I’m really struggling. Our 24 year old son was diagnosed as bipolar, his medicine is not optimal, he’s spending money and behaving terribly. We are unable to keep him from making bad choices. He has delusions but unless he is a danger to himself or others little can be done. It’s so stressful.
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@Elsa929
Does he live with you?
This is tough because he is 24 and not a minor.
When he goes to get his prescriptions or for a review with the doctor, does he go alone?
Might it be possible to go with him or maybe contact the surgery/social services and talk to someone to express your concerns?
Is he seeing a therapist?
Could you try and chat to them?
I know he's the patient and there's data protection/patient confidentiality etc but there must be a way to ask someone to consider at least changing his medication to something better.
Do you use the same doctor?
I'd prob try to speak to a receptionist over the phone first.
Hopefully someone else will come in who has first hand experience of this and can advise.
He lives independently but comes to stay with us for periods of time since the diagnosis. (Before that for holidays, a few times a year) He lives about 20 miles away. He lets us talk to his doctor, but the doctor is terrible at returning calls. One of medicines was increased about two weeks ago but he’s still the same. He had a tele-visit with his doctor. He seemed a little better the day before the visit and we were not on this visit with him. I’m sure he told the doctor he’s fine. It’s so frustrating. He’s damaging all his relationships with his friends and his roommate by his behavior. He’s too much to deal with for any one of us. He argues with people and is mean. He’s not normally like this. His friends have been understanding but now they are distancing themselves from him.
Are you in the UK? If so, contact the MIND charity to ask for a bit of helpful advice.
I just googled and there is also something called bipolarUK
If you are not in the UK, I am sure your country will have similar organisations to help you cope.
Maybe there is a local support group for parents with bipolar children on facebook or something?
Don't struggle alone. There will be someone out there somewhere who has already gone through this stage of diagnosis who might be able to give you some advice on how to cope.
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I just googled and there is also something called bipolarUK
If you are not in the UK, I am sure your country will have similar organisations to help you cope.
Maybe there is a local support group for parents with bipolar children on facebook or something?
Don't struggle alone. There will be someone out there somewhere who has already gone through this stage of diagnosis who might be able to give you some advice on how to cope.
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Thank you. I’m in the US. We feel so powerless to help him. I will look for a support group, that’s great advice.
Good luck.
I know there will be someone who can help you. Xxx
Maybe you could discuss it with your Dr and see whether there alternative medications that they can recommend as an alternative, that you could suggest to his Dr?
there is no "french" nor any kind of military doctors stationed in Syria. When the EU, under US pressure, agreed to sanction any kind of economical and medical help to Syria back in 2011, that means that any country sending personnel of any kind in Syria is to be automatically dragged to the Hague for violation of "human rights". to quote your Charlie, "whatever that means". HOWEVER, and it was proven, there are plenty of covert military training programs taking place in Turkey and Iraq for "Syrian freedom fighters". nothing humanitarian though. not even now, with the earthquake. (source: i'm Syrian and i'm in contact with Syrians in Syria)
if they contact you again, send them my way.
An ex president of the USA arrested.
The husband of an ex first minister of Scotland arrested.
Riots on the streets of France.
Prices of basic foods and utilities going up and up and up.
Town centres like ghost towns.
News programmes and media full of "what is a woman."
People taking offence at the slightest thing and "cancel culture" taking over.
Freedom of speech and democracy being crushed.
It's all overwhelming.
Makes me feel like becoming a hermit.
The husband of an ex first minister of Scotland arrested.
Riots on the streets of France.
Prices of basic foods and utilities going up and up and up.
Town centres like ghost towns.
News programmes and media full of "what is a woman."
People taking offence at the slightest thing and "cancel culture" taking over.
Freedom of speech and democracy being crushed.
It's all overwhelming.
Makes me feel like becoming a hermit.
I miss the 90's. I think that's when we peaked, it's all been getting steadily shitter since then.
I can't work out when, but you could be right.
@Chita
My publisher may be able to help you. They specialise in first time authors and recommend different options for you to consider how to market your book. It will cost you less than £2k and for that money they will give you your ISBN, advise on book cover, deal with setting out, send you marketing details, put you in touch with their own marketing people, get your book out there worldwide to book sellers you'll never have heard of. (Mine sold in Australia). Depending if you want to spend over the initial cost is up to you, but they will advise on book signings, etc.
I don't know if I'm allowed to mention on here their name, but if you're interested we can find a way of sharing this.
A lot of publishers expect in excess of £16k for this, but if you read reviews it's just not worth it, hence my choice to stick with mine.
My publisher may be able to help you. They specialise in first time authors and recommend different options for you to consider how to market your book. It will cost you less than £2k and for that money they will give you your ISBN, advise on book cover, deal with setting out, send you marketing details, put you in touch with their own marketing people, get your book out there worldwide to book sellers you'll never have heard of. (Mine sold in Australia). Depending if you want to spend over the initial cost is up to you, but they will advise on book signings, etc.
I don't know if I'm allowed to mention on here their name, but if you're interested we can find a way of sharing this.
A lot of publishers expect in excess of £16k for this, but if you read reviews it's just not worth it, hence my choice to stick with mine.
Lots of PR, marketing and publishing folk on Tattle from what I have seen. Plenty to help with layout, doing the manuscript etc. Marketing help and advice too. We can make this happen.
Poor you. I know how stressful this is as my friend’s husband is the same. He is reckless when he is up, mainly with spending money. My friend can never decide what is worse, his up or his down. It makes life so difficult. Every day must be a challenge for you. I hope they can at least moderate his behaviour with medication, and that he accepts that he has to take it. Being bi-polar is such a horrible condition, it makes everyone miserable, I am so sorry for you.
. Edited to add, have read some more replies. I know the health service is wonderful, and that we are so lucky to have it, but I have lost some faith in it since Covid, waiting lists are so long now, and so many people are not getting the help they need. I feel a video or phone appointment is next to useless.Your son will likely be making light of his illness, which would not be so easy to hide at a face to face appointment. I agree that a support group would be good for you, because you will feel less alone and adrift. You need some help as much as your son does.
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So sorry to hear that. Can you afford to get him online private counselling?
Thank you all for your kind words and support. The last few weeks have been a roller coaster. Our son had texted a comment that said he felt he was in the Truman show and might jump off the roof in order to get out. He sent it to a group chat of his friends. So we decided to act, not knowing if his delusions were getting worse or what he might do. He was brought to the ER to be evaluated and was admitted to the hospital. His medications were changed and it’s made a huge difference. While it wasn’t a very nice hospital, the psychiatrist caring for him was excellent. He’s living with us for now during the week, and he’s doing an outpatient program that gives him structure and therapy and time for the medications to work. On weekends he’s been returning to his apartment and hanging out with his roommate and friends. We’ve seen a huge improvement, but he’s not yet back to himself 100%. But it’s in the right direction, so we are grateful. Now we are helping him navigate his time off from work while he gets better. I still haven’t found a good support group for us, there really hasn’t been much time for ourselves. We have a younger daughter so we are also concerned about how she is affected by all the tension and stress. And now it looks like the bills will start to come so there’s a new layer to deal with. As long as he’s getting better, we’ll deal with everything else.
I'm so glad he's with you and safe. It must be a huge relief, even though it's not the end of the battle.
Hello all…but just wanted to check in here that @Chita is ok ….and happy 
Parts of Glasgow have gone beyond ghost towns. Sauchiehall Street, once a wonderful shopping area, now resembles a war zone. the decline cannot be blamed on the Internet, because it started before then, with council rates being so high that businesses could not afford it. Now too, everything has to have a moral standpoint, and don’t get me started on political correctness. I visited a friend last night, he is severely depressed because he is now in a wheelchair because of MS. Two mental health nurses visited him this week . They asked if he ‘took’ alcohol, to which he replied that he ‘drank’ alcohol. He was told that to say that is not acceptable now. Who decides these things ? Especially in Scotland, if we say someone ‘takes’ a drink, it is a polite way of saying he is an alcoholic. Which my friend is not, he drinks wine with his evening meal. We have to watch everything we say, in case it is racist or homophobic. I would hate to be growing up in this world now.
@planetmirthHello all…but just wanted to check in here that @Chita is ok ….and happy
thanks.
I've been better but I'm still here. Not as often but still here.
Battling with myself.
Debating whether to shut down the twitter cartoon a/c or not.
Are the doodles racist, are they cruel, do they bring bad karma etc etc, am I a bad person.
They are "out there" and I cant delete them from everywhere they have been shared.
Turning over and over in my mind.
It's nice to get people following/liking of course and it's nice that people share because they are spreading laughter and my humour gives them a boost, but it's annoying when people don't give credit or use them without permission in videos they receive money for when my own attempts to earn have been sabotaged.
Kinda makes ya wanna give up.
Tattlers love and support has given me a lovely warm feeling though, so, I'm feeling happier for the outpouring from you all but I'm battling with my mind-chimp and conscience.
That's where I'm at.
Xxx