<p>Did I understand right that you only have one semester left to get your Masters?</p>
<p>The reality is that the mental health system will inevitably have expectations for the patient’s next-of-kin to take on some responsibility, even if the patient is not a minor.</p>
<p>The next-of-kin could, of course, refuse to come to the hospital for a family meeting, refuse to be part of discharge planning, refuse to provide any after-care support, but a loving parent of a young adult is highly unlikely to do these things.</p>
<p>Therefore, because there is an unspoken contract here–if I get sick, you will help take care of me–it is not unreasonable to compromise a little and stay nearby.</p>
<p>Is there any sort of assistance for a newly diagnosed bipolar young single adult that is living on the opposite coast from all family and most friends? </p>
<p>If said young adult can’t be convinced to move to the parental coast, and the parents can’t be on the young adults coast, are there any options for daily check in? </p>
<p>-- (signed) panicked parent just back from far coast, young adult child in tow who is itching to go back at first opportunity</p>
<p>You are an adult. You do not need your parents permission to do anything unless you need money from them.</p>
<p>HOWEVER, nobody in the world will ever care about your well being the way your parents do. They love you and they want you to be happy, healthy and successful. Please have a longer discussion with them about this. I am sure there is a reason that they think you should stay nearby for a while longer.</p>
<p>Seahorserock, you have no idea what you’re talking about.</p>
<p>I am in the position of the OP’s parents, so I DO know what I’m talking about. My 20-year-old son has schizoaffective disorder (some of the symptoms of schizophrenia plus bipolar disorder) and my 18-year-old son has bipolar disorder.</p>
<p>The tricky thing is that they will seem FINE. They manage their schoolwork, take their meds, and have few symptoms. Then ALL OF A SUDDEN, something happens and they fall off the cliff, when it is least expected. Your parents saw that happen, and they’re afraid it might happen again. If you had to be hospitalized, it would be bad for you to be far from home. I cannot state this firmly enough - a person who is in a psychiatric hospital MUST HAVE SOMEONE TO ADVOCATE FOR HIM/HER!!! My older son was in the hospital for a total of 32 days in March and April. I quickly learned that if I did not get to the hospital every single day, the ball was dropped. Meds weren’t taken, doctors didn’t see him, his condition worsened, etc. </p>
<p>So if you go off on your own, things could go very badly for you. A year is not very long to have been stable. My sons were diagnosed two and a half years ago, and things are still shaky.</p>
<p>I lost both my parents at age 24. I did ‘figure it out’, but trust me, I would have much preferred to have had my parents’ support longer into my young adulthood. Life is complicated, why not accept support from people who care for you?</p>
<p>Most caring parents want to be their for their children, ESPECIALLY if said children have special needs. We have two young adult children, one independent, one with disabilities.
We embrace them both and support each according to their needs.</p>
<p>I’m an adult who has a (smart, creative, loving) parent who has bipolar disorder and have lived through many terrifying manic episodes that have had SERIOUS long-term financial, business and medical implications–as well as police interventions–for him. A person in a manic or even hypo-manic state is highly resistent to caretaking/advice/slowing down. I fear for my adult father, it’s no surprise that your parents fear for you…especially when a change of season (hullo spring!) or altered sleeping patterns can be a trigger. </p>
<p>It’s unrealistic in my view to ask if she can be responsible enough to see it in herself and call for help. BECAUSE it feesls GREAT in the beginning. Like the high falling in love–all energy and chemistry and the universe loves you-- and a manic person will rarely be able to recognize the progressive uptick and want to call a halt to it. Our experience is the only way is PREVENTION by managing meds and taking precautions. </p>
<p>My only advice/thought would be whether you could explore if your school might have some sort of program/meds program where someone would/could be looking out for you …where you check in regularly and they know what to look for…AND that they have permission to share info with your parents.</p>
<p>In a post was this wisdom- talk to your mental health professionals. Their advice will include keeping on medications and routine follow up visits. Figure out your career- most business field majors work at least two years before grad school. You want to be able to live independently- that’s where a good paying job with health care benefits comes in. You can’t depend on your parents being around forever. </p>
<p>Hopefully you are becoming well informed about your chronic condition- learning how to cope with any medication side effects and clues as to how you’re doing. Have a long term plan for taking care of yourself- resources you can immediately access no matter where you live. Show your parents how you can continue to manage your illness and objections to your plans will lessen. </p>
<p>Remember- you are legally an adult. Your parents can only do what YOU let them, not what they let you do. Be sure to make use of their years of love and wisdom, but also don’t be afraid to live your own life. A serious discussion with mental health care professionals in the city you intend to live in to cover all of the “what ifs” is indicated. Have support locally. Perhaps your professor and/or friends/colleagues who can notice when you veer from stability and can help direct you to your resources. This is going to be a life long problem- you need to be able to deal with it without your parents.</p>
<p>As an adult, there is no “parents won’t let me” unless they have legal guardianship over you. What I think you are saying is that you are unable to pick up and go on your own. You need something from them to make it possible. Just as you have the right to go where you please, as an adult, so have they the right not to have to pay for you or assist you. </p>
<p>That you are a college graduate and have to ask the title question really answers it. Yes, they are justified because you can’t do it on your own, and they don’t feel like supporting the endeavor. They don’t have to have any reason at all for not wanting to support this, you realize. That they are afraid of the consequences and they do not trust you to not cause a crisis at a distance, may be reasons, but they can just not feel like it.</p>
<p>Why can’t you find a job at this point, study for the CPA exam and take the courses without a masters? You don’t need it to get an accounting job. It’s time you stand on your own two feet. </p>
<p>If you are seeing a mental health therapist, you should discuss this, and work on getting yourself independent. The truth of the matter is that as a grad student you can get the loans and go where you please, but if you don’t know this, get this or can do this on your own, you are not ready to do so and your parents are right.</p>