Bipolar moms

by Brandy
(Sandusky, MI USA)

Do Bipolar children usually take there anger out more toward one parent than the other?

Hi Brandy

I cant back this up with research, but my experience is that yes, they do! Lots of parents will come to me and say my child is fine in school, or my child is better with his or her father. "Everyone says its me and my parenting and I doubt myself all the time."

I have even experienced psychiatrists who will tell parents that their child could not be bipolar because they are fine with other people and in other settings!

My experience has been that at the beginning of the onset the behaviors are significantly worse with the mother, and then as the illness progresses you start to see the same behaviors in all settings and across other people as well.

I'm not sure of the reason of this but I have several ideas. I know that we are usually more willing to express our fears and frailties with those we are closest with, and bipolar children are no exception!

Hope this helps

Kristen McClure