What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder (also referred to as manic-depressive illness)
usually starts in adult life, before the age of 35. Although rare in
young children, it can appear both in children and teenagers. This
illness can affect anyone. If one or both parents have bipolar
disorder , the chances are greater that their children will develop
the disorder.
Recognizing The Warning Signs Of
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder may begin with manic or depressive symptoms.
The manic symptoms include:
- Severe changes in mood, when
compared to peers, either unusually happy or silly, or highly
irritable.
- Unrealistic highs in self-esteem.
- Great energy increase; can go with
little or no sleep for days without tiring.
- Increased talking - talks too much,
too fast; changes topics too quickly; cannot be interrupted.
- Distractibility - attention moves
constantly from one thing to the next.
- High risk behavior - such as,
jumping off a roof and believing no harm will occur to them.
The depressive symptoms include:
- Persistent sadness; frequent crying;
depression.
- Loss of enjoyment in favorite
activities.
- Frequent physical illnesses - such
as, headaches or stomach-aches.
- Low energy level - poor
concentration, complaining of boredom.
- Major change in eating or sleeping -
such as oversleeping or overeating.
Both bipolar disorder with ADHD
(Attentive Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder) and childhood onset bipolar
disorder begin early in life and occur mainly in families with a high
genetic propensity for both disorders. Adult bipolar disorder is
common in both sexes, however most children with bipolar disorder
and/or ADHD, are boys.
Children with mania are seldom elated
or euphoric; more often they are irritable and subject to outbursts of
destructive rage. Childhood bipolar symptoms are often chronic and
continuous rather than acute and episodic, as in adults. Bipolar
disorder may account for a large proportion of children's psychiatric
hospitalizations.
Teens also have an ongoing combination
of extremely high (manic) and low (depressive) moods. Highs may
alternate with lows, or the person may feel both extremes almost
simultaneously.
Confusion With Other Problems
Irritability and aggressiveness in
children complicate the diagnosis, since they can also be symptoms of
depression or conduct disorder, or even normal responses to stress.
The irritability of bipolar children is especially severe and often
leads to violence. The aggressiveness may suggest a conduct disorder,
although it is usually less organized and purposeful than the
aggression of predatory juvenile delinquents.
These signs are also similar to common
teen problems such as, drug abuse, delinquency, attention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder, or even schizophrenia. The diagnosis requires
careful observation over an extended time period. An evaluation by a
child and adolescent psychiatrist can be helpful in identifying the
problem, whether it is bipolar disorder or other mental health
illness; and for starting specific treatment. Some children with
bipolar disorder (or a combination of bipolar and ADHD) my be
diagnosed as having only ADHD. The two disorders appear to be
genetically linked.
Treatment Of The Bipolar Disorder
In children unstable moods, which are generally the most serious
problem, should be treated first. Not much can be done about ADHD
while the child is subject to extreme mood swings.
Teens with bipolar disorder can be
effectively treated. Treatment usually includes:
- psychotherapy which helps the teen
adapt to stress; to rebuild self-esteem and to improve
relationships.
- medications which often reduce the
frequency and severity of manic episodes and help to prevent
depression.
- education of the entire family about
the illness.
Source: National Mental Health
Association
