You are welcome here. This area of the board is for crisis topics and you might get better response on the general topics board. There are a lot of questions that I have after reading your post. Like, what do you already know about BP? What behaviors is your son displaying that you are having difficulty with? How old is your son? There is also a Friends and Family of Bipolar support group here on DS. You can find them here: http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Family-and-Friends-of-Bipolar/support-group Good luck to you. Hope to see you on the main board soon.

Hello Cat and welcome, l agree with Cammie the best place for help as a family member will be in the other group but please feel free to ask questions here too I know you must be desperate for any help.

Has your son been seen and diagnosed by a Dr? and if so is he on medication? or see a therapist for him and yourself to give you more guidance with coping? because l'm guessing that you are the backbone and will need as much help as well as information as you can get.

you are welcome here, your wording is kind and sensitive and not diminutive..

i am happy to have people like you here, even though you didn't say much, i can ' sense ' the respect in your tone.

i hope you can find just what kind of info you are after.. here, there and/or anywhere.

Thanks to all who replied, and Camme i will join the group for family. But I do have a few questions for those who are really affected by ths disease.
Does OCD and ADHD usually go hand in hand with BP? (my son was diagnosed ADHD as a child, then with OCD in his teens and then last year at age 24 after a tramadic year he admitted himself into a hospital where he was diagnosed with BP. He is now a recovering alcholic and still smokes pot. (the pot does seem to help even though it is not legal here.) He readmitted himself 2 months after the first time because he became violent towards me. All his agression is taken out on me. I am actually his step mom but I have raised him since he was 8 years old. His mother (a life long alcoholic who does not want to stop) gave up on him when he was 6. Also;
When he is in a cycle, I was told to just give him space and quiet until he can "cycle down" but he has a 2 year old that becomes frightened and the screaming and throwing and threatening can go on for up to 24 hours. I have to protect my son (I have always called him MY son) my grandson, my youngest son and my husband. My question is can someone with BP "cycle down" on their own? I don't want him to be suffering alone when I could be helping him.

Please ask your questions on the main board - this is for people who are in danger of suicide.

As another member suggested please post on the main board or the community specifically for this, Families & Friends of Bipolar

http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Family-and-Friends-of-Bipolar/support-group

thanks for your understanding that this is an emergency section of the board.

I would join the main bipolor board to talk to others like myself on more info on bipolor and learn about it.

I would just like to reminded us who are affected by this medical illness, that we are NOT bipolar, I am NOT a diagnosis. I do have bipolar. I have never hurt myself nor anyone else. I go to the hospital when I need it and I take care of myself. I have never "gone off of my meds" what is so upsetting is if a cancer patient takes care of themselves, they are "heroic" and "survivors" I go to the hospital, and I get my second ammendment rights ripped from under me, and called a nut.. I'm not a gun freak but living where I do, I should be able to taught how to protect my self legally.( I'm not against a waiting period for recently treated people)
The other disturbing factor is that I am infertile...both my husband and I have issues. If I don't have my own baby, I can't adopt. I have NEVER hurt a child nor even raised my voice. My best friend has 7 children under the age of 13. I lived with her for 14 months. Kids just listen to me cause I speak so quiet they can't say anything AND hear me. Now, my husband and I were going to do foster care. They were more concerned with the bipoloar disorder then people with felonies! It is sick, and I feel horrible for Mindy McCready. Society wants us tied up in a package to discriminate. I say, read read read...learn more even about past medical history in the family. I am not some unstable person who would drowned my children for sure if I adopted. It is so hurtful. I feel the pain of my mom, like this mother is having, I also am someone who have had this illness since 1988, I'm only 38, so it's most of my life. Learn as much, keep appointments, and don't allow negative stigma to stop you nor your son from help that is needed. You want some inspiration, read "An Unquiet Mind" by Dr. Kay Freedman, a phychologist with bipolar, and her ups and down. the fact is the more we ignore it, the worse people get before help is forced upon them too late. I pray you learn as much as possible. there is no textbook case. I strugle more from depression. My best friend is more on the hypomanic side always. Look on Amazon for helpful books, and educate yourself and him as much as possible. sorry I went a little off topic, but I feel so bad for people being diagnosed, who are eventually going to be discriminated against if it "get's out" things need to change, that's a fact. take care of yourself, or you are no good to anyone...hugs& courage!!

closed. This in not the place for debate, thank you.