I don't know what to do
A teenager that I know has been diagnosed as bipolar and has been prescribed lithium.Those are the scariest words I've ever written. Why? After researching the disease all day, I am convinced that the diagnosis is wrong.
This is a normal, loving, teenage girl. She is going through a rebellious phase...but she isn't violent, she isn't aggressive, she simply doesn't fit the description. She is a typical teenager dealing with life pressures. High school is hell even for the popular kids. Choosing a college and a career path are scary things at that age. (Come on, that stuff still gives me the willies.)
The parenting of this individual has been...haphazard and lazy, like an afterthought. I don't know how you can expect a child to raise herself and expect perfection. I love her and am convinced that her problems stem from an untenable set of circumstances in the home. How can I be sure? If I were living there, we'd have bigger issues. I see her reactions to these forces as mild compared to how I would react. Now, by my math, this either means I'm more bipolar than she...or the diagnosis is shit.
I don't know what to do. I don't want her put on mind-altering drugs because I'm afraid it will snuff the bright little light in her. I don't want to leave the situation alone either. I know that it is a normal reaction for people to deny a mental illness, but I swear to you that this is not that.
If she is moody, it is typical teenage moodiness brought on by selfishness, lack of understanding, lack of communication, and resentment at still being treated as a child. This young woman is so loving and caring...I think she feels abandoned by her parents, even though to an adult this doesn't seem true. The fact of the matter is, that in the teenage years, perception is reality. I don't think she has ever gotten all of the attention she craves. I've spent a lot of time with her and she has never struck me as manic, bipolar, or depressed. She's simply a normal teenager.
What in the hell do I do? Seriously, I'm sick over this.
