Bipolar in the family Support Group

my 23 yr old was recently hospitalized for the first time during an episode. she has been in counseling for over a year but people seem reluctant to labeling her bipolar. i dont know if its liability reasons or what. my brother has bipolar (diagnosed in early 20's and now 45) combined with schizophrenia and i worry that my daughters illness could worsen to that. from my readings, i guess worrying more comes with the territory. my ex said that i was bipolar some 10 years ago and i never got treatment outside of antidepressants for a time. i will get counseling and professional advice but any thoughts on dealing with my daughter who is trying to complete her senior year in college would be appreciated. i wonder if abstract thinking in some of her classes could have triggered the 1st episode a year ago... she does have those classes completed.

Hi, greatlakes - welcome to the site.

I'm not sure if the abstract thinking or just the stress of college classes, or something else, could have caused your daughter's episode.

It sounds like you both are doing all the right things.

You may want to contact NAMI - they sometimes offer family classes, to help you continue to work together in helping her feel better.

Hope to hear more from you.

Hugs!

thanks. its one of the more difficult life situations i've experienced. my daughter lives away from us - couple hours from mom and 10 hours for me. im considering moving closer although she might herself decide to move after graduating or before.

Hi, Great Lakes. Age 23 is 'prime time' for an initial hospitalization. That's about the age my BP husband was first hospitalized.

Why didn't you follow up with therapy/meds for yourself? This illness is EXTREMELY genetic.

She has many options open to her if she seeks help now. Please encourage her to do so, and don't let her wait. The longer the delay, the tougher it is to treat.

Hi Great Lakes,

I don't think the abstract thinking caused it. The stress of a full course load and relationships could contribute to an episode along with genetic history. My college really worked with me letting me work through disability services to finish my coursework. I had not been hospitalized. I was diagnosed bipolar/depression/anxiety. She should be able to complete her studies. I would suggest You as a family working closely with her and her Pdoc and Tdoc to come with some strategies to help her.

Hi, I had my first manic episode my first year of college. I had to take a medical leave after being hospitalized for psychosis. It took me a couple of years to prove to the college I was stable enough to re-enter. Anyway, the first think you should do, upon formal dx, is have her pdoc send a letter to the school's disabilities office, documenting the bipolar. This way, if she has episodes that interfere with school, she can get I's instead of C's of F's and complete the work when she's better. For more information, check out the website at the link below.

http://www.bipolarworld.net/job_school/job_school.htm

It's hard to go back to school after being hospitalized....you feel like a big giant freak and your friends think you are too! I ended up transferring instead of going back to my first school, and that was the best thing I could've done for myself. I guess for your daughter transferring is too late, but...

Anyway, I don't understand why they're hesitant to label her bipolar. Has she not clearly shown signs of mania? If not, then maybe they're not sure whether it's depression or bipolar.

greatlakes, Welcome to the group I am glad that you have found us . I do not think that is uncommon at first for people that suffer with bipolar to first be diagnosed as depressions . The only thing you can do is try to be there as you stated you have for her . College can be a very stressful time for because of the pressure to suceed as it is with all of the people alike bipolar opr not

Post edited by: grafxbydiane, at: 01/08/2010 07:35 PM

Greatlakes Welcome I don't think it's a matter of them being concerned with the liability of a diagnosis, but Bipolar II at times in it's presentation is quite mild as far as the hypomania goes. For me the hypomania has helped me build a career for myself and many others have had the same experience.

My aplogies, but I'm posting this from the Bipolar forum and I hope it helps both you and your daughter. Your daughter is very lucky to have such a stand up mom in her life that's willing to question why her daughter isn't being diagnosed.

Here is the post, sorry it's long....

Bipolar II is a person that has had at least 1 episode of major depression and this is the same as a person as someone with Unipolar depression what makes it BiPolar II is the hypomainc episode.

hypomania is milder than full blown mania. It can still be damaging to the person, but for me I have BP II and for the most part the major depression has been more damaging, but both suck.

Bipolar I a person needs to have mania and may or may not have major depression.

A great book I can suggest is Less than Crazy: Living Fully with Bipolar II by Karla Dougherty

I don't think there is anything wrong with questioning the diagnosis. When I was diagnosed in the hospital I told my doctor I needed proof and I wanted to see an MRI. A week before in lock down because I was suicidal I told her I felt the way I was being treated like a zoo animal with no enrichment and "It was Wrong". Yes I'm sure she loved my direct way of communication.....

Anyhoo how I explain my bipolar diagnosis is my mood doesn't match with what's going on. For instance when I was admitted in the hospital I was in the worse major depression I have ever experienced I was caught attempting and that was the only reason why I was at the Psychiatric Hospital because I was committed.

A week later I woke up happier than a pig in shit. The nurses were over joyed I was cured! I asked for my blow dryer and straightening iron and my make-up, because lord knows if a Psychiatric Hospital isn't a place to look your best I don't know where else is? I called my friends and told them I was cured and coming home. My pdoc is awesome with me. I truly respond to people like me (direct etc), but in that state it doesn't work because I think I'm awesome and everyone else isn't as awesome as me, so she gently said I think it's great you're feeling good, but I'm a little concerned because of your family history (Mom is BP) that this may be something else. No prob I said.

As the week progressed I got worse and it came to a head when I contacted my little sister's social worker (I was a Big Brother and Big Sister volunteer) and left her a voice mail at crack of my ass dawn advising her I was in the hospital, BUT don't worry I'm not dying I'm waiting for some test results and I should be out soon, but let my "sister" know I'll call her when I'm released (hello am I am jail???) Thank goodness I had enough sense to not call my little sister!

About an hour later I realized how I sounded on the message and I approached the nurses station where my pdoc was sitting completing paper work. I told her I'm feeling "Coo Coo" she gave me the raised eye brow look (same one I give when people use innapropriate terms about mental illness) I repeated "I feel Coo Coo". She wasn't able to talk to me then, so one of the psych nurses did.

I actually wasn't told I was BP, because truly at this point she couldn't make the diagnosis, but I was taken off the anti-d and was given the dreaded peach pill (lithium)that Friday. I knew exactly what the possible diagnosis was because I grew up watching my mom take it. I was angry I felt I paid my dues in life I sobbed, I yelled, I kicked the bed my fav nurse Lettie sat with me for a half and hour and just listened.

The following week I asked for info on BP and books lots of books, I read, I reflected on my life, I went to therapy. The diagnosis fit for me.

Sorry for the LONG POST to say a mood disorder in a nut shell is where your mood doesn't match what's going on i.e. my above pig in shit story. Or my mood, reactions are amped up by a 100.

I am not major depression, I'm not hypomania and without the meds "me" would be lost in those 2 extremes. Beth