How to Teach a Teenager with Bipolar Disorder How to Socialize

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), children with bipolar disorder go through unusual mood changes. They might feel "up" one moment and "down" the next. These periods of elevated and depressed mood states can be classified as mania and depression, respectively. The NIMH states that "the illness can make it hard for a child to do well in school or get along with friends and family members." At such a young age, it's important to understand the illness and how to cope with the socialization that is necessary as a teenager.

Instructions

• 1

  Utilize the services of a mental health professional for "talk" therapy. This allows for both behavioral changes and routine management skills, which are crucial for a social teen with bipolar disorder.

• 2

  Keep a "mood chart" or "daily life chart," which is a way to track moods, behaviors and sleep patterns. According to the NIMH, it can help understand and track the illness, as well as help the doctor see if treatment is working as it should.

• 3

  Slowly introduce (or re-introduce) interactions with friends and family. This can range from phone calls at first to going out after school or meeting at restaurants or other public places when your teen feels comfortable doing so.

• 4

  Encourage your teen to join groups at school that interest her. Start small at first, with groups that don't require too much public speaking or things of that nature, moving into bigger groups or circles when it is more comfortable for the teen.