Silver... If there is one thing I know, and you probably too, is that food is a BIG trigger on bipo kids. It was for my dad too. One thing he was able to discover that really helped, and helped me too was what we were consuming and exercise. Exercise puts out happy happy endorphins. More natural foods also. Color can also be a trigger. Colors in the house with pink undertones instead of blue. Not saying paint a room pink, but want warm undertones. They do create for a happier state. Yellow... NOT a good color for bipo people. It is not a sunny color though it is yellow. Not a happy color, it is an eat eat eat angry color.
Try to avoid foods with MSGs, artificial or modified sweeteners, red meats in excess... Supplement his daily vitamin with St. Johns wart and Ginkgo. Ginkgo is not just for old people's brains. A leisure walk around the yard, down the street with happy music... A bike ride maybe.
I am a big girl, I like to eat, but I notice that when I eat fast food to much, or if I eat too many carbs in the form of noodles, cereals and breads, I have worse days. When I stick to fruits and veggies from frozen or fresh, not canned, I feel better emotionally too. Valerian tea is very relaxing. I add honey too it since I like a little sweet. Valerian has sedative/soothing properties...
Puberty for boys is just as stressful as it is for girls... They need their space, and they need your patience just as much. A diary... well, for a boy it is not a diary... is just as much a help for some kids as is seeing a councilor. Sometimes a councilor is more damaging, because they ask the "tell me about your mother" and next thing you know, it is your fault for something you had no idea of, unless you find a councilor who is very highly rated...
I'd avoid medications as long as possible. Some kids will need it, some kids can be handled with diet and exercise... Not saying that this is the only way to go, I understand that some kids need more than this. But some kids can benefit from an elimination diet/paleo diet for several weeks, then slowly adding in foods and see what happens to the mental state. If you have to do the med route, be sure to study the side effects very closely so you know what to expect with these meds. My mom is on depakote... Since taking it, she is a completely different person... More confuse, less confident, lacking common sense...
Anyway... I will get off my soap box now... BUT, I have lots more info/suggestions...
it is just frustrating to watch him go through roller coaster emotions and to deal with the bad side ... I personally am a clean everything happy type pf manic .. i think hes going to be an angry break everything in sight type ....
