Friday, 19 February 2010

• The Diagnosis' Dilemma: To be bipolar or not to be

  

  When is bipolar not bipolar?  When its post traumatic stress disorder instead ad.  Wait.  Did I say PTSD?  What I actually meant was Reactive Attachment Disorder.  No.  That's not right. Its definitely Generalized Anxiety Disorder.  Yap.  That's it.  With a little ADHD thrown in for good measure.
  
  Confused?  So were we.  The above is the Reader's Digest version of our dealings with the professionals over the last few months in regards to Twin Sister.
  
  For the last two years, we've been operating under the assumption that she was bipolar.  At least that's what we were told.  But then, questions started to arise.
  
  Why didn't she respond to any of the meds?  Why weren't any of the tried and true interventions working?        
  
  Good question.  Now if someone could just answer them, we'd be OK.  But, to say that Twin Sister's been struggling lately would be an understatement.  She is constantly in a hyper vigilant state.  Always on edge and extremely defiant.  The littlest setback or disappointment can and will send her over the edge.  And how.
  
  Until our in home team arrived, no one really appreciated how bad things could get.  That's because when my daughter is in a good place, she is sweet, charming and considerate.
  
  At home?  Well...lets just say it can look a bit different.  And now that the team has been eyewitness to a few meltdowns of epic proportions, they've chimed in with their thoughts.
  
  While she has never been through a major trauma, they began to suspect PTSD.  The next theory was RAD -- even though she was not neglected as a child.  The latest is that instead of bipolar, she may actually have an anxiety disorder.
  
  This does ring true, but I have to say, I'm just waiting for the next diagnosis to come along.  I'm also exhausted by the emotional rollercoaster ride we've been taking.
  
  But let me say, I don't blame the professionals.  I understand that diagnosing mental illness is not an exact science -- especially when it comes to kids.
  
  That still doesn't stop me from feeling like I've been put through the wringer.  I'm also pretty confused.  If we could figure out the whys to the behavior, maybe just maybe, we would know how to help.
  
  Right now, we're in crisis.  At any moment she can blow again.  We've called the psychiatrist only to be told that they won't be able to do anything for her until at least Monday.   After all, tomorrow's her day off.  We wouldn't want to interfere with that now would we?
  
  Actually I think it has more to do with the fact that there are no open beds in the State.  At least not at appropriate facilities.   In the meantime we're bracing ourselves for another rough weekend.  All the while, we'll be praying for a miracle.

  

  • 4:00 PM
  • 483 Views
  • 10 eProps
  • 5 Comments