I think I have bipolar disorder. How do I tell my parents or someone else that can help?

I believe that I have Bipolar 1 Disorder. I've been looking it up for the past couple of months, and I'm nearly sure that's what it is. I go through stages of depression and anger usually. I don't know how to tell my parents or anyone else that can help me. I don't even know who else can help me with this. Someone help?

It's really hard for me to talk to my parents about anything. They like seem to think that I'm ungrateful if I'm depressed. :/

I am a 53 y.o. Bipolar. I was diagnosed 4 years ago. I have been in therapy with a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (who can prescribe drugs) for 6 years. I believe that I have been BP since I was a kid, but it was just put down to teenage rebellion. What you have may be just normal teenage feelings, but it might not be, and it is isn't, you need to get help so that you can start your way to feeling better, either through meds or talk therapy.

I would find an adult that you can talk to and tell them how bad you are feeling and that you think you should talk to a doc about this. If you can't find an adult you can trust, your school psychologist may be the best place to start. They can help you find a good souce of help, help you with your parents (they tend to listen to school teachers or psychologists rather than their children-most parents put the blame on themselves and no one wants to feel like they hurt their children), or at least direct you to the best place you can go or talk to. I am sure that this is all affecting your school work, social life-which we all need-and personal relationships. It is hard to be a friend to someone when they aren't sure how that person is going to feel from day to day and you need a source to vent or cry to who can give you a different way to think about things. Maybe until you get up the nerve to talk to someone you can join a group on Yahoo or something and just listen to other bipolars describe their situations, and when you feel comfortable enough ask questions there to gain more knowledge from others who are going through what you may be going through. This may make it easier to speak to someone in "real life".

Living like this is so very hard. Sometimes you dont know what is the disorder and what is the "real you". Here's a hug and take care of yourself. Your health comes first and should be most important to you as if you are BP, it will affect your entire lifetime and it is easier to feel better the sooner you can get treatment.

Best of luck and caring,

Patty

You can talk to a counselor at your school or tell a parent or teacher that you trust. Just tell them that you need to talk to them and explain how you've been feeling and that you would like to see a psychiatrist or psychologist. If it's easier you could even write it down and let them read it with you there because I sometimes find that easier than actually having to say it out loud.
I'm sorry for what you're going through, and it seems like what you're describing is depression, rather than bipolar disorder 1. however, don't take my word because I do not know you and either illness can only be diagnosed by a professional.

http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/gu...
http://www.webmd.com/depression/recogniz...
these websites shows typical symptoms of bipolar disorder and depression if you would like more information regarding the two.

i hope you feel better soon. your situation is tough for anyone, just remember that you are not alone and there are many people out there who want to help you and care very much about you.

Just because you have periods of depression and anger, it doesn't mean you have bipolar disorder. Talk to your parents about your thoughts and feelings. If they think you need a psychiatric evaluation I'm sure they'll make sure you get one. Bipolar is a complicated disorder and should be diagnosed by a professional. There are medications to treat it. I'm not an expert by any means but from what I remember from my pyschiatric rotation in nursing school, it is a roller coaster ride of extreme highs (delusional thoughts of grandure) and extreme lows (severe depression.) I met a couple of people who where text book cases.
Please talk to someone you trust. If not your parents, then maybe your school councelor. If your not a student then go to counciling clinic in your area or a psychiatrist.

definitely tell one of your parents....tell them that you have been experiencing depression and need to see a *doctor* - this can either be your primary care doctor or a psychiatrist - not a therapist - as therapists can't dispense medication.

you can then tell the doctor your suspicions of it being bipolar disorder, and he or she can determine the best course of treatment.

the good news is, if it is depression, bipolar disorder or anything similar, there are many effective medications on the market today with fewer side effects than ever before....

also, your doctor may suggest that you see a therapist as well, to even more effectively help you cope with your problems.

Do not self-diagnose; say to your family that you are having a hard time and would like to see someone about it, then get a professional's advice. See the family doctor if you have one, get referred to a specialist if they say you need it, and go from there.
You should not that doctor-patient confidentiality counts regardless of your age; if for example you told your parents just that you feel like you've got the winter blues or something, once you get there anything you told the doctor would be between you.
Email me if you need someone just to chat to once or twice - I've been through a couple of assessments and can advise about how to handle just getting listened to. Depression is NOT greed, self-obsession or ingratitude, and CAN be treated for real.

Well its strange that your friends or family have not noticedt . But it may not be specifically bipolar disorder. Just tell your parents that you experience phases of anger and depression (just describe your symptoms) and that you feel it is abnormal. Tell them it has been seriously affecting you for months and you need to see a doctor. A doctor will evalutate you and tell you what you have.
--I hope everything goes well for you. Dont feel nervous about telling them. Its NOT your fault. Wishing you the best, Alex.

While I can't tell you exactly who to go to, I can say that you must go to someone. Even if you write it out, just get your emotions down and out. If emotions are bottled up inside a person- that can really explode him or her when pushed... If you have an outlet for your emotions, then it's better off for your mood and your well-being... After all, that's what's a stake here, right??- You. You want help figuring this stuff out, huh? On a personal note, go to someone you trust that can handle your life. Go to someone that you can easily talk to. Whether it's your mom, bff, uncle/aunt, gma/gpa, guidance counselor, or some random person off the street... Talk to them. The first step to solving any problem is to talk it out and get out all your emotions.
Good luck with everything, I really hope you find a way to talk to someone about this... And, hey, if you had the guts to tell me about your problem, then tackling your mom about it shouldn't be a problem. :) Sit her down and tell her how you feel. She will have no choice but to listen.

You could just be a teenager. Internet diagnoses are pretty unreliable.
But, if you think you are mentally ill you need to talk to your parents so they can help you get the appropriate help. If you really don't think they will be helpful, maybe go talk to a school counselor or someone in a similar position.

I am bipolar manic depressive. The fact that you have come to this conclusion I think is a good sigh that your not. Why not tell your parents?
You most likely will not get what I am about to say now. When put into its realm bipolar is not a cures it is a gift. Tell your parents,go to a community health center and get tested.

if you go to school and have a councilor let them know how you feel and ask them how to tell your parents. they will help you and some will go to the extent of talking to them with you. you don't have to tell any one where you are going and if you go in between classes then they will send someone with a note to your next period teacher.

good luck

I would think that people w/ that kind of mental disorder would not acknowledge their sickness. If you can, ask a close friend of family member about how you've been acting. When they respond, ask if they think that would bipolar. You'll get more after-wards.

You need to ask your parents to see a therapist. They can prescribe and and give you medication.

Mental disorders can be hard to diagnose, cause some of the symptoms are very similar.

I grow up with a mum who is Bipolar Disorder, not much fun. However, I know when mum is in her depressed state she can barely get out of bed. It doesn't matter what you do she doesn't want to leave her bed, she lays there sleeping - crying - thinking. She's always looks anxious, fragile and shaky everything is too overwhelming, that's why she doesn't want to get out of bed. If you are anything or similar to this, then you wouldn't need to tell your parents, they would be able to tell and should take you to see someone (unless they're completely ignorant). Also Bipolar usually runs in families so if you know of any family member on your mums or dads side it is possible that you could have it.

Then there's the manic side, she suspicious of everyone, paranoid, over-reacts, always out, buys assorts of stupid stuff, thinks she's a teen again, gets very sexual etc... hard to live with.

These different episodes usually last for at least 2-3months at a time and then there may be a period of "normal-ness", which can last, if we're lucky a few years.

You must have someone a friends parent maybe? School? Is there a number you can ring? (I live in Australia so I'm not sure if you are in US)? .....Just read Victor G, he makes good point about how you have came to this conclusion is a good sign that you're not, as people with bipolar generally think they are fine and everyone else has a problem.

Only a Psychiatrist can say for sure. But to have bipolar you have to have periods of depression and periods of mania. Anger can be a symptom of mania.....but just anger isnt mania at all. Mania is just as disruptive to life, if not more so, as depression.

Start off talking to a school counsler or teacher you can trust......or try to get your parents to let you see a therapist. A therapist could then recomend you see a psychiatrist.

You didn't describe enough to sound like bipolar to me....and reading they symptoms almost any one in teen years can say yeah that sounds like me. It takes a psychiatrist talking to you and finding out what you mean by your having those symptoms to see if its really bipolar


Edit to add.
Many people...espessially teens...use "bipolar" to describe people in a way that is not at all what the illness actually is. And in that lightly used way anyone that is moody, or can turn from happy to angry quickly, or is able to be upset easily would be called bipolar, when it is really just moodyness, or hormones, or a quick temper, or just sensitive. Bipolar does not mean mood swings......it means 2 poles.....depressed and manic....episodes of which last weeks to months. Mood swing only comes into play with the disorder because the mood shift when mood does change is so extreme. You can have mood swings with depression.....and anger/irritabillity is a symptom of depression as well.....so really you sound like you may have depression, but you didnt say anything to really suggest bipolar