Some children come into the world being more high-strung than others. They are at times overly dramatic, quick tempered and their moods are always shifting. Sometimes it is just the personality and other times, a parent knows that it is something more.
The mood swings become more frequent and the sometimes the sweet child you knew is gone. This continues on and just gets more extreme. Their anger is as intense as their sadness. They can switch from absolute giddiness to deep sadness and back again, often "cycling" through many moods in a 24 hour period.
Their rage can be so intense and a parent who tries to argue back will only make the child get more violently angry. Screaming, yelling, throwing things, and sometimes even cursing are the norm for the child who is in a bipolar rage. A parent can feel like they have raised a brat.
You contemplate your parenting skills and you may wonder if indeed you did "spoil" your child. Yes, it may just be a phase but it also may be bipolar disorder. You start to replay their life so far from infancy to the present.
The infant who was impossible to settle and rarely napped grew up to continue to have sleep issues . Getting your child to sleep at night is hard because he/she seems to have boundless energy. In the morning, even after getting the correct amount of sleep, the child is impossible to get out of bed. Mornings are a battle and yet another chance for their anger to come out.
Bipolar disorder affects adults but it also can be diagnosed in children. The difference in bipolar disorder in a child or a teen is that the mood swings are more frequent. In an adult with bipolar disorder, there will be long periods, weeks or many days of deep depression. This period will follow with a period of mania. During a manic episode (which can last days) an adult will exhibit a very high mood. They will feel invincible, they may engage in risky behavior and have little need for sleep.
In a child or pre-teen, the moods cycle frequently in a 24 hour period. A parent cannot keep up with what mood the child is in because it is always changing. The disruption to the household puts a strain on everyone. The child will show a pattern of misbehaving in school and may even show a lack of interest in school. They may have trouble keeping friends and fight with their siblings at home.
Getting your child or teen evaluated can be a frustrating process. First you need to find someone who deals with a child, adolescent or teen. Then an evaluation is done and hopefully, the diagnosis is correct.
Diagnosing any mental illness in a child is tough. Children (and teens) often do not open up and tell a doctor just how they are feeling. Especially with an angry teenager, misdiagnosis often occurs. Conduct disorder or ADHD is often more easily diagnosed.
I once had a doctor tell me that he did not want to "label" my teenager with the diagnosis. There is always the doctor who is quick to diagnose and then there are the ones who happily prescribe medications without giving the parent a definitive diagnosis.
The parent just wants help at this point. The child or teen is disruptive in school and at home. The parent can see that the child is suffering. Having your child experience anxiety or depression and ask you for help can break your heart. You want to take all of this away but as much as you reassure them, they still experience these symptoms. You want to hug it away but it isn't that easy.
Bipolar disorder is real. If it is just a phase, a hug will work.
It isn't easy to face the truth that your child has a mental illness. For your child, you must face it. Until you get your child the help that he needs, he will not be able to cope. Bipolar disorder is a life-long disorder but it can be successfully managed.
Many people live with bipolar disorder and have happy, healthy relationships and a good life. The sooner your child/teen is diagnosed, the faster they can begin treatment.
The Bipolar Child: The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder -- Third Edition is a great book to help parents.
The mood swings become more frequent and the sometimes the sweet child you knew is gone. This continues on and just gets more extreme. Their anger is as intense as their sadness. They can switch from absolute giddiness to deep sadness and back again, often "cycling" through many moods in a 24 hour period.
Their rage can be so intense and a parent who tries to argue back will only make the child get more violently angry. Screaming, yelling, throwing things, and sometimes even cursing are the norm for the child who is in a bipolar rage. A parent can feel like they have raised a brat.
You contemplate your parenting skills and you may wonder if indeed you did "spoil" your child. Yes, it may just be a phase but it also may be bipolar disorder. You start to replay their life so far from infancy to the present.
The infant who was impossible to settle and rarely napped grew up to continue to have sleep issues . Getting your child to sleep at night is hard because he/she seems to have boundless energy. In the morning, even after getting the correct amount of sleep, the child is impossible to get out of bed. Mornings are a battle and yet another chance for their anger to come out.
Bipolar disorder affects adults but it also can be diagnosed in children. The difference in bipolar disorder in a child or a teen is that the mood swings are more frequent. In an adult with bipolar disorder, there will be long periods, weeks or many days of deep depression. This period will follow with a period of mania. During a manic episode (which can last days) an adult will exhibit a very high mood. They will feel invincible, they may engage in risky behavior and have little need for sleep.
In a child or pre-teen, the moods cycle frequently in a 24 hour period. A parent cannot keep up with what mood the child is in because it is always changing. The disruption to the household puts a strain on everyone. The child will show a pattern of misbehaving in school and may even show a lack of interest in school. They may have trouble keeping friends and fight with their siblings at home.
Getting your child or teen evaluated can be a frustrating process. First you need to find someone who deals with a child, adolescent or teen. Then an evaluation is done and hopefully, the diagnosis is correct.
Diagnosing any mental illness in a child is tough. Children (and teens) often do not open up and tell a doctor just how they are feeling. Especially with an angry teenager, misdiagnosis often occurs. Conduct disorder or ADHD is often more easily diagnosed.
I once had a doctor tell me that he did not want to "label" my teenager with the diagnosis. There is always the doctor who is quick to diagnose and then there are the ones who happily prescribe medications without giving the parent a definitive diagnosis.
The parent just wants help at this point. The child or teen is disruptive in school and at home. The parent can see that the child is suffering. Having your child experience anxiety or depression and ask you for help can break your heart. You want to take all of this away but as much as you reassure them, they still experience these symptoms. You want to hug it away but it isn't that easy.
Bipolar disorder is real. If it is just a phase, a hug will work.
It isn't easy to face the truth that your child has a mental illness. For your child, you must face it. Until you get your child the help that he needs, he will not be able to cope. Bipolar disorder is a life-long disorder but it can be successfully managed.
Many people live with bipolar disorder and have happy, healthy relationships and a good life. The sooner your child/teen is diagnosed, the faster they can begin treatment.
The Bipolar Child: The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder -- Third Edition is a great book to help parents.
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