Raising a Moody Child: How to Cope with Depression and Bipolar Disorder

By Mary A. Fristad and Jill S. Goldberg Arnold

Book Overview

Every day can be an ordeal for families struggling with the difficult, moody, "impossible" behavior that may point to childhood depression or bipolar disorder. Effective help for kids does exist, but it often requires a customized combination of medication, therapy, coping skills, and support. From esteemed clinician and researcher Dr. Mary Fristad and fellow treatment expert Dr. Jill Goldberg Arnold, this indispensable book explains how treatment works and what additional steps parents can take at home to help children with mood disorders--and the family as a whole--improve the quality of their lives. Explained are why symptoms look so different (and can be so much harder to manage) in children and teens than in adults, how to find the right doctor or therapist, and how to help kids develop their own "coping toolkits." Bursting with practical tools, FAQs, and examples, the book covers everything from dealing with medical crises to resolving school problems, sibling conflicts, and marital stress.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1572308710
• ISBN13: 9781572308718
• Release Date: October 2003
• Publisher: Guilford Publications
• Length: 260 Pages
• Weight: 0.77 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Wow! Someone else understands us completely!

I just bought this book and received it yesterday, and it's already making an impact in my life. I can't believe that someone else's family has gone through exactly what we're going through with one of our kids. I'm looking forward to getting a lot of help and great ideas from this book, and hoping to learn to cope better with my moody child, without so many feelings of guilt in the process.

A Must Read

Although The Bipolar Child had great insight as to why my child was diagnosed ADHD at 6 and then rediagnosed Bipolar at age 14, I found this book to be extremely helpful as to what needs to follow now that my son is Bipolar. I have to agree with one of the other reviews written, that this book contains information parents are "assumed" to already know, when in fact, we do not. If you have a child suffering from Bipolar or depression, I highly recommend reading this book.

Great book for parents.

I work as an inpatient clinician on a child/adolescent unit. This book answers the questions and gives the guidance I am frequently asked for. Clearly it is a book that was written by very knowledgable professionals who have a compasionate understanding for what the overwhelmed parents of these children need. It is clearly written and full of practical advice and useful tools. I strongly recommend it for anyone with a child/teen with a mood problem. If you know one of these parents-buy it as a gift for them-they are probably too busy dealing with their life to get it for themselves.

Realistic, Informed, and Practical

As the mother of a bipolar child, I've read just about everything available. While "The Bipolar Child" informs about childhood bipolar disorder, "Raising A Moody Child" assumes that, as parents, we already know about the disorder and now need nuts-and-bolts coping strategies and techniques. (Am not knocking "The Bipolar Child." It was a necessary, groundbreaking book.)I found that this book, however, offered what our family needs at this point in our daughter's life: tips, ideas, suggestions, and specifics to help parents and bipolar children cope.The authors clearly respect parents' existing base of knowledge about bipolar and trust them enough to make use of the information provided without having to rehash the details of the disorder ad infinitum.While this book may be informative to those who want to know more about some of the issues parents of bipolar children face, the book clearly is aimed specifically at the parents who already are on the front lines.The book is written in a clear, no-nonsense, easy-to-follow fashion. I came away from this book with numerous strategies for helping my daughter deal with her mood swings--(techniques ranging from Playdough art projects to smacking a tennis ball against the garage wall).This is an excellent read for any parent struggling with the problems of a bipolar child. Obviously, it's not a cure-all, but it's easy to read and, as 'bipolar parents' know, ideas for coping mechanisms are always welcome. I appeciated the authors' directness and writing style. Although I read the book all the way through, I still pick it up now and then to flip to various sections for new ideas, to refresh my memory about a medication, or to give myself a pep talk.Thanks so much to the authors for writing this book, and to my child's therapist for recommending it.

Powerful, Uplifting & Essential

Finally, a book that addresses all sides of this painful spectrum - lovingly, practically, and compassionately. This book explains Depression and Bipolar Disorder along with strategies to deal with it effectively, in language that parents and kids can understand. Together, they can take the actions that lead to succesful and happy lives.It is one thing to face a singular loss, but yet another when the grief of an ongoing condition presents itself on a daily. basis. This book goes a long way to helping all concerned deal with that reality.