Posted by Solstice on February 19, 2012, at 17:20:51
In reply to Re: Desperate » Solstice, posted by sigismund on February 19, 2012, at 15:32:08
> With our kids I was very concerned not to medicalise the normal intractable problems of life. We could easily have done that. There is an alternative view about disease progression. I really do feel it would have been a disaster for us to have medicalised a very difficult situation. Rightly or wrongly. And I am sceptical about ADHD and bipolar diagnoses.
I understand, and do think there really are people who have unrealistic expectations about child/adolescent behavior and may be too quick to think normal child behavior is 'abnormal' and in need of treatment with medications. That said, in my daughter's case, believe me - there was no question. Even after she was settled on Geodon and I considered the turnaround miraculous, believe me, she was still fully adolescent with all of its accompanying difficulties. :-)
> I don't know anything about those drugs. I would be so worried. Her body is still developing and is being affected by the drugs, they aren't working well and our knowledge is so limited.I understand those concerns as well. I tend to have a high tolerance for 'pain' so her bipolar could have easily been overlooked. That said, her symptoms (at diagnosis 3 yrs ago) were catastrophic enough that after things settled down, she thanked me repeatedly for not letting it go.. for addressing it aggressively. She does not think she would have had the relatively good live she's had so far if the bipolar had not been caught and treated.
There is risk in everything. Treating, of course, has risks. But failing to find effective treatment for mental illness also has catastrophic risks such as: suicide - and destroyed relationships, finances, careers, etc.
> I wish I could say something more helpful.I appreciate your input.
Solstice
poster:Solstice
thread:1010739
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120212/msgs/1010864.html