| I have suffered with bipolar disorder for seventeen | | | | person. When a person with the condition is being kept |
| years, however for sixteen and half of them, I was | | | | stable with the correct treatment, the symptoms no |
| unaware I had the condition, as I was diagnosed with | | | | longer present a problem in the sufferer and what is |
| clinical depression instead. I have also been a parent | | | | left is an amazing ability to tune into other peoples |
| for seventeen years, and although I have not always | | | | emotions, and offer their excellent emotional healing |
| been the perfect mother, I have always done the best | | | | skills. This is an extremely positive attribute for any |
| I could for my children and have an extremely deep | | | | parent to possess, as it creates an emotional bond |
| emotional bond with them. Despite my imperfections | | | | between the parent and child, which is |
| due to the ups and downs of bipolar disorder, my | | | | incomprehensible to most people. People with Bipolar |
| children have always come first and have turned out | | | | Disorder can also put themselves in others shoes, |
| to be wonderfully sensitive and intelligent individuals. | | | | including their childrens, very easily. Therefore, although |
| Bipolar disorder is not a disease or illness, as some | | | | the parent is not always perfect, they are usually well |
| people think. Like Autism, or Aspergers Syndrome, | | | | respected by their children, as they are able to come |
| bipolar disorder is a brain condition that affects a | | | | down to their childrens level and have an unusual, |
| sufferer from birth. However, unlike many conditions of | | | | contradicting, ability of explaining issues to their children |
| the brain, bipolar may not present itself until the | | | | in a completely honest and childlike, yet mature and |
| sufferer faces a traumatic period in his or her life, such | | | | loving way. Considering these attributes, it's not at all |
| as a car crash or childbirth. This goes some way to | | | | surprising that many people who are managing their |
| explaining why the majority of people with the | | | | condition successfully, also go on to become great |
| condition, are not diagnosed until reaching their early | | | | counsellors. |
| twenties and many women have no signs of the | | | | The Cons of Having Bipolar Disorder |
| condition, until after the birth to their first child. | | | | During depressive and manic episodes, a parent who |
| Unfortunately, society has been given a very negative | | | | is not receiving the correct treatment can create |
| view of people who suffer with Bipolar Disorder, due | | | | problems in families that children can be detrimentally |
| to the portrayal of the condition in previous years, | | | | affected by, and should not have to experience at |
| especially when it was known as manic depression. | | | | such a young age. For example, children may be living |
| Even today, with information about the condition being | | | | with the effects of financial problems in their home due |
| widely available, when some people think of a person | | | | to a person with the condition being unable to control |
| with the condition, they imagine a violent and delusional | | | | their spending during manic episodes, or the children |
| lunatic, who is unable to control their mood swings. | | | | may have to witness angry outbursts when the parent |
| They automatically think that nobody with the condition | | | | is unable to control their mood swings. When the |
| could be a good parent. However, there are | | | | parent is going through a depressive episode, a child |
| arguments for and against parents who suffer with | | | | may feel they are unable to get through to them; |
| Bipolar Disorder that many people do not realise, due | | | | however, this is not unique to Bipolar Disorder, and the |
| to the lack of information about the positive personality | | | | same for children of parents with any depressive |
| traits common to most people with the condition. | | | | illness. |
| These personality traits make them excellent parents | | | | Although no child should have to experience some of |
| when receiving the correct treatment as they have | | | | the problems that come with having a bipolar disorder |
| more understanding of their children than a lot of | | | | parent, no upbringing is perfect, and like most bad |
| parents. Anyone who has never had any relations with | | | | experiences in life, good lessons can be learnt from |
| someone diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder may be | | | | them. Most children of parents with bipolar disorder |
| surprised to learn, there are quite a few attributes | | | | learn a great deal about mental illness during their |
| common in most people with the condition that many | | | | parents depressive and manic episodes, and grow into |
| other people do not possess. | | | | extremely understanding adults. The unique positive |
| The Pros of Having Bipolar Disorder | | | | traits that come with bipolar disorder can create a |
| People with Bipolar Disorder are both academically and | | | | very open and loving relationship between the child and |
| emotionally intelligent, and therefore, are very intuitive to | | | | the parent with bipolar disorder that is full of deep |
| other peoples feelings. Many people with the disorder | | | | emotion and understanding. Its up to you to decide |
| can instinctively know how to ease the suffering of | | | | whether the pros make up for the cons for children of |
| another person, even if they are not close to the other | | | | parents with bipolar disorder. |