Teen Mom Amber Portwood made a hugely personal revelation this week: The reality tv star says she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder several years ago. Well, that does explain a lot, doesn't it? The explosive bouts of rage, the suicidal tendencies. She's been about as predictable as a volcano, and similarly destructive to everything in her path.
You'd think that since Portwood has known for some time why her moods are all over the place, things would have leveled off somewhat by now.
If you know what the problem is, you can treat it, right?
Unfortunately, treatment of bipolar disorder isn't that simple.
Usually a mix of medications is used to manage bipolar disorders, including mood stabilizers like lithium, antidepressants and sometimes anti-psychotics like Seroquel and Risperdal. It's very difficult, however, to find the right balance, and most of the necessary medications have side effects (sometimes significant side effects).
Plus, Portwood doesn't JUST have bipolar disorder. She's also been diagnosed with dissociative disorder. Which is even harder to treat and can even cause Portwood to black out.
So as if being a Teen Mom in and of itself wasn't challenging enough, Portwood is also dealing with an incredibly difficult and painful disease. It sheds a completely different light on the girl, doesn't it? I'm not excusing her actions or saying nothing she did was her own fault.
But damn, that's what I call a full plate.
It was brave of Amber Portwood to come forward and talk about her illness, given the stubborn stigma attached to bipolar and dissociative disorders. Hopefully her honesty will give other girls the courage to get help before their own lives go off the rails.
Do you think Amber Portwood will find a way to live a healthy, happy life despite her limitations?
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Comments 35
I take HUGE offense to the ignorant first commenter on this story. Dont speak unless you know something about it. I have bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder. I have five children and a sixth on the way and I have NEVER for one moment thought of hurting my children. People like you are why there is such a stigma attached to mental illness and that stigma is wy so many people never seek treatment. For your information, perfectly "sane" women with no history of mental illness are the ones you typically hear about in the cases where they harm their kids. It's called simply being a terrible human being. Anyone who judges what they don't understand with prejudice is also a terrible human being. Only God can judge, it's not your place. This poor little girl (and that is what she is) has so much to deal with. Saying things like this can do nothing but hurt someone already in a delicate position. You should be ashamed of yourself. I know that many of us are ashamed of you.
Please re-read my comment: those with severe mental illness. I am not ashamed of anything.
I read your comment several times. Bipolar IS a severe mental illness. Its a struggle to survive for those of us that deal with it. Honestly, it doesn't matter what you say or think. Your opinion is one lonely voice in the sea of thousands that understand and support people with mental illness. I totally agree with every poster here who said that people like you are the reason so many people never get the help they so greatly need. Obviously if you keep coming back to snipe at people who don't agree with you, you are the type that can't accept being told you are wrong. I refuse to waste my time on ignorance, but I will not stand down and let another mother who may have bipolar or some other mental illness come here, to a place they go to commiserate with other mothers and find support, and see that ignorance and judgement of that level is tolerated or acceptable. If a woman is a danger to her child, then yes, someone should step in, but having bipolar disorder doesn't automatically mean that is the case. To anyone else who has any sort of health or mental condition who sees this kind of ridiculousness spewed, I hope you know that is one opinion, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. Let people reap what they sow.
I have severe mental illness, and my daughter is very happy and healthy. I take medications on a daily basis.
Wtf? Seriously? It's a serious illness but in no way means I can't take care of my children and them grow up fine. My disorder doesn't define me.
I have Bi Polar disorder Extreme ADHD , and a problem that is similar to Dissociative disorder , I don't form bonds or attachments well, I can't relate to people very well , I don't as as much empathy as i should and sometimes an inappropriate emotions in situations , Someone told me that If i was a child now , with the symptoms now I might have been diagnosed with Aspergers or something similar to that , and it would make sense i can go down the list of symptoms and check off almost all of them ,I have a lovely 6 year old, and it's been a challenge to say the least i was not a teen mom , but i was a younger mom at 21 , .. and last year i was hospitalised for a physiatric problem , It's a struggle daily , to get things done , to have motivation , to get things right , it's hard , but i try to deal with it the best i can .. Right now i'm on only one medacation for my ADHD , it has been helping with both my depressive symptoms and my adhd , and i've been able to get things done , not get so anxious ect ... I pray for this young mom , regardless of what she'd done , she is only human , and she's not a image on a tv screen shes a real person and she needs support and love , not nasty comments ,