Survival Strategies for Parenting Children with Bipolar Disorder: Innovative Parenting and Counseling Techniques for Helping Children with Bipolar Disorder and the Conditions that May Occur with It

237 Pages·2000·3.71 MB·English

by  George T. Lynn

Survival Strategies for Parenting
Children with Bipolar Disorder
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Survival Strategies for Parenting
Children with Bipolar Disorder
Innovative parenting and counseling techniques
for helping children with bipolar disorder
and the conditions that may occur with it
George T. Lynn MA, MPA, CMHC
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
London and Philadelphia
Allrightsreserved. Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedinanymaterialform(including
photocopyingorstoringitinanymediumbyelectronicmeansandwhetherornottransientlyor
incidentallytosomeotheruseofthispublication)withoutthewrittenpermissionofthecopyrightowner
exceptinaccordancewiththeprovisionsoftheCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988orunderthe
termsofalicenceissuedbytheCopyrightLicensingAgencyLtd,90TottenhamCourtRoad,London,
EnglandW1T4LP. Applicationsforthecopyrightowner’swrittenpermissiontoreproduceanypartof
thispublicationshouldbeaddressedtothepublisher.
Warning:Thedoingofanunauthorisedactinrelationtoacopyrightworkmayresultinbothacivilclaim
fordamagesandcriminalprosecution.
TherightofGeorgeT.Lynntobeidentifiedasauthorofthisworkhasbeenassertedbyhiminaccordance
withtheCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988.
FirstpublishedintheUnitedKingdomin2000
byJessicaKingsleyPublishers
116PentonvilleRoad
LondonN19JB,UK
and
400MarketStreet,Suite400
Philadelphia,PA19106,USA
www.jkp.com
Copyright©2000GeorgeT.Lynn
CoverillustrationViaKellor-Davis
SecondImpression2001
ThirdImpression2002
Fourthimpression2003
Reprintedtwicein2004
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationData
Lynn,GeorgeT.,1945-
Survivalstrategiesforparentingchildrenwithbipolardisorder:innovativeparenting
andcounselingtechniquesforhelpingchildrenwithbipolardisorderandtheconditions
thatmayoccurwithit/GeorgeT.Lynn.
p.cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN1-85302-921-1(alk.Paper)
1.Depressioninchildren--Popularworks.2.Depressioninadolescence--Popular
works.3.Manic-depressiveillnessinchildren--Popularworks.4.Manic-depressive
illnessinadolescents--Popularworkd.5.Adolesentpsychopathology--Popularworks.
6.Parenting–Popularworks.I.Title.
RJ506.D4L962000
618.92’8527--dc21
00-043639
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData
ACIPcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
ISBN-13:9781853029219
ISBN-10:1853029211
PrintedandBoundinGreatBritainby
AthenaeumPress,Gateshead,TyneandWear
Contents
Acknowledgements 8
Introduction: The Broken Necklace Rage 9
I. Bipolar Disorder in Children
Dealing with sudden rage, aggressive depression, oppositionality,
and crazy thinking
1. Enter the Warrior: How to Identify the Presence
of Bipolar Disorder in Children 18
2. The Brain Chemistry of Bipolar Disorder
and the Drugs Used to Treat It 40
3. Martha’s Story: Understanding and Managing Rage in
Children with Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder 50
4. Tom’s Story: Charting a Change Strategy for a Teen
with Bipolar Disorder 73
5. Compassion Makes a Big Difference: The Empathy
Factor in Children with Bipolar Disorder 87
6. Innovative Non-Pharmacological Treatment Approaches
for Bipolar Disorder, ADD, and Depression in Children 110
(Written in collaboration with Walter Crinnion, ND.)
II. Asperger’s Syndrome and Bipolar Disorder in Teens
Managing inertia, school resistance, stimulus-craving,
and lack of common sense
7. The Hermit: Asperger’s Syndrome – Helping the Brilliant,
Anxious and Oppositional Child Find His Way
and Express His Gifts 120
8. Sean’s Case: Helping a Child with the Dual Diagnosis
of Bipolar Disorder and Asperger’s Syndrome 145
III. Soothing the Hurt of Tourette Syndrome and Bipolar Disorder
9. Tourette Syndrome: The Wild Heart of the Restless Explorer 164
10. A Shoulder to Scream On: How to Help Children
Living with the Fiery Extremes of Tourette
Syndrome and Bipolar Disorder 178
IV. ADHD at Its Extremes
11. A Matter of Degree: How to Know the Difference
between ADHD and Bipolar Disorder 190
V. Hard Decisions
Schools, professionals, psychiatric hospitals, and police involvement
12. How to Choose the Best Neurologists, Psychiatrists, 198
Therapists, Schools, and Teachers for the Child with Wild
and Extreme Behavior
13. The Hardest Decisions: How to Make Police Involvement
or Psychiatric Hospitalization Part of Your Healing Plan 209
Conclusion: When All Is Said and Done:
Six Keys to Personal Wellness for Families of Children
with Bipolar Disorder 219
Appendix: Ten Essential Online Sites 223
References 225
Index 231
To my clients,
be they Warrior children or their parents,
who have illuminated me with their ingenuity and love
and left me awe-struck with their grit!
Acknowledgements
This work would not have been completed without the assistance of my wife
JoanneBarrieLynn.Joannehasreviewedeachchapterwithasharpandlovingeye
andgiventheworkthemarkof herpowerfulabilitytogettothepointandgive
peoplepracticalhelp.Shelivesthisworkwithmeasaparentandconceptualcol-
laborator and I am deeply grateful that she is in my life.
Thentherearemypersonal,professional,andonlinefriends,allofuschildren
oftheNetwhohavedelightedinmanyeveningsofrapid-fireexchangeofnotes,
opinions, inspirations, and personal suffering on this topic, pro and con. These
include Thorn Hartmann, Martha Hellander, Carla Nelson, and Carol Bruce.
Thisworkalsoshowstheinfluenceof severalpowerfulthinkers,researchers,
physicians,andtherapistswhohavetakenonthetaskof understandingchildren
with Bipolar-like challenges, Tourette Syndrome, and Asperger’s Syndrome.
These pioneering leading lights include Dr David Comings, Dr Kenneth Blum,
Dr Hagop Akiskal, Dr Joseph Beiderman, Dr Charles Popper, and Dr Daniel
Amen.
Iwouldliketoexpressparticularappreciationfortheinformationprovidedby
thepeopleattheNationalInstituteofMentalHealth’sStanleyFoundation.Iawait
each issue of the StanleyFoundationNewsletterwith the anticipation of a little boy
waitingforhisBoy’sLifetocomeinthemail.Youcantellthattheprofessionalsat
Stanley care and are excited about their work. Each issue has documented some
new breakthrough in the research, understanding, and treatment of Bipolar
Disorder that has enabled me to be more effective as a therapist and a writer.
FinallyIwanttothankHelenParry,myeditoratJessicaKingsleyPublishers,
forherguidanceinhelpingmemakethisbookmoreaccessibletochildrenwith
Bipolar Disorder and their parents.
8
Introduction
The Broken Necklace Rage
Johnny is five years old. Most probably his diagnosis would be early-onset
BipolarDisorderbuthehas notyetbeen diagnosed. Hehas obsessions.Herages
at the drop of a hat, and out of nowhere. Usually a small frustration sets off his
rages.
Heisstayingwithhisgrandmother,whomIshallcallCarol,atherhomeinthe
country. This morning Johnny is working intently on a beaded necklace. He
bringsittoshowCarolanddropsitbymistake.Thislittlesetbacksetshimoffand
he goes into a terrible rage, crying, laughing, spitting, running, frothing at the
mouth. Carol clears the area and finally gets him to a quiet place sitting at the
kitchen table.
He pounds the table again and again. ‘I’m so sad, I’m so sad!’ he screams. So
much discomfort and dark mood for such a little kid. It blasts out of him like a
wave.
Carolknowswhattodo.Thoughhisangerisfrightening,sheismovedbyhis
sadnessandherheartopenstohim.Shemakessurethatheissafe,thereisnothing
nearby that he can throw or break. She sits with him and tries to be (to use her
words) ‘very quiet in my heart.’ She is a gardener and so she knows how to be
quiet, centered in her heart, and in enjoyment of nature and peaceful meditative
work. She sits with Johnny and listens to him, speaking only when moved to
speak. Eventually he calms down, and as he does she begins to talk about the
opportunity for new beginnings when things fall apart. He is soothed by her
words. They work together to reconstruct the necklace to Johnny’s satisfaction
and eventually the world is right again.
Being in control of an out-of-control situation
Carol’sactionsshowadeepsenseofwisdomaboutwhatyouneedtodotohelpa
childwhohasextremebehaviorproblemsrelatedtoamooddisorder.Sherealized
hewaspartiallyoutof controlof hisbehavior,thatshewasnotthetarget,thathe
felt miserable, that he would have to get through it himself, and that keeping a
quiet, loving heart was what she needed to do.
9