Hey Sam, I have been reading through the letters that young people have been sending to you. It made me want to write. I enjoy writing as a hobbie, emotive writing. I, myself have a lot of issues in which I deal with on a daily basis. I used to use writing as a source of letting all my feelings go for either that short second or that long hour, either was enough. I got sucked into depression further and it has left me with 0 motivation but yet so much to write this to you. I am writing this because I am excited for the response, I hope by the time I finish writing what I have to write that you will understand me and maybe relate. I am convinced I have Bi-Polar disorder, my mum has it as well as anxiety and depression. I guess I follow in her footsteps, unfortunately. Being a sufferer of all those mental health issues can be tough. The other week I had a break down and I went onto the chat on here, childline for the first time and I did recieve a lot of advice but the conversation seemed to have been rushed...I didn't feel as if I had enough time to explain how I felt. I'd like to know if the people working for childline really know what it is like to know how us young people are feeling (because of experience) or is it all assumption based from what they have learned in a college for example: psychology.
Sam
Hi there,
Thanks for your letter. It’s great that reading through the other letters people have sent to me has made you want to write yourself. Writing can be a good way to express and release your feelings, whether it’s an email, letter, text message, poem or short story. You don’t have to show or send your writing to anybody if you don’t want to, although it’s one way to tell someone else how you’re feeling.
You say that you’re convinced that you have bipolar disorder. If you haven’t done so already then I recommend that you speak to your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor will be able to see if you have bipolar disorder and suggest treatment for any health problems you may have. You can read more about mental health issues or visit the Young Minds website for more information.
You’ve told me that your mum has bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression. As you say, living with mental health issues can be tough, but having a parent with mental health issues can be difficult too. Talking to a trusted adult about your mum’s mental health and how it affects you could be really helpful. You might also want to visit our message boards so that you can share your experiences and get support from other people in similar situations.
I’m really glad that you came to ChildLine for a 1-2-1 chat when you needed support and I’m sorry that you felt rushed. Chats can only be a certain amount of time so it’s not always possible to cover everything in one go. However it’s common for people to talk to us over a number of online chats. Read our top tips for using 1-2-1 online chat to help you get the most from talking online.
The counsellor will make notes after each chat so the next time you talk to us you won’t have to repeat everything. ChildLine counsellors are trained staff and volunteers with different life experiences who are here to listen to and support you. The main thing they do is to listen and hear what you have to say – they should never judge you or assume something about you. Remember, you can also contact ChildLine by phone or send an email.
Take care, Sam
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