| QUESTION: | | | | Having said that, it has been my experience |
| | | | that when bipolar is suspected, it is |
| My daughter has been diagnosed with Obsessive | | | | eventually diagnosed (i.e., if her doctor |
| Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Obsessive | | | | believes she may be bipolar, she probably |
| Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) and | | | | is). Is anyone else in the family bipolar |
| potentially Bipolar Disorder, but that last | | | | (e.g., uncle, grandparent)? As you probably |
| diagnosis is not confirmed yet ...right now | | | | know, bipolar is highly genetic. |
| she is unable to go to school - anxiety and | | | | |
| panic attack when the morning comes. We are | | | | So my advice, based on my experience with |
| extremely hesitant to go the home-school | | | | others in similar situations, would be to |
| route, because of the probability of the | | | | begin focusing on the bipolar issue because |
| anxiety transferring to another area | | | | (a) she probably is bipolar and (b) once the |
| --especially if she has not developed the | | | | bipolar symptoms are stabilized, the other |
| skills to tackle it when she experiences the | | | | symptoms (anxiety, panic, OC behavior, etc.) |
| anxiety/panic. | | | | will get addressed by default (at least from |
| | | | a medical standpoint). |
| I saw on your website the concept of getting | | | | |
| her to have 'going back to school' become her | | | | Re: School -- Going on the assumption that |
| idea ...any magical ways of getting that to | | | | she is bipolar (and again, it is just an |
| happen??? Her father and I are at the end of | | | | assumption at this point): Bipolar children |
| our creative strategies rope (her father is a | | | | will not function well in a regular school |
| clinical psychologist and also has OCD) | | | | setting - so that's out, period! |
| ...words of wisdom? | | | | |
| | | | However, the bipolar kids I work with do very |
| ANSWER: | | | | well in alternative school environments or |
| | | | GED programs where the classes are small and |
| You've raised a lot of issues here. Let's | | | | they get sufficient amounts of one-on-one |
| first identify each one: | | | | attention. |
| | | | |
| 1. OCD/OCPD | | | | They do miss a lot of class time (e.g., "I |
| | | | got a headache" ..."I'm sick to my stomach" |
| 2. Possibly Bipolar Disorder | | | | ...bla bla bla), but most alternative schools |
| | | | are willing to deal with poor attendance |
| 3. Anxiety/Panic | | | | within reasonable limits. |
| | | | |
| 5. Unable [i.e., unwilling] to go to school | | | | In any event, your task will be to have a |
| | | | relaxed attitude about all things -- model |
| Re: OCD/OCPD -- Is she on an antidepressant? | | | | "having a relaxed attitude" throughout the |
| If so, does it help? A complicating factor is | | | | day, everyday!!! Your daughter will pick up |
| that when anti-depressants are given without | | | | on it at an unconscious level. Then you'll be |
| mood stabilizers to people with bipolar | | | | working your magic. |
| disorder, the antidepressants may induce | | | | |
| mania or hypomania. So her psychiatrist will | | | | I CANNOT EMPHASIZE THIS ENOUGH: The more you |
| need about a year of experimentation (the art | | | | and your husband develop the "art of letting |
| side of pharmacotherapy) in order to get the | | | | go," the less she will stress. The less she |
| right combinations and dosages of medication. | | | | stresses, the fewer symptoms she will |
| It will be important that everyone in the | | | | experience. The fewer symptoms she |
| family be patient with this process. | | | | experiences, the more she can focus on the |
| | | | really important things in life |
| Re: Bipolar Disorder -- Bipolar disorder is | | | | (relationships, school, work, play, etc.). |
| difficult to recognize in young people | | | | |
| because it does not fit precisely the symptom | | | | It sounds like the whole family may be in |
| criteria established for adults, and symptoms | | | | "survival mode" (i.e., spending a lot of time |
| can resemble or co-occur with those of other | | | | and energy just trying to keep the boat from |
| common childhood-onset mental disorders and | | | | sinking). One can escape from this mode by |
| may be mistaken for normal emotions and | | | | practicing "having a relaxed attitude," a |
| behaviors of children and adolescents. | | | | "grateful heart" and a "sense of humor." If |
| | | | you think you simply can't do this right now, |
| As a result, Bipolar kids are often given any | | | | then fake it anyway (i.e., "act as if" you |
| number of psychiatric labels (e.g., ADHD, | | | | are relaxed, grateful, and finding things to |
| Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct | | | | laugh about). With practice, this becomes |
| Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, | | | | habit. |
| Separation Anxiety Disorder, etc.). | | | | |
| | | | In summary, the real issue here as I see it |
| Too often they are treated with stimulants or | | | | is "stress." Everybody is feeling pressure. |
| antidepressants -- medications which can | | | | And I can promise you that if everyone is |
| actually worsen the bipolar condition. | | | | uptight most of the waking hours -- you will |
| | | | have a long, hard road ahead. |