. A lot of people with bipolar are extravagant spenders, I personally do not have that symptom.
I always urge people to get a second opinion if that's what their gut is telling them.
I had bipolar as a child and had rages now and then, but I was not in the least aggressive. In fact I was quite passive and introverted in general.
2007-10-26 04:19:20 · answer #4 · answered by tmerion 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every one is a bit different but my nephew is bipolar and he lived with me for a while because his mom kicked him out. He was really aggressive, but I think it came from my idiot sister not taking him to appts and giving him medication right. When he was over at my house he took meds everyday and helped me so much, I was sad when he found his own place. They have high emotions and low emotions just be there for comforting.
2007-10-26 04:11:16 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, bipolar doesn't mean agressive. It means manic-depressive. Basically, their emotions range from 1 side of the spectrum to the other. They can be depressed one minute and manic the next. Manic doesn't necessarily mean agressive.
I'm bipolar, when I get manic and do high adenaline.
2007-10-26 04:08:50 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
im 13 and i was diagnosed with adhd nd bi polar i was sort of agressive but it eventually went away and sometimes i will just a couple of mood swings every now and i used to get depressed but if u r so worried find immediate help and if it comes to medicine i take lamictal for bi polar and zoloft helps my depression
2007-10-26 04:07:53 · answer #7 · answered by airfinnan57 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
usually just the passive agressive thing I think
I think the stats for Bipolar folks doing actual bad crimes is the same as for the rest of the population
2007-10-26 04:07:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋