'Teen Mom' Amber Portwood Has Bigger Emotional Problems Than We Thought
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?
Image via Splash
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Kritika
I had to blink a few seconds to understand that's not a grey "snookie" poof. Anyway, women with such severe mental illnesses typically don't, and shouldn't, have custody of their children for very obvious reasons. It's a sad situation but it's only when a mother drowns her kids in the bathtub or do something equally as horrifying do we realize this.
Alexia Johnson
Crystal Renata
SarahHall58
Mom2Addison12
Oh Kirkina or whatever the hell your name is.
You need fucking smacked.
People like you are the reason people who have bi polar and shit get pissed off.
I've got bi polar, and it's pretty bad, I black out. I've had fights with my own mother, that I can't even remember what happened.
I take my meds on a daily basis, and I have full custody of my daughter. And it will remain that way you moron.
yayheadstart
Marilyn
Allauna Terrasas
She needs to be under observation when she does have visitations with her daughter until her disorder can be "treated" properly (whether that be medications, or any other type of therapy). I would be more worried about disaccoiative personality disored rather than bipolar. Bipolar disorder is becoming overly diagnosed for those people who haven't matured yet. Every teenager going through stressful times might have eratic behavior.
Allauna Terrasas
**dissociative (brain lapse, lol)
OutWest
Amber also had to live with a cold, uncaring mother. I really disliked Amber for her behavior and victimy-ness for a long time. Then her mom appeared on the show for five minutes and I completely flopped. I can't imagine having that woman for a mother. I think Amber deserves support for trying. She's a mess and obviously has problems, but she does seem to be trying to straighten herself out and to be adecent mom.