Teenagers who have bipolar disorder face many challenges. They often need individual education plans (IEPs) or other specialized arrangements to help them - and their teachers - deal with aspects of BP that impact them in the classroom and in social situations. Unlike kids with a condition like ADHD which is widely recognized, the stigma attached to bipolar disorder may make it difficult for these teens to tell their friends about it. These articles address those issues and others.
Telling Your Friends about Bipolar Disorder
Talking to your friends about bipolar disorder is often a difficult matter and something that should be handled with great care. Having friends who understand your disorder can be a great support system. They can be a terrific sounding board if they are capable of understanding what you go through and you can trust them.
Doctors, Meds & Friends
Zach is 14 and just graduated from middle school. He has bipolar disorder and takes Abilify. Kimberly talked to him about his diagnosis and medication, and the conversation brought out some great points from a teen's perspective.
Teens with Bipolar Disorder and School
Teen guest author Dan discusses living day to day in the classroom with bipolar disorder, stable or unstable, what to do if you lose control of your emotions, how to set up a support network and the importance of doing so, along with other important topics regarding teens with bipolar and school.
Teen Medication Issues
For anyone with bipolar disorder, medications are a factor in everyday life. However, for teens the battle to find the right meds is often much harder. Dealing with all these medication changes and the hormones of adolescence is like fighting a war on two fronts. The best thing you can do is to remember that it does get better, and a successful medication combination can be achieved.
Blogging: A New Communication Tool for Teens and Parents
Communication between teenagers and parents can be challenging. However, for teenagers with bipolar disorder, communication with parents is imperative to ensure that proper treatment is received by the teen. Direct communication is not always necessary, but some form of communication is a must and this is where a blog can be a valuable tool.
