I am 99.9% sure that my son is suffering from Bipolar Disorder, please help

1. 59

   Carolann64150posted 12 years ago

   I am 99.9% sure that my son is suffering from Bipolar Disorder, please help
   
   He is 25, his Dad has Bipolar also. His Dad has been on Lithium for years, and actually I was the one that figured it out by researching and finding him a good Psych. Now my son is suffering and has a symptom that I never noticed in his Dad...When he is on the manic side, he will carry on conversations with his self...
   I am newly married,,,well 2 yrs now. And my new husband and my son did not hit it off too good. My son is a sweet, caring guy, but seems to have a total lack of priority. And his symptoms seem to be getting much worse. Do you think he should be living on his own now? Please help

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2. 73

   relacheposted 12 years ago

   Your son needs professional psychiatric help, not random advice from strangers on the internet.

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3. 60

   Jaggedfrostposted 12 years ago

   lol I agree with relache. I am 99.9 percent sure that there isn't anything we can tell you that will help until your son accepts his condition and the need to improve his life then those of us like myself who have lived with it for some time can give coping mechanisms to assist beyond what meds can do for an individual. A general rule of thumb to acknowledge though is that he(or she) who will not control himself (or herself) must be controlled by outside forces.

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4. 80

   schoolgirlforrealposted 12 years ago

   when you say he is carrying on conversations with himself---this is a schzophrenic trait or could be psychotic , it any case, your son could be schzoeffictive--which is bipolar w/ some symptoms of schzphrenia.
   
   My advice to you, is get him to the psychiatrist...get him rediagnosed ..some help.
   
   As for living on his own, I wouldn't want  you to put him out of the house on  his own if he is not doing well--this also may make him feel rejected if your new husband comes first. 
   
   I would thou find out if he could live in a "group home" or assisted living apt....where he can be independent but have a staff come and dispense meds once a day or whatever he needs ---perhaps with help cleaning his apt/ or managing $$.
   These sorts of things are available.
   
   I wish you the best of luck, and keep loving him. People w/ these disabilities need a lot of love and support.
   
   God bless!

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5. 60

   Dr Ken Romeoposted 12 years ago

   Parents usually enjoy seeing their own characteristics reflected in their children, such as a daughter’s green eyes or a son’s shyness. But studies show that bipolar disorder also runs in families, and experts say that most people who are living with the illness can identify at least one relative who has bipolar disorder or depression.
   The genetic link doesn’t mean that one bipolar parent or even two will necessarily produce a bipolar child. Other factors, including stressful life events, abrupt changes in sleep patterns, and chronic medical illnesses, can contribute to a person’s risk.
   
   Studies report rates of bipolar disorder between 4% and 15% in children with one bipolar parent, compared to 0% to 2% in the offspring of parents who don't have the disorder. And if both parents are bipolar, rather than just one, a child is about 3.5 times more likely to develop the condition.
   Bottom line: Get to a doctor who is familiar with bipolar disorder. Your family doctor is a good place to start. He or she can usually recommend the next step in treatment and give you a referral to a psychiatrist (if necessary) that you will feel comfortable with.

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6. 89

   Patty Inglish, MSposted 11 years ago

   Did you suggest to your son to seek professional help? As a former therapist, I'd have to say that asking HubPages was correct only in that responses included "go to a psychiatrist."

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