November 30, 2011
Is it everyday, every week? As a teacher, being a bit more prepared for when students with bipolar may have the manic part and the depressive part. How often are people with bipolar manic and depressive? Do people with bipolar stay manic or depressed a long time? Are they either manic or depressive all the time or are they neither for a period of time? Everyone with bipolar experiences it a little differently. We all have manic and depressive episodes but the length and degree may vary. There are also times when you can be “normal”, neither manic or depressive. Sometimes it’s difficult to see that you’re in a normal state when you have become stable because you’re so used to going up only to come right back down and having very little time in between. I have many friends who have rapid cycling bipolar symptoms. Sometimes they can be [...]
November 29, 2011
She is 15 years old and when you ask a her a question or answer her she sometimes replies by shouting while being angry. While I’m not going to claim to be an expert on this subject, I can’t say I haven’t had experience. My children haven’t hit adolescence quite yet, but they are well on their way. Still, minus size and strength, my 9 yr old can throw just as ridiculous a fit as any teenager. The thing we often forget about children with bipolar disorder is, most are highly intelligent. Being that of higher intelligence and greater emotional awareness, PDog HATES to be talked to like a child. If you talk to him like a child, he’s going to intentionally give you a childlike reaction (AKA a fit, blast of anger, loud obnoxious outburst … you name it!). When most bipolar children (adolescent or not), depending on HOW [...]
November 28, 2011
Hello, I was wondering if you could share a time when you felt that you had a teacher that always made you feel included, and never made you feel different from anyone else. Or it could be the total opposite. Has anyone ever made you feel like an outcast? How would you suggest future teachers deal with someone with bipolar disorder? All suggestions are appreciated! In high school, my teachers knew I was bipolar. I had an IEP that gave me the opportunity to test out of classes, come in late, and leave for appointments without penalty. I always felt different because I *was* different. They kept my bipolar confidential and never, ever, ever mentioned it outside progress meetings with my mom and my psych team. School was my sanctuary. I was smart, creative, well-liked by my teachers and some of my peers, and frequently recognized for the good work [...]
November 27, 2011
Thursday was Thanksgiving. A time to gather with family and friends and share an incredible meal (that I personally wait for all year) and enjoy the company of those you love. Or not. As a person with bipolar disorder, I find holidays to be extremely stressful. Because my bipolar has caused a huge anxiety disorder, I have a fear of crowds, whether people “know” about my mental illness, whether they are talking about me behind my back, and whether they will even be willing to have a conversation with me. I have sabotaged myself right out of every single holiday social event we have ever been invited to. And there are a lot of “social events” at the end of the year. They’re supposed to be fun, but for me, they are more like a Chinese water torture. Made worse by the fact that I feel like I am letting [...]
November 26, 2011
Actually it’s an acronym for something far more complicated. Seasonal Affective Disorder (Though I prefer to use Shitty Ass Days … same difference …) Well, for anyone who suffers from S.A.D., you know it’s looming about right now. The days have gotten shorter. The nights grown longer and longer and longer. Suddenly 5:30pm feels like 10pm and it’s light out at 6 in the morning. What the frock!?! Who thought up that crock of monkeys? After Thanksgiving this past Thursday, I knew I’d been slapped by the SAD witch. She’s evil I tell you. PURE EVIL! Suddenly what was meant to be a happy day full of joy and thankfulness turned into a bottle of wine later and a glass full of lonely tears. In our minds it’s quite easy to justify this sadness that comes during the winter months. We’re lonely. It’s our first holiday after a loved one [...]
November 25, 2011
As a future elementary school teacher, what would be best way to help a student who shows signs of being bipolar, but has not been diagnosed yet? What would be the best way to help a student get through a school day who knows they are bipolar and can distinguish their moods? In the past I was employed in an outreach school as a “support worker” and helped students who had learning disabilities and/or psychiatric disorders. One of the most important things that I had learned while working in a school was to make the principal aware of when I thought a student was showing signs of mental illness. This is an important first step to take as one’s suspicions that a student is suffering from bipolar disorder for instance may not be accurate. If we are to make this kind of assumption and are incorrect we can end up [...]
November 24, 2011
Thanksgiving… A time we all reflect to be thankful and for some of us that’s easier to do than for others. Since this is a bipolar website there are many of us, myself included who find ourselves in a depressive state during Thanksgiving. It’s difficult to see the colors of the world when you’re wearing grey tinted glasses. I was told by one of the greatest therapists that I’ve ever had when I was in the hospital that you should practice writing down what you are thankful for each day so that it helps you stay positive and focused. While I think this is a fantastic practice and it worked well in the past I have fallen away from doing this so today I will try this exercise. 1. My God. Without my faith I wouldn’t think suicide was a mortal sin and perhaps I would have completed my attempts [...]
The holidays are always difficult for me. It seems like one (or both) of my little girls is always missing from the festivities because she is with her daddy. Then there is the inevitable family get-togethers that I have to face, watching everyone else with their own families while mine is missing. Sometimes I never feel so alone than in a room at the holidays filled with my family. If that makes any sense. This year is especially difficult because you see there is someone new in my life. Something I thought would never happen again has. I thought I would never find another man to give my heart to who would not only want it but accept it the way it is, beaten and broken and ill. But He does want it and accepts it, not only does he want my heart he wants all of me, every part [...]
November 23, 2011
That is a good question and let me answer that. I can only go on my own personal experiences so bare with me! I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder when I was just 20 years old. I had no idea what is was and I felt very out of control. Mental illness even 22 years ago had a huge stigma compared to today I think. The stigma of mental illness is fading away but not fast enough. I knew I had to tell some family members about it because I needed support to just get through the days of trials with medications to see which ones would work. We found my ‘cocktail’ quickly and I was stable. My father’s side of the family called me crazy but my mother’s side supported me one hundred percent. However, I chose to go off of my medications because I couldn’t accept the fact [...]
November 22, 2011
I was wondering does Bipolar Disorder make it hard to be around a lot of people or in new places? Do those things trigger different emotions? I wouldn’t say it makes it hard– it just makes it different. I think many bipolar people will agree that meeting people and taking on new situations when living with the illness can be daunting. If you’re depressed, you sometimes want to retreat and stick with familiar, comfortable things. Things that seem simple to someone who isn’t depressed– things even as routine talking to the cashier at the grocery store– can be impossible. Socializing with new people gets very low on my priority list when I am dealing with depression. It creates a sense of dread. I think to myself, “if I don’t want to see the people I love, why should I want to see total strangers?” Sometimes when I’m manic, I will [...]
November 21, 2011
I was just wondering how early the signs of bipolar can be seen in children? Also, what do the signals of a child who is bipolar look like? This is quite the controversial subject … and a controversy I encounter every time I tell someone PDog has BP. Fact of the matter is, NO ONE wants to label a child with Bipolar Disorder. Children are growing and changing everyday. So how the heck can someone say any symptoms which appear to be bipolar aren’t just “a phase”? Shortly after I began this site, I wrote a post titled “Are you glad to have a diagnosis, to be labeled?” wherein I discussed my feelings about my son’s “label”. In short, my answer was yes. I actually wish he had been diagnosed sooner. He was so weighed down with his moods, rages, and symptoms that he often got sent home from school [...]
November 20, 2011
When you notice that you are starting to get on the manic end or the depressed end of a cycle are there any strategies you have to keep getting too high or too low? As a person with Bipolar Disorder I have had to learn many new coping strategies to get me through the good and the bad days. It’s those bad days that can be a doozy and trying to think of how to take care of yourself. Those with this disease can probably relate that it is difficult to cope sometimes. I can only speak for myself when it comes to coping. I have learned a myriad of ways to cope and I will share them with you. Take a hot bath Go for a walk Read a good book Journal your thoughts Go for a swim Watch TV without drama Call a close friend or relative Take [...]
Back in college I needed help paying my rent, so I asked a coworker at this grocery store that was looking for a place to stay if he wanted to move in. He was excited and jumped at the chance, since he had been living with his parents and wanted an opportunity to become independent. From the moment he moved in, however, I could tell something was off. He spent days at a time playing this text-based game online (no images), sometimes for as long as 36 hours straight without sleep. When he did go to sleep, he stayed in bed for what seemed like days. He also had unusual little quirks. For example, even though he paid rent, he didn’t consider certain parts of the house to be “his.” He refused to use the refrigerator because it “wasn’t his,” but he did use the freezer. He wouldn’t use the [...]
November 17, 2011
My aunt has bipolar disorder and there have been times that I have been over at her house and she has gone into one of her low periods. I was just wondering if there was anything that I could do or say to help her out if I ever experience it again, either a low or even a high. First of all let me start by saying that you will likely experience this again as people with bipolar disorder generally have many mood fluctuations. One suggestion is that when your aunt’s mood appears to be fairly stable you could try sitting down with her and just come out and “ask her if there is anything that you can do to help her when she is experiencing a low or a high.” Depending on your relationship with her you may get a positive response or a negative response. For instance some [...]
November 15, 2011
What is involved with being bipolar? I have heard that people with this have really high highs and really low lows. Is this generally all that this disorder entails or are there more symptoms than these? That’s a pretty basic explanation for a pretty confusing disorder. Extreme highs and lows are the most easily recognizable symptoms of bipolar disorder, but there are more pieces to the puzzle, and they can vary from person to person. Let’s start with the highs– mania. Many people believe that it means that the person who is manic is very, very happy, but that isn’t always the case. When I’m manic, I can be happy, bubbly, and fun. I can also be anxious, irritated, sometimes even angry! I might go without sleep or food because I feel like I don’t need them, and I might make decisions very quickly. My mind will not stop racing. [...]
November 14, 2011
“This is an instance when a student is at an extreme low. How should a teacher teach this student during his or her state? How do those who are bipolar like to be treated by others when they are in a depressive state?” Keep in mind that this post is not due to a medical opinion but a personal one. I am a person who has lived with bipolar for many years and currently am studying to be an elementary teacher. These are my opinions based on what I have experienced and nothing more. As most teachers will tell you equal does not mean fair and that is something I would keep in mind when trying to reach out to a child that is in a depressive state. Depressed children often exhibit behaviors such as: 1. Irritability or Anger 2. Withdrawal from people and activities. 4. Signs of low self-esteem [...]
November 13, 2011
Sometimes, bipolar or not, you fail to recognize signs and symptoms of a sinking ship until its completely submerged. You think that because you are still able to breathe (even if its labored), that you are ok and are able to keep trucking on. Sometimes you think that the overwhelming feelings you are having are just part of your illness. Sometimes, they aren’t. Sometimes they are just part of life and all the cards you are dealt. The decisions you make just weigh you down and then the quicksand starts sucking you under. Before you know it, you don’t even have a free hand to grab for help and you can’t breathe. That is when someone else has to tell you what to do because the decisions you are making are either not helping, or just contribute to your sinking. People like to say things like being an overachiever is [...]
November 11, 2011
My friend’s mom is bipolar, and I was curious as to how it would be for someone who is bipolar to raise a family. I have heard that people who are bipolar have many manic-depression cycles, how can a person manage this and be emotionally supportive of their children at the same time? I want to begin by saying I am bipolar and a single mom, so raising my family falls on my shoulders alone. However when I fall (and I do fall) I have a few supportive family members who are there to help me even if they don’t understand me completely. Being bipolar in the first place is hard and comes with a lot of big responsibilities. There are doctor’s appointments you CAN’T miss, medicines you not only must take but you also must NOT run out of, and then there are the episodes that you must TRY [...]
November 10, 2011
I am wondering what is the best way to react when manic behavior is very extreme. I worked in a home this past summer and one of the ladies who had bipolar disorder acted out when she was manic. She would laugh a lot and if you paid any attention to her she would sometimes get violent. Is this typical, and how might someone respond or help calm the person down in a situation like that? Manic behavior can be very scary at times if the person is really out of control. Sometimes highs are very euphoric or what they call a ‘rage’ high. Those also can be mixed together as you described above. I would approach the person very calmly and explain what you see as behavior issues. The person might listen or might not listen. You can expect that most of the time they will think that nothing [...]
November 9, 2011
Are the effects of bipolar disorder able to be hidden, or is it obvious when someone has this disorder? Is it more or less visible in children than adults? Can a person cover up the effects? As a person living with bipolar II disorder I believe that most people who have bipolar have felt the need to hide their bipolar symptoms from others at some point and time. However I think that people are generally only able to do so for a short period of time. I have found that my bipolar symptoms eventually do surface and I am not always able to conceal them. However I think it is also dependent on how well a person knows you as to whether having bipolar will be “obvious” or not to others. My disorder seems to be less obvious or not obvious at all to people who are not familiar with [...]
November 8, 2011
What are some of the biggest misconceptions about being bipolar? Boy there are some big misconceptions out there about having Bipolar Disorder. And most of those misconceptions are hurtful to those of us suffering from it. There is still such a stigma with mental illness that people hide it and sometimes don’t medicate themselves because they are embarrassed. There is absolutely no reason to be embarrassed about a disease that is a biological problem with the brain. Some misconceptions about Bipolar Disorder are: “The person caused it themselves. They used drugs for a long time so therefore they caused it.” No, they didn’t cause it. Many people use substance to drown out the awful symptoms of this disease. “The person can snap out of it.“ The person can’t just snap out of it because it’s a disease. An illness. “People with this disorder are crazy.” No, we aren’t crazy and [...]
November 7, 2011
Since I will be a teacher someday, (I am going into Elementary Ed with a minor in Special Ed.) I think about my students who may be bipolar. What do you think would be the best approach if I noticed a student who shows signs of being bipolar? Who should I talk to first, parent, counselor, principal etc? I’m so glad that you’re going into Elementary Education with a minor in Special Education. There is a great need for Special Education instructors in our schools today. It’s great that you’re thinking about the best ways to meet your students’ needs before you’re in the classroom. I am also going to school to become an Elementary teacher. It is always best to keep an open line of communication between yourself and the parent(s). Communication is one of the most essential things to have when you are teaching so that the parent(s) [...]
November 6, 2011
My mind is a battle field My thoughts are at war A chemical imbalance Destroyed more and more Up raging tears held Down in disbelief And mistakes made, Will this ever seize? I have a secret weapon That I intend to use If I can remember Where It is The battle I won’t loose I look all around me But there is nothing, No secret weapon do I see It is now I remember This secret weapon Is hidden deep eternally Agony triggers bullets Between self hate And helplessness I’m no good to the world And don’t want anyone To know that I feel like this Slowly and painfully Thoughts argue sanity My secret weapon- self acceptance and self love Lashes through every torn thought, Every triggered wound, Leaving battle wounds and Conquering a slow pace of acceptance I love myself; I love this life because I matter to ME. [...]
November 5, 2011
Disappointment is an inevitable part of life. The fact of the matter is, we can NOT please everyone. Being a people pleaser, this is a difficult truth for me to accept. I want to please everyone. I NEED to please everyone. There is nothing in this world worse for a people pleaser than to disappoint someone … especially someone we love. Just imagine what it would be like to be caught in the middle of more than one person we love, knowing that no matter what you do, you’re going to disappoint one of them. A friend of mine was recently in a position like this. To the most awful extent possible too. But I’m not going to go into specifics about that friend’s dilemma, instead, I’m going to make up a scenario and let you decide which person you would choose to disappoint. Ready for story time kids? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [...]
November 4, 2011
I’m a sixteen year old girl and my dad is bipolar. He has a small episode almost every day (yelling, insulting, general anger…) and a bad episode about once every month or two (screaming, breaking things, and occasionally taking out his gun and threatening himself or my mom). Basically I need to know what to do when he gets like this? I have two older brothers, a mom, and friends I turn to for support but it’s so scary, never knowing what he’s going to do. I’ve tried calling the police when he gets his gun out and threatens himself but my mom always grabs the phone and tells me to never do that, I’m really afraid he’s going to hurt or kill my mom. There’s just no stopping him, he won’t listen if we talk, refuses to get help from a doctor, and won’t see a therapist. I love [...]
November 3, 2011
I really appreciated, and related to, your posts about diagnosing a young child with bipolar disorder. In fact, your son’s diagnosis story is very similar to my daughter’s. She was diagnosed with bipolar II (along with ADHD & symptoms of anxiety) in kindergarten and is now 9. I noticed you also mentioned having a “very “bipolar-specific IEP” has been an important part of your son’s treatment. I was wondering if you could give some examples of the kinds of things you requested in his IEP. My daughter’s IEP meeting is coming up soon! A “bipolar-specific” IEP is a very important tool to have implemented for a student with bipolar disorder. In the USA an IEP is an “Individualized Education Program” that is designed to aid a student with all aspects of schooling. In Canada and the UK an IEP is known as an “Individual Education Plan”. Although the name is [...]
