Helping Our Teens Avoid Using their Illness as an Excuse

Good day to all,
Today I'm sharing a small excerpt from The Childhood Bipolar Disorder Answer Book which is scheduled for release this Friday, August 1st. I hope you enjoy!

What if my teen uses his illness as an excuse?

"Bipolar disorder can be a hidden illness, in that other people don’t
always recognize its full impact and limiting nature. They may be
unaware of its effects on learning, executive functioning, sensory
processing, social interactions, energy levels, and moods (see Chapter 9,
Learning and Development). Parents may spend a great deal of time
educating themselves and others about these limiting factors. This is
important because parents must understand the illness and the needs of
their teen. At the same time, parents must be careful not to unwittingly
give teenagers the idea that their illness makes them incapable. Parents
of teenagers with any disability face this same issue.

Instead, teach your teenager that he is just as capable as the next person
to achieve his goals. Think of a teenager in a wheelchair. Perhaps he can’t
enter the building the same way as a nondisabled peer. He has to use his
wheelchair and perhaps travel all the way around to another side where
there is an entrance ramp. Can he still go in the building? Yes. We don’t
expect him to stand up and walk in, but neither do we expect him to give
up. He must recognize his realistic limitations while using appropriate
compensations to reach his destination. Will it take more time and effort?
Yes. The same is true of your teenager. Perhaps he can’t take the same
route as others, but with a bit more time and more effort, he can achieve
his goals. Give him the tools and skills he needs to get there, but never
give him reason to think that he won’t achieve great things.

Your teen may test the waters from time to time by using his illness as
an excuse. While it’s good if your teenager recognizes his valid limitations,
your job is to help him see a way around them and not self-impose additional
limitations."

How have you helped your child recognize his potential and find ways "around" his difficulties in order to succeed?
Feel free to share your experiences in the comment area below.

'Til Next Time,
Tracy