deebot - Wanted to let you know about a website I heard about this morning on Fox and Friends, morning show on Fox News Channel. The website is LearningAboutBipolar.com. Sean Astin (from the movie "Rudy" and now a star on "24"), son of Patty Duke, was on the show talking about his mother's battle with this disease. She was diagnosed in 1985 and has found great help from her medication. The website looks very helpful, especially the sections on "Tools and Resources" and "Friends and Family Can Help." Best of luck to your son and your family.
-Buzz

Thanks Buzz, I will check it out. There are many such resources available online. It would have been much more difficult to learn about and start to understand this disease without the power of the internet. Not to mention the support that is available through such sources as this forum and the knowledge of its wonderful participants. The High School Baseball WEB is the best!

deebot,

The fact that your family and son are approaching nearly a year since diagnosis with a good feel for mananging the drug therapy especially the most recent six months it is most important that you focus on normalcy with managment discipline. Here is what I mean, Don't let your son equate himself with his illness, he is not bi-polar, he manages a bi-polar disorder. CONTINUOUS responsible management of his medication will allow him to live a very healthy and industrious life. Don't let stigma create self-doubt and shame. He has a medical condition, its not his fault and there are effective treatments for it. He should feel great about himself for the tremendous person he is and not put any stock in how other people may want to define him. The bi-polar component is just that, one component of his life and one which he can successfully manage.
The biggest concern is that the stigma of being bi-polar interfers with his management. Don't allow that to happen. He is in control and can stay in control by doing the right things for himself daily. People can and will on occassion be cruel be it intentional or unintentional, but he cannot let it take him off course from his discipline of therapy. There are many people who must manage medical situations for their well being and he should be aware of some with the same condition who have achieved vast success: Newsperson, Jane Pauley, Actor, Carrie Fisher (Star Wars) and Kay Jamison Ph.D. (MacArthur Fellow- genius grant). You can find countless others, but my point is that there should be little limitations in his life with the use of good management and he should feel confident and excited to pursue his dreams. Manage the condition daily never quitting his routine and soon it will become secondary to all the other components in his life.
Because you mentioned Diabetes as being similar, tell him to read and follow the present exploits of Adam Morrison from Gonzaga who is currently tearing it up in college basketball and could possible be the first person picked in this years draft. He manages diabetes daily, but he is so much more than the condition he manages.

Deebot,

There is a social stigma associated with mental illness because people simply don't understand it and in the world in which we live, people are afraid of what they do not know. There is no question that living with bipolar disorder is difficult and that a continued medical regimen is necessary, but your son has to be the one to determine that he will be compliant (even when he feels that he doesn't need it) because you won't be able to keep him compliant forever. Being a year into diagnosis, you already know this.

Bipolar disorder is an illness just like any other chronic illness. It is just like asthma or diabetes; the only difference is that the brain functions inappropriately instead of the lungs or the pancreas or any other organ that we believe related to physical illness. Actually, bipolar disorder is a physical illness because the brain isn't acting as it should, but it manifests in behavioral symptoms/responses.

My son plays baseball and has been a diagnosed asthmatic since the age of 4 months. He has taken medication every day of his life since the age of 8 weeks. He will probably continue to take medication everyday. Does he tell his teachers? No. His coaches? No. He carries an inhaler and knows when he needs it. He doesn't need to advertise, but answers honestly when asked.

Drugs for bipolar disorder shouldn't be an issue -- neither lithium nor depakote should have properties like steroids.

Unfortunately, you will never be able to make everyone comfortable with your son's illness and he will likely face some degree of discrimination (most likely covert) from others. In fact, he already has. You've got some choices, I think:

1) you could ask to hold an information session at a preseason meeting that would inform everyone about bipolar disorder and work to minimize their fears.

2) you could ignore it.

3) you could demand that the school administration handle the situation as your son is facing discrimination by staff -- a violation of federal law.

I'm sure that there are other alternatives that I haven't thought of yet.

This is not -- as some have suggested -- a learning disability. This is a disease. Being bipolar in no way inhibits anyone's capacity to learn or perform.

Other posters are correct -- communication may be key. But the communication is not solely your responsibility. It is also the responsibility of the school and its representatives to abide by the law -- regardless of their own biases -- and to work with you and your family to make baseball again possible for your son.

I see this as no different than discriminating against someone because of race, gender, or anything else that we outwardly prohibit....and I would invoke those terms if necessary to make the point. Discrimination is discrimination, period. And many who do discriminate are often shocked to learn that they do so -- thus beginning a change in behavior and perspective.

I wish you and your family the best. It is always difficult to go public with something that others perceive to be outside the norm.

My closest friend's son was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder as a junior in high school. He was an athlete in a different sport and I am happy to tell you that he has graduated from college where he played all four years, and is now an assistant coach at the college level and taking graduate school courses.

My friend knew that she had to be completely open and honest otherwise people would assume the worst. Instead of negative responses, it was amazing how many uncles, cousins, friends, parents, or children were suffering alone from some sort of depression. The school staff was not only supportive but were in contact with the mental health provider in order to completely support her son.

On a negative note, there are some providers who believe that if the diagnosis has occurred before the child has reached 18, they sometimes try to eliminate the medication. This did not work out and set him back at the time. The most important piece of this warning was that since her son was now in college, she was unaware of the symptoms. She received phone calls from her son's friends who were so educated about bipolar disorder that they were able to pick up his symptoms before anyone else and alert his mom. He went back on his medication per a new provider. He did lose a semester but after being back on the medication he completed school on time.

Hope that helps a bit.

I am the person who is dealing with this illness. Thanks for eveyones support and good advice. My dad is DeeboT, I think that anyone who puts there well being before any sport is a wise choice. It was a long untravled road for me and traveling down it helped me find out so much more about myself and my abillities. It wasnt easy coming out and telling my parents how I felt and what was going on inside my head, but I knew that something had to be done in order for me to achieve my dreams. I want to let anyone who reads this to know that if your any age 16-87 it doesnt matter you can always email me for advice. Especially if your young and you want something so bad that you will do anything for it. Once again thanks for all of your replies to this post and I hope that you will email me if you have any questions or suggestions for me.

Thanks John

John, You're a very impressive young man! I wish you all the best in your future and appreciate your sharing your story with us. May you have many successes as you travel down those roads John!

Thanks DeeboJ,

Best of luck John.

Julie, I nominate this thread go Golden.

DeeboJ -

John, I am also very impressed at the thoughts you and your dad have shared with us, and your willingness to help others. As you can tell from this thread, we are all behind you and wish you much success!

I would like to ask permission from John and his dad deebot to include this very helpful and educational thread in the Golden Threads forum. If you do approve, perhaps we should let it continue here in the General forum a bit longer, but I agree that it deserves to be preserved in Golden Threads.

Julie

quote:

Originally posted by MN-Mom:
DeeboJ -

John, I am also very impressed at the thoughts you and your dad have shared with us, and your willingness to help others. As you can tell from this thread, we are all behind you and wish you much success!

I would like to ask permission from John and his dad deebot to include this very helpful and educational thread in the Golden Threads forum. If you do approve, perhaps we should let it continue here in the General forum a bit longer, but I agree that it deserves to be preserved in Golden Threads.

Julie

Julie,

I just talked to DeeboJ and we both want to express our thanks for all of the wonderful feedback. We would like to share this with everyone especially those who don't understand what it means to live with a mental illness or to have a dream that could be cut short because of one. It is very encouraging to see such an outpouring of concern and good will! We appreciate it very much. I would ask that this thread be kept active in the General forum for awhile longer?

Thank you.

Thanks, Dad and John. We'll keep it here for a few days at least, then preserve it in Golden Threads.

Julie

DeeboJ,

My older brother was diagnosed with bipolar when he was 11, yet he hasn't stayed on meds for any longer than a couple weeks-and that has clearly shown as he isn't getting any better:my advice...KEEP IT UP DUDE!!!!

I also currently have Major Depression and taking meds has helped but therapy has helped more than anything. Have you looked into therapy for Bi-polar?

Mr3000
The way I have made it possible to overcome such a serious illness is by doing what you have to do to live with bi-polar disodar. It wont ever go away, So constantly keep up with your brother and his medications. What I do is I see a counsler once a week, she evaluates me to see what kind of symptoms she might see and tells me right away. I think that taking meds is great if you find the right combination of them. I also try my best to fill my day with the kinds of things that truely make me happy. I have had severe depression like you and when I find myself not wanting anything to do with makes me happy I try to find inner-peace from the bottom of my heart to pull through the day or days of depression. Also when your feeling depressed, what helps me is to get very active and communicate my feelings with people who know what its like to not want to get out of bed. If you can find a role model or someone who you admire and look up to go to them get everything off your chest and stay active, get out of the house go for a run or go smack the **** out of the ball off the tee.

People might not like the way you drive, but you can always make room for the ones who do.

Thanks again for all your support
deeboJ

UPDATE

Being in Michigan practice just started for the season last Monday. John had a difficult week in that he wasn’t sure if he had what it would take to play due to his illness and missing his junior year. He came home from practice early yesterday, cut day, and I thought the worst. Coach told him he is the starting catcher! He has not caught a game in his life and in 5 days he was shown how to become the starting catcher for a very competitive team. We are so happy, I just had to write and brag him up.

Baseball has been a lifeline for John and I have always had faith in him and his abilities and now he does too. Thank you all for your support!

Oh my....what a story - no bragging there imho

Comment on Golden Threads - There are several now that I am aware that have been nominated and publicly acknowledged as Golden Threads by administrators yet they have not been moved. This thread is one and the other one was
piaa_ump's story from a few weeks ago. I would also like to nominate a thread called Positive Influences where infielddad posted The Dash. Thanks.

awesome, congratulations

Bump ... time for the Golden Thread forum, Julie?

Deebot - Thank you for sharing such an inspirational story.

DeeboJ - CONGRATULATIONS!!!