Comments on: Bipolar Disorder Plagues A Child's Life

Haley Abaspour Is Only 11 But Has All The Worries That Come Along With Mental Illness

[cactusrun]

Hello, Lamitical worked well for my adopted sister until she thought she didn't need it. However I knew she did. She did well in school while taking the medication, however when she was 17 1/2 she made the decision not to take the medication. She is now failing 11th grade because she thought she didn't need the medication.

[cherryfries]

I am getting tired of people putting the responsibility of a bipolar person onto someone else. It is the responsibility of the bipolar person to make sure they take the medication themselves. They know what happens if they stop the medication so it is entirely up to them whether they decide to keep taking the drugs or not. A bipolar person is a thinking person and suffers the consequences of not taking the drugs. I am bipolar and have struggled through my own issues with my medications. At the end of the day, it is up to myself to make sure I take my drugs because no one is going to force them down my throat. You either accept your bipolar and try to help yourself or you try to deny you have an issue and suffer.

[mizpah63]

Bipolar disorder can be treated; whereas, moderate to extreme, chronic stupidity can not. You might imagine that the pharmaceutical companies would be developing 'stupid pills' since there is a major market for the product. However, even if the pills were developed they would never be purchased by the people who desperately need them.

[windwalker42]

Just because one cannot see the tumor or see the stump of the missing limb does not mean a person cannot be ill or debilitated. Until someone you have to deal with the demons in their head and the voices that talk to them from deep in the abyss, one does not really understand Bipolar Disorder.

Folks like dorothydenim need to learn the world does not center on them.

[lorhop32]

Response to Dorothy: I don't believe you are bipolar. No on who is bipolar would say something so retarded as a person might want a manic episode. Let me see, when I nearly rip someone's head off or assault someone, you think I actually crave it. Huh?
As far medication being a crutch, do you say the same for insulin? high blood pressure medicine? cholesterol lowering medicine? etc...

Please don't address me in the future because you are a clear representation of the ignorance in society when it comes to treating mental illness. Your ideas and ideas of others like you are the reason people don't seek treatment and often times won't even admit to themselves. Your opinions are harmful and detrimental to my health and others like me. There is no cure for bipolar disorder and being treated and monitored with medication is not a perfect science, but sweety you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

[dorothyblu2]

Lorhop,lots of bi-polar people who take medication for it,are not helped by the medication at all.In my expereinece,plenty of times, bi-polar meds do not help,and do not stop the person from becoming manic,if they want to be manic.They KEEP becoming manic.Plus,often,they cannot hold down a job,cause the medicine does not help them manage the stress;all they have to do,is,get a job,and they wind up in the hospital again,even if they are on medication.

Bi-polar medication is NOT a cure.It is a "crutch"that often does not work,whereas behavior-modification gets to the root of the bi-polarity,and really can stop it,or manage it much much better.I have KNOWN bi-polars,and I know what I saw.

PLUS: many bi-polars do not STAY on medication.They stop taking it,and just become manic, all over again.I have seen this again and again,one more bi-polar who refuses to stay on meds,and goes "over the rainbow" again.Going off bi-polar medication is so common,it is more common for them to get off it,than ever STAY permanently on it.

There's even a joke for it:
"How do you know so-and-so has gone off their bi-polar medication again?"
Answer:"There are more finger-prints on the ceiling today,than there were yesterday."

[dorothyblu2]

Medication is not going to "cure"Haley,and bi-polar kids.How do I know?My best friend & roommate for years,was seriously bi-polar,had been since he was 15,and medicine did not cure,or help him.He got manic anyhow.However,living with us,he got so much better,he stopped becoming manic.(mostly.)

What helped,when the medicine did not?Behavior-modification,by a very good therapist he had,in conjunction with his roommates(us)giving him support to stop from doing "pre-manic"behavior,so he became fully manic.He got so much better,he could live so much more normally;he did not become manic every year and a half,like he had,ever since 15.The bi-polar meds did not make any difference at all.

The behavior-modification therapy did the trick.--plus support from his friends.He lived independently,worked,had fun with us.Haley is getting shafted,by taking all that vile medicine,when what she needs is good behavior=modification therapy,and support.Believe me,I have SEEN it.

[old brown]

I to am bi-polar and it isn't any fun.I hope people will not hold her illness against her.Look to the Lord for help Haley.

[mennowoman]

At first it just sounds like she having temper tanrams, with all the falling on the floor and out of control anger when she doesn't have something to occupy her mind.

But I guess bipolar manifests itself differently in children.

I have bipolar relatives and it's certainly no picnic to live with. I pray that the family, especially the sister, will be able to overcome all the heartbreak they will have in their lives. I know that bipolar has shaped my life in very painful ways, and distancing myself from the ones who behave badly only seems to make them worse.

I really pray that Megan finds a way to live a normal life despite her sister's illness.

[hermit22]

CALL ME ANNA by Patty Duke is an encouraging, real life bi-polar book. (played Helen Keller)

NAMI.org

Thank you to CBS for working with this subject!

EVERYBODY needs their head examined sometime or other. the less likely they think they need it examined the more likely they need it examined. if someone thinks their perfect, we know he's nuts!

mental illness is when someone's OWN MIND lies to them. without help, its like being expected to hit the bulls eye with out-of-focus eyesight.