Reply to How did your "spirited child" turn out as a teen?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Mine was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Things got so much worse until medication controlled the manic phase which was no easy task. [/quote]

Thank you for this too. There is mental illness on one side of the family, so this is one of my fears. She has so many BIG feelings. At what age did you realize this might be the case?[/quote]

“Big feelings” sounds like ADHD. [/quote]

How so? There are cases when I think ADHD is overdiagnosed or under diagnosed or a catch all for something else. I've read a lot about it but still thoroughly confused. [/quote]

No but hyperactive adhd kids can be impulsive so they might blurt things out that other kids wouldn’t which can seem like “big feelings” I think (and of course adhd is often comorbid with other disorders that could seem like “big feelings.”

My inattentive adhd definitely doesn’t fit that description but does fit the absent minded professor/space cadet stereotype. [/quote]

+1 - I often described my kid as having Big Feelings.  We were anti-meds and thought we could just handle it ourselves with changes in parenting styles but it didn't really get much better.  They were diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder after a complete neuropsychic at age 10 and at age 13 got diagnosed with ADHD.   ADHD and GAD often don't get diagnosed in girls because it presents differently.  
They started Zoloft around 12 and it had made a big difference.  We added Adderall a few months ago and the impulsive behaviors have mostly stopped, or at least decreased to a normal teenager level.   They still have ups and downs but they don't get so worked up that they can't regain control.  
I also would recommend trying a different counselor.  We found a LCSW that focused on teaching coping mechanism for the anxiety.  I told my child that they were going to learn ways to control their emotions and they were onboard.  I think if I had just said "therapy" they wouldn't have been so keen.
They are in a talented and gifted program and have a 3.8 GPA. They got into a highly rated high school and are babysitting and doing some other odd jobs around town.
It gets better but don't close you mind to meds.  In hindsight, I wish we had gotten the diagnosis and started meds earlier.

[/quote]

Yup. Meds and therapy can really help a lot with regulation. 
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