A Good And Trusted Friend For An Adolescent With Bipolar Symptoms
In a lot of cultures, there is the nasty stigma that is stuck to the phrase “mental illness, bipolar victim or I’m a psycho.” When people hear you have a “mental illness” or tell them you are a bipolar!” the reaction can be shown in their eyes and then their body language which will be slightly tense and tend to back away. There have been cases with people whom you consider to be friends let you know that they cannot handle a person with the illness and leave. But, there are those who will stick by your side through the nightmares and the tantrums which can come in anytime. These are true friends who will stay in there to help in those difficult of times.
Trying to Live the Symptoms
Adolescent bipolar victims tell us that besides the wave of emotions they are experiencing in the last several years or months, they also have great friends, a wonderful family, a place to call their own, have their wonderful rooms, pets and a wonderful boyfriend who loves them. But, even having all these they find little joy. There is a lot of energy trying to deal with anything. Little things such as the simple smiles, the eating, picking up the phone can take a lot out of them. This is a sure sign they are slowly sliding downward toward the murky and dark depths of depression when this happens.
Other Signs to Look out for
Because there are hardly any good friends to talk to or even lend a listening ear, many bipolar children prefer to keep to themselves in their home or in a classroom environment. Most of the time they would prefer to go into their own little world and forget everyone and everything around them. In school they would not play, eat and interact with the other children. Paying attention to what the teacher is saying and trying to learn in the classroom can be very difficult because their brain is not in focus. Its like trying to fly a kite eastward but the kite is going westward because the wind is taking it that way. It is beyond their power to control the situation.
The Test of Friendship
Probably none of your friends knows what its like to be a young adolescent with bipolar symptoms until they go through the same experience. The experience of depression, hospitalization, suicidal contemplation, loss of energy, staying in the room for days only leaving to use the toilet or to go to school is not a nice thing for both the sufferer and the people who care about them. A true friend will not only know that these are happening, but they will seek help either in a mental hospital or be referred for diagnoses and find out more about bipolar medication. If you have one or two good friends stick by them because you will always have somebody to turn to.
A Really Good Friend
A good friend indeed who will eventually save your life is a person who stays by your side through thick and thin even when your family cannot handle your symptoms.
