What about a boot camp or military type program?
No doubt everyone would like to have a well behaved and respectful child. There are various military style camps that may appeal to parents who feel that discipline is the answer to their child’s difficult behavior. However, many boot camps now recognize that their programs are not appropriate for young people with a psychiatric illness whether it is bipolar disorder, depression or another illness. Many times they will refuse to even allow enrollment, recognizing that such a child needs medical intervention with behavior modifications implemented in a therapeutic environment.
Military style programs and boot camps are based on the idea that the child or teen is simply choosing to behave badly. The goal of these programs is to assert strong physical punishment and authority over the child in order to modify such behavior. Sometimes tactics used include attempts to psychologically “break” the individual. This type of program does not take into account if a child or teen is having difficulties as a result of an illness. No amount of punishment will stop a child from hallucinating. No amount of tough approaches will change the abnormalities in the brain that prevent the child from functioning in the current environment. Sending a fragile, emotionally distressed child to one of these programs is a recipe for disaster.
These types of programs, however, may not always be easy to identify. There are some that maintain the same coercion techniques and near abusive methods under a glossy and sometimes even religious exterior. Terms such as “teen revitalizing” are sometimes used to mask the same harsh philosophies of boot camps. Be wary of any program which attempts to address depression by teaching teens “accountability.” Find out the philosophy behind the program before making any choice.
Excerpt from The Childhood Bipolar Disorder Answer Book published by Sourcebooks, Inc.
Copyright 2008 by Tracy Anglada and Sheryl Hakala All Rights Reserved