1. Nickelodeon's "iCarly" Stigmatizes Mental Illness
by Susan Resko, Executive Director

I’m tired. I’m not sure if it’s the weather changing or the days getting shorter, or the seemingly endless IEP triennial meetings lately, but I am flat out exhausted. What’s worse is I’m irritated and guilty about being exhausted, which is making me weepy and giddy and surly. It’s like I’m having my first hypomanic episode – 10 minutes ago I wanted to call up my friends and get them all together to go out to dinner tonight, and now I feel like crawling into my bed with a glass of milk and a book.

I am writing this blog after a week of intense travel. I have attended and presented at two conferences followed by providing training to the one of the largest school districts in the nation. Three cities, three states: Charlotte, NC, Houston, TX and New York City, NY. The first concerned the transition of students with disabilities from high school to post high school settings, the second was the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, and the third was New York City Department of Education (NYC-DOE).

by Susan Resko, The Balanced Mind Foundation Executive Director

Late spring is a time of celebration for most parents with a graduating child. For The Balanced Mind Foundation parents, however, this can be a time of angst, sadness and even dread.  Transitions are a time when people reflect upon the milestones of the completed journey and look forward towards new pathways.

My son Tim turns 17 this summer, and I’m terrified. 17 means just one more year until the Government says he’s an adult. And I know, if “the Government” knew my kid, they’d know he’s not ready. I know what it’s supposed to look like. My oldest child turns 21 this year, and he’s settled in to being responsible for himself and self-reliant. He moves out in just four short weeks to spend a year in Europe, interning in his chosen profession, and I know he’ll thrive. But Tim’s not quite ready.

We have all had many “transitions” in our lives. If one has lived long enough we likely have experienced many life transitions including new jobs, ends of jobs, marriages, break-ups, children, moves to new cities, and many other changes that nudge our lives in other directions, both planned and unplanned. Think for a minute about the feelings you had during these times. What a plethora of emotions: excitement, fear, hesitancy, confidence, vulnerability, anticipation!

It is safe to say that my daughter was much more excited about her approaching 18^th birthday than I was.

For my daughter, the milestone marked adulthood under the law, with all the rights and responsibilities that come with majority. Turning 18 meant she could vote for president, sign contracts, choose where to live, and make decisions about her medical treatment. And, of course, get a tattoo.

While our children are young we sometimes think of this illness as our challenge but as they age, it truly is their illness. Help them manage it to the best of their ability. 

The funny thing about kids is they don’t stay young forever. They do grow up! From the moment my son was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I had a sense of urgency. My thought process was something along the lines of: “I only have ten more years to teach him how to manage this on his own.” What’s ten years really? Now that my son is 18, we are proof that it flies by.

Kids with bipolar disorder may not be ready to manage all aspects of their illness just because the calendar says they are an adult, but the goal is to help them understand and manage it the best they can as they reach these critical transition years. While this will be different according to the abilities and progress of each child, starting early gives a distinct advantage. Here are some of the things we found beneficial:

by Susan Resko, The Balanced Mind Foundation Executive Director

Imagine: You get a call from your 19 year old college freshman’s roommate.  He tells you that your son has gone off his meds, dropped his classes and was kicked out of the dorm.  The roommate has not seen him in several days.  This is the third time your son has gone off his meds, but unlike before, he is 500 miles away, and he’s an adult. From your experience, you know that he will quickly become manic and his life will continue to unravel.  You worry that he will wind up on the streets. Guess what?  You have no legal right to be involved with your child’s treatment.