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People have their ups and downs from time to time. This is why it is not a surprise if anxiety takes place. No one can tell who’s going to have it or when it’s going to happen. Though it is natural for a person’s mood to change now and then, still, there are instances when the anxiety levels become too much.
“If we feel anxious, most of us believe we need to get ourselves under control.” – Alicia H. Clark, PsyD
Posted in Treatment and Management
A strong support system always starts within the family. Having bipolar kids is challenging most especially to the parents. However, it is not without a scientific solution. There is a wide range of therapy that can mitigate and eventually treat this disorder.
Having bipolar disorder can cause depression to your children. According to Beth Esposito, MS, LPCC-S, LSW, “If you experience one episode of depression, you are at risk of recurring bouts.”
The characteristics of bipolar disorder in children are intense mood swings, hyperactivity, and extreme behavior changes. They could be feeling intense sadness and anxiety one minute; the next, they could be excessively aggressive. Children with bipolar disorder have a problem with focus, emotion control, and social skills.
As mentioned, there are scientific treatments that lessen and mitigate these conditions and effects of bipolar disorder. However, they are at their most potent when accompanied by healthy hobbies to develop the skills made challenging by the disease.
“Suicide is “an ever-present danger” in people with bipolar disorder because they may become suicidal during a manic state.” – Kathleen Cairns, PsyD
Exercise
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Physical fitness is the best pill to boost physical and mental strength. Some parents may complain that their kid is so energetic. Some may complain that their child’s energy is too low. Exercise helps in balancing it all out.
Working out (cardio most especially) is the most recommended activity by psychiatrists for patients with bipolar disorder. Getting out of the house and occupying oneself with some physical activities can effectively elevate one’s mood.
This hobby does not need any expensive facilities and equipment. Accompany your child every morning or every afternoon to jog, do some jumping jack routines, and run outside. You may also encourage him or her to participate in some sports of their choice.
According to Sally Winston, PsyD, “It takes longer to be diagnosed with bipolar II because the lack of the signature extreme mania makes it difficult.”
Activities That Will Develop Their Creativity
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More often than not, children with bipolar disorder are artistically inclined. Doctors say that the extra energy that these children manifest may unleash their creativity. Of course, your kid will still need guidance from you. Teach your kids how to properly realize and unleash their talents without putting too much pressure.
Your kid may be musically inclined. Research shows that songs have therapeutic effects on the listeners. You can easily find out this effect by playing a simple tune and see how it makes your child behave well. To test if your child has an interest in making music at a young age, buy him or her different toy instruments. Schedule music lessons at different times of the day and observe.
Arts and crafts are the best manifestations of child creativity. Buy your child jumbo sets of crayons and lots of supplies of bond papers. You may also teach him or her clay art. However, be careful and mindful of showing him or her that these toys are not to eat. Don’t take for granted the non-toxic labels of these materials.
Whatever talent your child has, always be thankful and proud of the results he or she is showing you. Establish a reward system and also learn how to reprimand your child for any bad behavior he or she may manifest. Doing so will teach him what is right and wrong. These will also introduce him to the proper and necessary socialization skills once he goes out of the house.
A Simple Walk In The Park
Focus-enhancing activities such as yoga, a simple walk, and a regular swim also help a lot. These exercises with continuous movement and high concentration requirement will help in relieving stress. These are also the most natural techniques to boost mental health if your child is too tired to stick to the regular cardio workout sessions.
Accompany your child one of these days to a little walk somewhere with fresh air and green surroundings. Bipolar children are also susceptible to depressive moods and even suicidal thoughts if you don’t pay attention to their mental health. Moreover, don’t forget yourself. We all know how painful it is for a parent to discipline and take care of their kid and accept that he or she has this kind of disorder. The walk will be beneficial for both of you. Don’t take even your mental health for granted.
It feels good that you are also healing mentally and emotionally with your child. Make it a habit that both of you jog or walk around the neighborhood. It may look like a simple and inconsequential activity, but it will help you take a deep breath of fresh air to align your mood and thinking.
Take Lessons
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As previously mentioned, you can take your child to the field and introduce him or her to different sports. If your kid shows any liking or interest, enroll him right away to a special needs-friendly school.
Joining team sports is a perfect avenue to develop a positive image and better self-esteem. Joining any classes can also develop social skills as exposing your child to his or her peers will help in his ability to talk and be attentive to other people.
Remember: consistency is always the key. Be an example to your children. Develop these healthy habits in such a way that your kid will be able to follow and stick to these plans strictly. If both of you consistently do these routines, they will effectively fulfill their purpose.
Posted in Treatment and Management
There are many challenges that every parent must face. Unfortunately, there is no escape button whenever you start to encounter the hardships of becoming a mother to your child. This is the primary reason why you need to be a tough parent, by knowing all the proper remedies for every problem that may come your way.
According to Stephanie Samar, PsyD, “Children need to learn that we all have a range of feelings.”
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One of the common issues of dealing with a child who has a bipolar disorder is the occurrence of tantrums. No matter how much you value or take good care of your beloved son, there will always come a time when his outbursts would show up. Fortunately, there are tons of ways on how to deal with it. Here are some of the things that you must master:
Remain Calm At All Times
Be mindful of all your actions the moment your child starts to have tantrums. Take note that there must have been something that has triggered the outbursts. What you need to do is to remain calm so that you can determine what caused the tantrums. Never panic, especially you are in a public place. If you think that you can no longer handle the tantrums at a particular time it happens, the best option that you can do is to ask for help from other people around.
“Welcome to the Terrible Twos. This phase hits all toddlers, often starting before age two – with some behaviors lasting until as late as age four,” according to Jane Rosen, PsyD
Avoid Embarrassing Your Kid
At this point, it is significant to highlight the fact that scolding your child about his tantrums in public will only make the situation worse. He will start to feel that you do not care for him. Because of this, it is imperative on your part to keep your cool every time he has tantrums. Remember that you are the bigger person. However, it does not mean that you will tolerate his actions. What you have to do is to wait until you arrive at home before you talk to him.
Start A Conversation
As already mentioned above, it is vital for you to talk to your child about the problems or issues in his attitude. Let him know what is wrong with what he did and the reason why it is considered unacceptable. Be sure to use the right tone when speaking to him so that he will not feel like he is being attacked. Aside from this, you must also ask him what caused his tantrum. Make him think that he can discuss anything to you.
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According to Lauren M. O’Donnell, PsyD, “Most kids can learn to get better at handling anger and frustration.”
Seek Professional Help
Find a way to connect with a therapist or psychiatrist who can help your child deal with his issues or concerns. All you have to do is to book an appointment and bring your beloved son to the professional expert’s office or clinic. Keep in mind that this option only if you think that your child’s tantrums are no longer normal or are caused by his bipolar disorder. Do not be ashamed to ask questions to the mental health expert so that you will have a better understanding of the situation.
As a mom, you have the obligation to stand behind your son’s back at all times. Keep on fighting until you become acquainted with all the duties that a mother must accomplish.
Posted in Treatment and Management
Writing down one’s thoughts and emotions are proven effective to unburden one’s self, especially if bombarded with stressful situations. Decluttering the brain paves the way for focus and attention, efficient decision making and clarity of the mind. This method of alleviating stress can be instructed to children with the bipolar condition. You can start to encourage them in writing their feelings and experiences within the day to help manage and monitor their situation.
Taking care and raising a child is never easy, especially when your child is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It’s not merely a difficult personality, but an illness that can sometimes be out of control. Your child may have aggressive behaviors, but when back to his normal state, he may have guilt feelings when he has realized the wrong he has done.
Many people with depression may experience what is known as “anxious distress” in addition to their low mood.
Lauren Pedersen, LMFT said “If you think you may be experiencing bipolar disorder, a licensed psychotherapist can help you sort out whether or not your symptoms signal the presence of bipolar or another disorder according to recognized criteria.”
One of the most common disorders known among kids and young adolescents is bipolar disorder. It is also known as manic-depressive illness. This brain disorder can identify through unstable moods, shifts in energy levels and the inability to perform daily activities. Dealing with someone who suffers from this disorder can be challenging. In this article, we are going to list down some of the important things you need to know about bipolar disorder.
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Parents obviously get overwhelmed and worried when their child is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. They get anxious about the future that awaits them. It’s imperative for parents to know bipolar disorder well in all aspects, not just parts of it.
The teenage period is the phase of one’s life where he or she gets attracted to the opposite sex. Teens start to become curious about how it is to date someone special. They have the illusion of a perfect relationship and a perfect partner. It’s the time of their lives when they thought they are ready, but they really are not.
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When a child is born, everybody’s so happy and excited in trying to pinpoint where it really got its features. But besides the physical attributes, bipolar disorder can also run in the family. Learning that your child has a bipolar illness isn’t an exciting thing, and is something that both parents must work on together to raise the child as healthy as possible.
Patrick Corrigan, PsyD said “There is a dichotomy in how mental health is discussed in pop culture and media.”
