Bi-Polar disorder is described as a mental illness that affects a person's ability to control their state of mind. A person with Bi-Polar disorder experiences states of euphoria and also extreme states of depression. Both of these sensations can occur and change within a matter of minutes. I envision a comedy and tragedy mask as I write that sentence. I have not been diagnosed with Bi-Polar disorder; my daughter, however, was diagnosed with this condition 6 years ago. The disorder, however, went several years without a proper diagnosis. The doctors we saw could not quite put a finger on the problem initially. During the past six years, our family has been through tough times dealing with her mood swings and unpredictable behavior. The high school years were the toughest. We paid many visits to the school principal due to her escapades. There were times when I was not certain how we could help her; and also help ourselves. We visited several doctors in hopes of pin-pointing a cause in order to find a treatment. We finally hit the jackpot a couple of years into the seeking process. She was prescribed two medications. That was six years ago.

My daughter is now an adult woman. She aspires to achieve the highest of goals. I can see the determination in her. She still, however, struggles with her condition. I recall during our doctor visits while she was a teenager, the doctor would advise that-as an adult-she would be conscious of her behavior and work to circumvent a negative mood. That has not happened. I have noticed that when she does not get what she wants, she breaks into a manic behavior. She will yell, hit herself with whatever she can find, and threaten to hurt herself. On a few occasions, she has threatened to open the car door while the car is in motion. Even with the temper tantrums in play, I refuse to give in to her requests if I feel they are not reasonable. My confusion, herein lies, in the fact that after the episodes subside she reminds me that she is Bi-Polar and cannot control her behavior. I am always flabbergasted and do not understand how someone can allow themselves to experience extreme behavior. Why would anyone want to slip into a dark hole? I bring this to her attention in hopes that she will recognize the signs and symptoms and work to rationalize through the emotion in order to prevent the drama. So far, I am not certain I have made a positive impact on her behavior. I love her with all of my heart and worry that she will not be able to blend in successfully with society. Society is not as forgiving as your parents. As a child, I know my brother and I had issues with our parents. We acted-up and felt sad at times. I do not recall, however, the terms Bi-Polar or Depression ever being mentioned during those times. Now, it appears that many kids in todays society are suffering from this disorder. My question is, has Bi-Polar disorder become the new age excuse for poor behavior?