Question:
I am an undergraduate psychology student and am currently doing a field placement that is similar to the Big Brothers/Big Sisters programs. I have been paired with a sixteen year old bipolar girl and am expected to spend time with her, act as a positive role model, and to basically just be her friend. I have never had any direct experience with bipolar disorder, and all that I know about it is what I have read in text books or learned from lectures. Does anyone have any advice or information that they think might be helpful? What can I expect? What don't the books tell me?
Answer:
You might treat her as a recovering spiritual being not necessarily knowing that her symptoms are healing her to the extent you and her accept them. Respectfully, Recovered Bipolar Michael F at http://pages.prodigy.com/mikemike My son is 15 yrs. old and bipolar. The best advise I can give is to be a good listener and don't take rejection personally. If the person is on medication, you will not experience the drastic mood changes but if they are not, the mood swings can feel a little scary, like what is happening here! But it is manage- able with a laugh during their goofy, silly times and a shoulder to cry on during the crying spells. No more can be expected of anyone. Read the FAQ (it's at http://www.moodswing.org and at http://cspo.queensu.ca/~anglesio/faq/, among other places) Read the group. We (or I) don't mind. Ask questions. Keep in touch. And be yourself. "Bipolars" to describe people is really a misnomer - the
"patients/people with bipolar disorder" that the DSM-IV uses is much more accurate (although awkward). Your Little Sister has a ton of problems that aren't related to having bipolar disorder, or perhaps they're made worse by it but you can still help, since you went through them too. People are people. You obviously care enough to do your homework; you should try to go at the personal aspects of being a Big Sister with the same dedication. good listener and don't take rejection personally. Absolutely, I'm 15 and manic-depressive like the son mentioned (OK, so I'm a girl). The problem with listening, however, is that often, for me, when I most need/want to talk, to be heard, is when I stay the 'silentist' listening isn't too helpful when whoever it is isn't talking. There's a thin line between persistent and pushy, I'm not sure where it is for other people.
