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Parents have no rights when it comes to protecting themselves. This is my 14 year old grandson who I will no longer allow in my home. Counseling hasn't helped. Boot camp is too expensive. I'm terribly afraid for my daughter and 9 year old grandson. It's a disaster in the making. He's disrespectful to his dad, but doesn't beat on him. You can tell I'm desperate; that's how scared I am for my daughter and 9 year old grandson.
Do we have to wait until he kills someone before the authorities will step in and do something? In Texas you're not considered an adult until age 17. In 3 more years he will have quit school, (oftentimes refuses to go) laying around doing nothing, going and coming as he pleases and continue to abuse my daughter and his little brother further.
By Betty
I am so sorry that you are having to go through this. I work in a rural ER, and we often have people of all ages with this same illness brought it by family who are are at their wits' ends in trying to deal with it. The best place to start is to first call the police when he is violent. I know you don't want anything "bad" to happen to him, but sometimes they respond better to authority figures than to family. At least if you have them involved, if he is arrested, the local judge can force him into some type of treatment.
If you don't want to go that route, ask your regular doctor about getting your local coroner involved, in Louisiana, the coroner can have someone committed straight from their home. A major problem with taking someone like that to your local ER, is if they aren't large enough to have security in the facility, and somewhere to keep someone like that in a protective setting, such as where they can't hurt themselves or the staff while there. God bless you! This is getting more and more common, especially as states are cutting back on funding for mental health treatment. (08/04/2010)
My heart goes out to you. It must be so difficult to watch this happening to your family. I agree with fatboysslimsmom, your daughter needs to get the police involved every time your grandson becomes violent. Beating up his younger brother and mother is a crime, and it needs to be treated as such. In the meantime, you should advise your daughter to hide all sharp knives or anything else that can be used as a weapon.
My daughter has an employee who is bipolar and was having a difficult time at work. A couple of months ago, she went to a homeopathic doctor who had her checked for allergies. It turns out that she is allergic to sugar and wheat. After removing these items from her diet, she is doing a lot better.
I hope that everything improves for you very soon. (08/04/2010)
Call the law each and every time the teenager with bipolar threatens or beats on someone, takes off without consent; and as a juvenile, there are places the law can send them when they refuse to cooperate with their custodians/parents, etc. Each time the law is called in for his poor behavior, he will make the final decision for himself; outta your hands at this point.
People who are in the middle of a situation do not always see things clearly as to how to handle such issues and make mistakes along the way as emotions get in the way and oftentimes will tend to swallow a lot before deciding upon the more aggressive step. You gotta be strong here and not cave in. Right choices are sometimes the hard choices to make.
(08/04/2010)
By Myrna
Have the parent contact the school counselor. In the state of Texas, you as grandmother, will not have the authority to speak to school personnel about issues with the grandson unless the parents give written consent to let you do so.
The counselor probably won't have the answers that your family needs, but all of the Texas schools I have worked in do have resources that they can point a family to to get help. The district I currently work in even has a published pamphlet with resources if a parent wishes to have a copy. (08/04/2010)
By Amy
There are sites on the web which offer support to those living with bipolar disorder patients. Please look for one, as they really can help.
Also, if the child is threatening himself or others, at least in California, you can call the police and they will put them in custody for 72 hours in a mental health facility. And since this boy sounds as if he has a behavior disorder, he should be eligible for getting Special Education. This can be within the regular school setting or in another school and should be a no extra expense to you, as it is provided by the school district.
There is also the Civil Conservation Corps, I believe, which would engage him in manual labor to a good purpose.
As a last resort, if the boy is violent and truant, he may be in violation of some laws, which might put him under the protection of the courts and that might mean sending him into the Juvenile Justice System. Juveniles often come out worse that they came in, but if he is threatening you or your family, at least he will be out of the house. And then what he does with the rest of his life is his own affair. After all, he is 14, so that means only another 3 years of being at home.
But please learn to protect yourselves. Do whatever is necessary. The boy may be a lost cause, so don't let him manipulate you into supporting him and his bad behaviors. (08/04/2010)
By pam munro
P.S. I have to say that I commented below as a bipolar sufferer myself. There is no excuse for bad behavior, a bipolar diagnosis or not. Mood swings can be handled today with medication, plus therapy and learning to deal with the disorder! It sounds as if the boy is again being manipulative and using a bipolar label as an excuse for bad and violent behavior. He also may very well be using some drugs, which would make matters worse, as bipolars often self-medicate with alcohol or amphetamines or other substances, which only makes matters worse. Sounds as if he is managing successfully to do whatever and whenever he pleases, without any fear of correction (except from his father, who probably out-weighs him, another sign that it's threatening and exploitative behavior, not a true madness.) (08/04/2010)
By pam munro
This sounds like a lot more is going on than merely being bipolar. That said, he is not totally in control of his own mind. I am on Lamictal for mood swings with anger issues. A few months ago, I stopped taking my meds. Within days, I was suspicious of everyone around me. I felt like I was being attacked by people around me, so I fought back. I could not see beyond being a victim. Finally, I caught myself throwing a fit at a stranger in the middle of a grocery store. I nearly lost my family and my wonderful supportive boyfriend. While I never became physically violent, I sure said some ugly things. After getting back on my meds, I had to explain to family and friends why I had become so angry and cruel. It was humbling and difficult. Not everyone was willing to forgive me, they could not trust me and could not believe I wasn't responsible for my actions. I know that I can never go off Lamictal again.
His suffering is what is making him lash out at the world. That said, he needs to be committed to state care. His legal guardians can go to the Clerk of the Courts (at the Probate/Mental Health division) and sign him over to be a ward of the state. If a person, who has been diagnosed with a mental illness, needs treatment for it, but refuses to go and/or stay in the hospital, the Probate Court can order the mentally ill person to receive such treatment. This procedure is called a civil commitment. The court can order a mentally ill person to receive treatment only if the person meets certain criteria. Because of the person's mental illness one of the following four situations must exist: (1) the person must be presently dangerous to self, as shown by threats to, or attempts to commit suicide or to inflict serious harm to self; (2) the person must be presently dangerous to others, as shown by attempts to or threats to harm others; (3) the person must be unable to provide for their own basic physical needs; or (4) the person must be infringing on the substantial right of others or self. I'd say your grandson certainly qualifies.
Prayers and best wishes to you and your family. (08/04/2010)
By AJ
I think child protective services might help you. You are allowed to report violent situations in a home and then they are mandated to investigate. Then the parents can tell the caseworker what he does. Once there is a file it will be reviewed and proper action should be taken. What needs to happen is that this child needs to be removed from his home before he hurts someone. (08/06/2010)
By Lilac
As a parent, you may go have your rights "arrested" and give custody to the state, which then will need to medically take care of the issues. If your child has medical issues, your state services and personal insurance must cover till at least age 21 and I believe it has moved it up to 24 in some states. You can give temp custody up, have a conservator or guardian ad litem appointed for them. Don't waste time, get it done right away. My niece did a reversal in order to keep medical care for her 21 yr old, had his rights removed by the court, so that care could be given to him for mental issues. Only the court and judge could lift the order, which was a year to start with. (08/06/2010)
By Grandma J
You can sign over the child to the state. You can also place them into an institution temporarily or permanently if they are a threat to themselves or others. Contact an attorney. (08/07/2010)
By susan
My son is bipolar. At 6 years old he was diagnosed, he is now 29. He is on Abilify, the meds control the anger which allows you to be to able to speak to him with out him blowing up. Yet some days are harder than others. Still, I have found that when he goes off in a rage I never back down or showed fear, my son would feed off the power he thought he had, I never had to physical with him, but that was due to tough love. He knew I would and have had him jailed. He has learned I will not play his games. He has also learned how to work with his bipolar condition. We're very close; I am his mother and his biggest supporter. Don't give up! (08/22/2010)
By TAMARA
No matter how much you try you can't make a large 14 year old boy take his meds. He won't bathe or brush his teeth. He won't go to school and his parents will probably end up in court with a fine they can't pay. I don't live in the same city, but in my experience some of this is a discipline problem.
When he doesn't go to school I ask my daughter if they have taken the computer away from him. She says "yes", but I don't believe her. They let him be on the computer 24/7 because they don't/or refuse to deal with him. He's not sociable so why wouldn't he prefer home when he has the computer, Xbox and all the fun things. The first day of school when he refused to go to school I told her to tell him to go empty the trash (he will do that); then I'll lock him out with a gallon of water telling him it's school or on the front porch till I get home from work. If he roams the neighborhood then maybe a truant office will get him. The only ones he's not afraid of are the police. I'd like to hear comments on what I just said from those of you who are bipolar. Am I being too cruel? (08/29/2010)
By Betty
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