Bipolar Disorder - Teen Support Group
This community is dedicated to teenagers struggling with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is not just a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders marked by periods of abnormally high energy and euphoria, often accompanied by bouts of clinical depression. Talk about your experience with bipolar disorder, and learn from others' experiences
My brother has been acting out lately- doing drugs, skipping school, sneaking out, talking back or ignoring mum completely. She's at her wit's end because she feels like she's not getting through to him. I no longer live at home so I don't get to experience his moods so I don't know if he has swings but his behaviour sounds a lot like mine when I was in high school. He's 15 at the moment and I don't want him to drop out of school or be expelled. See, I'm bipolar and I know that makes the likelihood of him being bipolar higher. Would you guys mind sharing some of the things you did before you were officially diagnosed that led to your parent getting you help? I don't want know yet how to talk to my mum about the possibility of him being mentally ill and not just rebelling having just told her about my illness.
The best way to figure things out is to possibly get reconnected with that brother of yours. talk to him, hear him out about any stresses and frustrations. Addition / drugs can add on to mental illness symptoms, or make it seem like someone has one like bipolar ( though addition is indeed a mental illness, and hopefully he isn't addicted).
main tip: try to stay involved in communication the best way you can with your fam-fam, discuss any concerns, and maybe get a psychologist / psychiatrist to talk with your brother and mum, help him and her out trough this rough stage.
I hope everything turns out alright if he has bipolar or if something else is happening. :)