Mom battling depression in teen son

Matt says he agrees with you. Are you just on the Lithium alone?? Matt says he's really frustrated. He's on his second "tour" of the depressed mode, but this is his first round with the benefit of the meds. We had a lot of trouble when he wasn't taking them. It's interesting to talk to a teen his age.Matt's not too talkative these days. Such a huge difference than when he was in the manic mode!

We learned the hard way to NEVER LET A MANIC BIPOLAR LOOSE ON A MY-SPACE SITE OMG!! He put his mania out for the world to see and comment on. I saw what was written and the kids just figured due to his "attitude" that it was open season to say the MOST hurtful things!! By nature he's a sensative kid so he took these "comments" to heart. So sad...Then the school system sent him to "prison school" with really REALLY bad/rough kids! This was the day after he got out of the hospital. My heart still aches for him. ;-( This illness tears people apart and is so difficult to deal with! How does your Mom/parent deal with it?? (I'm trying not to cry)

I am a 16 year-old girl also suffering from bipolar disorder, and now that I am on meds, my mania is no longer present and I have to deal with the horrible depression that my medicines cannot eliminate. Lithium is a very powerful, so powerful that it can make a person's life a lot harder than what it originally was. But it is also a good medication for bipolar disorder, and I encourage your son to stay on it if your doctor says so.

As I do believe that it is VERY hard to go to school when you are depressed, I don't believe he should be missing an entire semester of school. Is he on a special plan at school for his disorder? If not, I totally ache for him because that is the only way I can go to school. Our school system has a special plan for children with "disabilities" or people on meds that cannot focus, have a hard time concentrating, and just can't get their life on track. I get leeway on assignments when I am so depressed I can't do it, I get extra time and extra help on tests and assignments, and my teachers know all about my meds and my disorder, so they help SO much making me feel comfortable. This plan has saved my life, so I highly recommend talking to his school counselor at school. Even if your school does not have a plan, it is best having a teacher to lean on like his counselor when things get tough.

Talking on here is also a great way to vent. He probably won't want to, but let him know. This site has helped me to talk about it.

I take probiotics (acidophilus) and fish oil. These are thought to help depression significantly, and if not, it is VERY good for you so you might as well take them haha. Hope this helps!

God bless,

Allie

Matt is in the Special Ed program at his new school. But he says that the kids are slow and the work is too, too, easy. He went to a private, very college prep school prior to getting sick so he WAS used to heavy duty school. (was, past tense) HUGE Public schools and all that goes with that is new to him. His other school had 350 very studious, (but still fun) students...they were like family, sigh (I miss them) His new school has over 2000! I've talked to his councelors and I'm making arrangemnts for a home study program. I can't get him to go to school.

I'm going to search through the older posts and see what I can find.

Hey, good luck to you Allie and thank you for your perspective! I'm going to TRY to get Matt to come on here and maybe "talk" to you, a fellow teen. It's nice to have a first name to write to. THANK YOU!!!