[Nessa213]

I mean come on! Maybe I'm just feisty, overly defensive and somewhat irritable today, but really, do you know anyone that just up and grew out of it? It's usually an indication of a bigger problem, no?

Doctors and parents ignore their suicidal teenage children, waving their hand at them saying "meh... it's just a bit of teenage angst. It'll pass."

No. I'm sorry. It won't. And it didn't. They tell their teenagers that they are making it up. They only want attention. And that one day, when you're an adult you suddenly get thrust into this magical world where everyone gets along and everything just suddenly turns into sunshine and rainbows.

Please excuse me while I laugh mockingly.

It's terrible and (my) parents should be ashamed. Really.

</soapbox>

Teenage years are like trying on outfits to see which one fits best, according to my
psychiatrist. So there is, perhaps, some instability that will be outgrown with experience, education, and insight.

They're wrong, unfortunately, about adulthood being an age "when everyone gets along and everything suddenly turns into sunshine and rainbows", as you say. Honestly, are you sure you didn't make up that statement? It sounds a little like a teenager's way of putting it.

Adulthood is going to require maturity--a use of the reasoning capacity, a sense of one's own self as being responsible and yet vulnerable, and therefore a bit humble.

Do you know why no one is permitted to run for president of the United States until he reaches the age of 38? It has to do with the supposed idea that by being 38 years old, one has become mature and has a sense of reasoning.

Posted in the defense of parents.

Good wishes!

[Nessa213]

Originally Posted by genetic

They're wrong unfortunately about adulthood being an age "when everyone gets along and everything suddenly turns into sunshine and rainbows", as you say. Honestly, are you sure you didn't make up that statement? It sounds a little like a teenager's way of putting it.

Ha! I DID actually just make that up! That was total sarcasm and I don't think it translated very well.

I'm just being bitter. My parents always told me there was no such thing as mental illnesses and my severe suicidal depression was just me being lazy. So yes... I painted it with a wide brush on purpose.

Had I actually GOTTEN help when I needed it just perhaps I would have landed a steady job sometime BEFORE the age of 30 and I wouldn't be stuck with thousands of dollars of debt because of manic spending.

Just bitter. Is all.

After reading that back I'm sure I sounded like a whiny "angsty" teenager who's getting no attention. Apologies. That was just my 17 year old self getting very angry at being ignored. I'm actually 31 and a parent myself. (Granted, she's only 2 years old. A far cry from her teenage years.)

[Nessa213]

*cough* I'm sorry... now I feel bad. I'm done now. That was a momentary rant triggered by something I read in another thread.

*blush* I'll just go slink away now.

No, I think I should apologize. I had no idea that you were 30. Why didn't you see
your family doctor when you were 18 or 21 and explain to him that you thought you were suicidal and needed help? It isn't too late now, you know, and you do need help, in my view.

There is so much that can be done now to treat bipolar illness and depression (and other mental illnesses), but you have to let somebody know that you need to be seen and diagnosed for whatever the problem is.

Please, call your doctor and go in to talk about what you think is wrong and ask
for a referral if he thinks it's a good idea for you to see a psychiatrist.

I hope you will go in and get assistance. You know, if you are bipolar and you do not get treatment over a long period of years, it could cause some damage to the brain. You need to take care of the problem now while you're still young and able
to be medicated and start a new, healthy way of living and feeling.

Good wishes.

[liveforfish]

I know what you mean. I was told my BiPolar was hormones and part of being a teenager. They were so wrong. They even put me on birth control at one point!

That's why when my kids started showing signs I got them help. No way was I going to let them suffer for years like I did!!