I’m seeing a new therapist in two days and I want to talk to her about the possibility of me being on the bipolar spectrum. The problem is, I’m fairly young (16) and my parents think I’m just hormonal and that I’m overreacting. They don’t realize all the stuff that goes on in my head and that I do when they’re not paying attention. I’m having a lot of anxiety that I’ll either be told I’m bipolar and have to live with it forever, or be told I’m just a normal teenager and feel even more alone.

Hi Anon!

Yes, you do have it rough. I feel your struggle.

Before we dig in, its caveat time:

• not a professional
• suggestions made on own experience
• your quality of life should be your number one concern

Okay, so you’re at the age where a fair few bipolaroids start showing their first set of symptoms. These include manic or hypomanic behaviour and also depressive behaviour.

Depending on where you are in the world, and what standards your local mental health professionals follow, bipolar disorder is diagnosed when a separate high and low phase are observed. And these phases are not attributable to other causes.

I didn’t get my diagnosis until much later. It turns out I was pretty good at hiding it, and just assumed everyone went through the same deal.

So your concern over having potential mental health issues dismissed is valid. I dismissed my own for years. And your your concern about not receiving a bipolar diagnosis is also valid.

Now, good doctors will take your concerns seriously. They rely on your input to help you find out what is going on. It’s not like they can just run a diagnostic on your brain. They will want to know about how you feel, and how these feelings change your behaviour. They will not be dismissive of your concerns, because it’s their job to address these concerns.

A good doctor will look at the range of causes and weigh them up based on YOUR EXPERIENCES. Not on your parents beliefs.

A good doctor will be on your side and will help you understand what is going on. Whatever that will be.

A good doctor will include you in this process, and will give you control over the outcome.

But regardless of the outcome, you are not alone!

I am here. And there are others like me. People who have gone through (and in many cases are still going through) the process of finding out why they feel certain ways that may or may not be neurotypical.

What’s important is that you’re taking charge and investigating. Unlike me, you’re doing this much earlier than I did. And from my experience, that shows me that you are the kind of person who will be able to handle the results.Please feel free to drop me a line when you know more, or if you want to talk.