Quote:
Originally Posted by *Laurie*
Maybe for some teens. When I was in high school way back in the late '70's I was definitely symptomatic of bipolar. Never talked with anyone about it; it was almost unheard of for a kid to be open about mental health issues back then. I was very into modern dance, danced for at least 2 hours every day except Sunday. The exercise did not do anything to help my symptoms. I think that if a kid is depressed and nothing else is helping, it's cruel not to at least try an antidepressant.
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I was never able to ‘handle money.’ Stole from myself without thinking of consequences. Bounced checks at 13.
Here’s a not-so-secret secret: I got married whilst in high school. Almost immediately annulled so I don’t refer to her as ‘my first wife,’ although, well, she was. This was early 1970’s and I didn’t have a handle on my impulsive nature, my risky ventures.
Definitely symptomatic of bipolar, too.
Because I was ‘exceptional’ no one thought of mental problems. I was able to exhibit the behavior of a bipolar teen without consequences and no one considered the ‘bipolar teen’ behavior anything other than the work of a genius, a mind beyond comprehension.
The expectations were incomprehensible. Scary. Stomach-aching.
But I knew nothing about mental disorders — they were not on the radar, then.
Then off to college and my symptoms roared but my grades were good, always making Dean’s list, so symptomatic behavior was ignored.
But I began to suspect that I was exhibiting behaviors that were like those of a manic-depressive.
My answer was to flee the country.
I was so very ****ed up for so very many years.
Well, I remain ****ed up.
I played four sports in high school, became a long distance rambler in college. Exercise never exorcized my demons.
I should have been medicated in high school. And, while I understand the concern about over-medicating kids, depression can be so debilitating to a teenager.