Patience, persistence and getting her own talk therapy helps mom navigate daughter’s seven year journey with bipolar. Michelle* encourages other parents to stay strong and never give up. Tell us when you first noticed mood changes in your daughter. Our story began when my child became scared of storms at a young age. After becoming so irrational and anxious about clouds we took her to her pediatrician, who put her on medication for depression — that lasted a week. At one point, I was concerned she had ADHD because she couldn’t sit through a movie, book, or TV show but medication to manage thi ..read more

As a parent looking back to the years of raising a child/teen with either bipolar, ADHD or anxiety, the following tips would’ve been helpful to know: That education is essential Many parents looking back wish they had been more informed to the minutiae and particular symptoms of their child’s mental health challenges. Instead of just looking at a handout from the health care practitioner, it pays to learn everything and anything possible about the symptoms, current treatments etc. There are so many books, online sources and groups to educate oneself nowadays. That it’s important to speak up W ..read more

These parents have gone through it—whether it’s raising kids with bipolar, anxiety or ADHD—and they are offering up some words to the wise: Acknowledge and accept “None of us signed up for this journey. I know I didn’t and neither did my son,” says one mother of a son with bipolar disorder. “However, it is the hand we were dealt and I intend to play it to the best of my ability. I want to be my child’s strongest advocate, his caregiver when necessary, and be there to celebrate all of his life’s special moments.” Don’t be afraid to speak up No one knows a child better than his parent, so if th ..read more

While there’s no handbook on how to cope with all the challenges, we asked parents who’ve lived through the diagnosis for their best coping strategies: Make sleep a priority Adequate rest is important for the entire family! Explains one parent: “In the early years of my son’s journey, we tried many options and the learning curve has been steep. Getting consistent and adequate sleep is a must for my son. We all must adjust our schedules to make sure this happens. If not, we might as well head straight to the hospital because a manic episode is on its way!“ Manage the stress Managing the stress ..read more

In a climate of stigma and unawareness, the right information matters; here are three things that parents of children with bipolar would like others to know: Bipolar is not contagious! Bipolar is a brain-based disorder and has symptoms that are more powerful than normal moods that kids without bipolar experience. “There was nothing my son did, nor anything the family did that ‘caused’ this and it’s certainly not a symptom of bad parenting,” says this mom. “My son is not a danger to you or your child. Bipolar is a lot more common than you know, you’re probably working with someone, know someon ..read more

Families are experts when it comes to helping kids who deal with bipolar, anxiety or ADHD challenges; so we’ve asked some parents to share what they learned along the way: #1 Make your voice heard While it’s wise to trust the professionals, you may also have to speak up and intervene if you feel your child is not getting the level of care you know he needs and should be receiving. Says one parent: “You know your child the best, so if someone is not listening to you, whether it’s your school or medical providers, make your voice heard until someone listens.” #2 Don’t mistake ignorance for trut ..read more

With her daughter grown and stable, Lori* was hit with exhaustion, depression and a financial crisis leading to her own diagnosis at age 58. Q. What made you think there might be something amiss with your daughter? Looking back, my daughter came out of the womb as a difficult child. My first, and only child, she refused to enter the world until three weeks after her due date during an emergency C-section on Christmas. I tell her she was my gift that year! Through her early years, there were intermittent bursts of anger and, at first, I thought I needed to wrestle that anger by time-outs and t ..read more

While her son’s stability is complicated by a split family dynamic, Grace* is creating the best possible life for him, and for herself.   My son had his first ‘episode’—a psychotic break—the summer before 8th grade. At the time, we had no experience or knowledge of the terms psychotic break, bipolar, triggers, etc. All we knew at the time was this was beyond scary! After his initial hospitalization, he was stable for a few years and then had another psychotic episode when he was a junior in high school. This time it was an extended episode and we began to learn the seriousness of his ill ..read more

After receiving inspiration from the stories of other parents who have children with bipolar disorder, *Jo is paying it forward by sharing her son’s journey. Photo: Getty Images/kali9   When my son was four, he started having problems sleeping. We noticed he also liked to act overly silly, which would inevitably lead to an explosion several times a day. As he got older, his behavior escalated; he was extremely hyper, would run from his classroom to outside the school and throw things when he exploded. He was suspended 20 times in kindergarten, but the school was not concerned because he ..read more

*Lydia’s 16-year-old son was only 12 when diagnosed with pediatric bipolar; now with her faith and fortitude, she has found the strength in others who share similar struggles Please share with us a summary of your son’s story. Since the age of four, there was something different about the behavior of my youngest son *John. He was exceptionally well-behaved while at preschool, but at home he could be a nightmare. Sometimes he would lash out in swearing rages and occasionally dangerous physical fits. His counselor and I thought he was just defiant. When John entered the fourth grade he became d ..read more