Bi-Polar Disorder
...with other disorders, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder, and Depression. It was not until Anthony was twenty-one and facing a prison sentence that he was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder by his family physician. This is a very up close and personal view of his life, and mine, as well as the clinical picture of bipolar disorder. Because of its multifaceted effects, bipolar disorder can be very destructive to a person's life if not diagnosed or treated properly.
Anthony's early years were a series of counseling sessions, teacher evaluations, doctor visits, and medication follow-ups because of his ADHD diagnosis in the first grade. Anthony's ADHD followed him into his high school years with a vengeance. Even after all the counseling, all the therapists, and hard work by our parents, Anthony's high school years proved to be very difficult for him. It was near the end of his ninth grade year that Anthony became involved with drugs and alcohol. He used marijuana, cocaine, speed, ecstasy, acid, ketamine, zanex, vicodin, darvocet, and others. By the end of high school, Anthony was an addict who self medicated. He went through a period of cutting himself, because he said it made him feel better. After seeing more therapists, Anthony was then diagnosed with ODD and CD. Anthony's inability to control his behavior and his total disregard of consequences landed him on probation for one year. After graduating high school, he was diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder. Anthony said this disorder mirrored his life and behavior. He once told me, "A psychiatrist told me that two roads were ahead of me...one that would take me far in life which I would succeed and the other would land me in jail or dead. You have the intelligence to succeed."...
View Full Essay
