Son.

[berry2000]

Wow this is hard to write about and i almost want to pose this question in a non mental health section...perhaps i will do both and see what happens.

I've noticed some issues with my 7 year old son. He is only seven so I don't know if this stuff is out of the range of "normal". I don't want to be hypervigilient but i also don't want to be blind.

My son is constantly frustrated. He has a short temper and his emotions seem extremely powerful. He can be sweet and loving and he can be angry and frustrating. He seems very emotionally immature. When he gets angry and frustrated he says "I should just kill myself". He says it very offhandish and not serious like but my concern is that this thought is originating out of his own mind unprompted and at a very young age. Of course I'm bipolar and have struggled with these thoughts all my life. That's why red flags are going up everywhere.
I told my husband he said not to worry about it...he doesn't mean it. But if it bothers me to talk to him about it. I tried but he is so young. He doesn't seem to understand what I am saying.

Then a drawing came home from school. The assignment was draw a picture of your nicest dream. He drew a picture of a dagger and a person lying down with blood around him. There was another man bleeding and a bird above him. When I talked to him about it he became upset with himself for the drawing and my questioning and ripped it up.

I have no idea what to do or if i should be overly concerned. Should I take him to see a therapist? I think he has ADD but it doesn't interfere with his daily life. He is doing okay in school and we don't want to put him on medication.

 

[dixie22]

If you don't get any response here, you might search the net for bipolar family support forums. Wish I could hlep you more.

dixie

 

[Alive again]

Dearest Berry, My heart breaks. when my son was six, he crawled up on my lap and said in a very normal voice. . ."Mom, sometimes I feel like going out into the kitchen and getting one of the big kitchen knives and stabbing myself thru the heart with it." I fought my husband to take him in and he was placed on anti-depressants. It would not be for many years that we discover for him and myself that we had bp type 2. Not until he was in his teens, (the antidepressants had never helped much) and the rages had begun. By the time we started mood stabilizers, he was the age where he didn't want to take pills and would pocket them etc. ADD or ADHD is a common co-occurring illness with bp. My son was not diagnosed with this until after his first year of college, I still have a hard time with that diagnosis as he does not display the typical signs of this illness and always did very well in school. I tell you this story to give you another one to compare to, not to say that your situation is the same. My mother's heart says take him in. You already know this is not "normal" (whatever that is)or you wouldn't be asking. This illness does have tendencies to be genetic. Pray that God will give you wisdom and you will not be torn by what I think or anyone else, but make the decision based on wisdom from on high, not fears, etc. My prayers are with you and your son.

 

[bipolarbear]

AAHHHHH!!!!!!!! EEP!!!!!! Tanke him to a therapist!!!!! He needs to be seen! With him being this young, he may be more responsive to threapy, adn any possible meds! This is not normal behavior for a child his age!!! I reciently took my daughter to a therapist for school related issues, adn she asked her like a half hours worth of questions... sucidal thoughts was one of them. (my daughter answered no to it, sigh) They are professionals, adn can help him! It may or may not be BP, but for a child that youung to have a suicidal thought, and even articulate it in draring, He really needs to be seen! My prayers are with you dear sister! Hugs!!!

 

[berry2000]

Sigh, I'm torn. And I know i'll have to fight my husband. But I could take him to my old therapist who has two bipolar sons with the cavot that we do not want him on medication but want him talking to someone and to have an evaluation.

 

[Alaskamomma]

Hey Berry,

My daughter is 8 and is diagnosed with having bipolar I. She started showing symptoms when she was three. She has made theats about wanting to kill herself and she made an attempt last summer. We had to have her hospitilzed for three weeks. She has been on meds for over a year and the meds she is currently on is doing really, really well with no side effects so far.

Please take this seriously. I was told by my daughter's doctor that the meds she takes could actually change her brain chemistry as she develops where in the future she might not need to take meds. I know, I know, I know how scary and frustrating this is, but if indeed he does have it... getting him help now will save you and he a lot of heartache and pain later. Give him what you never had as a child. The help and attention of this disease now. Prayers are being said. Hang in there.

 

[berry2000]

Sigh. Yea i'm so torn. I don't want to label him. And meds for a early elementary child seems like a big no no. Everyone is so medication happy and those antidepressants can actually make a child more suicidal. If I was absolutely forced I'd research a very good mood stablizer. I just want to pretend like nothings wrong but you are all so right...about preventing future things...I so wish someone had cared for me when this all first started.

Keep praying and I will do the same. My husband is going to put up a huge fight and may even put his foot completely down and say no.

 

[solomon]

I don't know where to begin. You must get your son to a therapist. This is life and death for your child. What was your first instinct? That is what GOD wants you to follow.

One of the main key's to wisdom is the ability to listen with empathy. I am sorry to inform you of this but this is in your hands to make the this decision. From your text it does not seem that your husband is listening.

Here is your undeniable proof. If you explain how you feel about this situation and you are cut off and never get to finish what you are trying to say, then the other party is not listening.

Please take this advice: You wrote that the picture you were concerned about was done at school. Explain your exact and do not leave out any detail to the current chain of events to his guidance counselor at school. At the least they will keep a vigilant watch over your son.

Your son is not capable of helping himself yet. What he is learning is how to master the art of hiding this rage from everyone. He lets it out at home and in front of you because he feels safe. Sooner or later the rage boils over and you would never wish the result of that situation on anyone.

Remember - Listen well, Pray hard and be the Mom!

 

[Alive again]

my son was put on antidepressants only because everyone so far in my family had only been diagnosed with depression, as soon as the diagnosis was known to be bp we switched to mood stabilizers. My husband also said NO, but this was one situation where I had to choose (for myself) to obey what God was telling me and get my son help. It was not easy, and it was a long and hard road at times. But I do not regret it. Know that God's authority is higher. Praying for God to give you unity as a couple and wisdom from on high!

 

[bipolarbear]

for you... 's!!!

 

[4Everloved]

praying for you and your family

 

[DoubtingThomas29]

Hang in there you'll be alright!