Bipolar Disorder (Children and Adolescents)

Strategy for treatment 02/17/2009

Question:

My older adult sister has not been clinically diagnosed, although she exhibits the symptoms outlined on your Website. What is the best mechanism of treatment for the entire family--on dealing with/coping with her behavior, which is resultant from this disorder? Her physician has already prescribed medicine, but it isn`t sufficient. She has always taken sibling rivalry to a scary level, which impacts my mother, who feels the need to protect the one with the illness. I am seeking counseling, but how do I get her help (she doesn`t think there is anything wrong)? Could you recommend any literature to assist the rest of us?

Answer:

Sorry to learn about your sister. I recommend the National Institute of Mental Health website: www.nimh.nih.gov.

I hope that this helps.

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Response by:

Stephen F Pariser, MD Faculty Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry College of Medicine The Ohio State University