Signs in Adolescent Bipolar
12:00 AM | Author: Gilaster
By Ken P Doyle

Manic-depressive illness or bipolar disorder is a serious brain illness. The person has a good chance of doing well if managed well. This brain illness is marked by extreme behavioral, mood and energy changes. This manic-depressive illness can be treated during infant years but this illness is more common in adolescent and adult stages.

Bipolar illness may look different in children than in adults. Bipolar children usually have an ongoing, continuous mood disturbance that is a mix of mania and depression. However, in some adolescents, a loss may trigger a first episode of depression or mania. Later episodes may occur independently of any obvious stresses, or may worsen with stress. Once the illness starts, episodes tend to reoccur and worsen without treatment.

Bipolar disorder in adolescents and substance abuse

Some children are normal up until puberty and then experience a sudden onset of bipolar illness this children are more vulnerable to addiction to drugs and alcohol. Peers and teens may use drugs and alcohol to try and control their mood swings and insomnia. It is important to note that if substance abuse is diagnosed with bipolar disorder they must be treated at the same time.

Bipolar in adolescents causes dramatic mood swings " from overly high and/or irritable to sad to and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of high are called bipolar mania, the low bipolar depression and the middle between high and low is called hippomania.

The bipolar symptoms in adolescent that are usually seen during the manic stage or mania episodes are irritable and expansive mood, unusual happiness, trouble falling asleep but does not feel tired, rapid and non-stop talking, trouble concentrating, pressured speech that is usually hard to interrupt and increased physical activity. During the manic stage, grandiose delusions are also evident wherein the affected person shows delusions of inflated knowledge, power, worth and identity. In severe cases, hallucinations may be experienced and the person may engage in risky activities.

Latest treatments available:

There are several methods on how to treat bipolar disorder, such as:

Medication

Several types of medication are prescribed by doctors depending on the symptoms and the severity of the illness. To have the desired effects doctors can combine few medicines together. Parents of bipolar patients must be warned that stopping these medications all of a sudden can be harmful. Always go back and seek the doctors advice if anything happens.

Psychotherapy, also known as talking therapy is the most commonly used therapy for adolescent bipolar disorder. The aim of the talk therapy, which is quite effective, is to try and manage teens routines and to have a change in their behavior. Patients taking this therapy must complete many sessions to show any improvements in their illness.

Bipolar and Support groups

Bipolar support groups can learn and help each other by communicating and opening up to each other. Knowing that they are not alone and there are others out there who are also suffering from ups and downs people go through it is abnormal and more powerful. Some may try to commit suicide or harm themselves. Because of these problems, bipolar medication, therapies and support groups are all important in helping patients cope with the illness.

Is your teen child showing sign of bipolar symptoms, appropriate action must be immediately be taken. Because it is quite dangerous bipolar disorder must not be taken for granted. It is normal for people to experience the ups and downs of life but bipolar people are abnormal and very powerful. Because of the chances of harming themselves and trying to commit suicide are great bipolar patients are encouraged to seek medication, therapies and support groups to help them their bipolar disorder. - 20761

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