Bipolar Disorder in Teenagers

The National Institute of Mental Health, about 2.3 million American adults, or one percent of the population age 18 and older in any given year, suffer from bipolar disorder. This is a mental disorder that involves mood swings. In extreme cases this involves episodes of severe mania and depression. In bipolar disorder, the person’s mood swings from elevated "high" mood to an irritable "low" that is sad and hopeless, and then back again, with periods of normal mood in between. In some cases there is a mixed phase in which a person can look both depressed and manic.

Symptoms of mania and depression in children and adolescents may manifest themselves through a variety of different behaviors. When manic, children and adolescents, in contrast to adults, are more likely to be irritable and prone to destructive outbursts than to be elated or euphoric. When depressed, there may be many physical complaints such as headaches, muscle aches, stomachaches or tiredness, frequent absences from school or poor performance in school, talk of or efforts to run away from home, irritability, complaining, unexplained crying, social isolation, poor communication, and extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure. Other manifestations of manic and depressive states may include alcohol or substance abuse and difficulty with relationships.

Like other serious illnesses, bipolar disorder is not only difficult for the person who has it but also on family members, friends, and employers. Family members of people with bipolar disorder often have to cope with serious behavioral problems (such as wild spending sprees) and the lasting consequences of these behaviors.

Bipolar disorder tends to run in families. Many researchers believe it is genetic; however, researchers have not been able to associate a specific genetic defect with the disease. Bipolar disorder typically begins in adolescence or early adulthood and continues throughout life. It can be confused with attention-deficit /hyperactivity disorder, so careful diagnosis is necessary. Some cases of bipolar disorder have a late onset.

For an individual with bipolar disorder, lifelong treatment is necessary. Regular monitoring and consultation with a health care professional is necessary to establish which medication or combination of medication works best. Bipolar disorder can become disabling, but it is also a treatable or manageable mental illness in most cases. A combination of medications and psychotherapy helps a vast majority of people with this illness return to happy fulfilling lives.