What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes
children to have severe high and low moods. Bipolar disorder was previously
called manic-depressive disorder. Children with this illness experience unusual
mood changes, moving from feeling very happy and joyful to feeling deeply sad.
Other children experience chronic irritability, sometimes accompanied by mood
shifts. Additional symptoms include grandiose behavior, pressured speech, racing
thoughts, decreased need for sleep, and hypersexuality. If the illness goes
untreated, school, relationships, and daily life may become difficult. Youth
with bipolar disorder are also at increased risk for suicide and/or delinquent
behavior with incarceration.
What are the symptoms of bipolar disorder?
To understand bipolar disorder, it's helpful to know
how mental health care providers talk about severe mood swings. Mood swings are
often termed as "mood episodes." Manic episodes describe periods when the
child feels overly excited and confident. These feelings can quickly give way to
confusion, anger, and possibly rage. Depressive episodes describe periods
when the child feels very sad (depressed). Children may not have clear-cut
episodes. Instead, they may have "mixed" episodes and exhibit both manic and
depressive symptoms. Some children may show "rapid cycling" where they shift
quickly between mania or hypomania and depression, sometimes even within the
same day.
During manic or hypomanic periods, children with bipolar disorder may:
- Be overly happy, hopeful, and excited often inconsistent with external events
- Be irritable and have a short temper
- Become restless
- Show increases in distractibility
- Talk rapidly and in a pressured way where it is difficult to "get a word in"
- Believe they have many skills and powers and can do things other people can’t do (e.g., the children believe that they are in
charge and not adults – in the extreme thinking, they believe they have special powers like a superhero)
- Have a lot of energy and need very little sleep
- Talk and think about sex, and/or act older than their age
- Show poor judgment and make impulsive, harmful decisions
- Engage in risky behavior, including sexual or very impulsive behaviors
such as charging parents credit cards, abusing substances, or putting themselves in unsafe circumstances
During depressive periods, they may:
- Feel empty, sad, or hopeless
- Feel guilty, worthless, or helpless
- Cry often
- Eat too little or too much
- Lose interest in things they usually enjoy
- Be unable to think clearly, make decisions, or remember things
- Sleep poorly
- Lose or gain weight
- Have low energy
- Have extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
- Become focused on death
- Have thoughts of death, develop a plan or intentions to hurt themselves
or someone else, and even attempt suicide or severe aggressive behavior.
The most frequent and useful symptoms for distinguishing bipolar disorder from other problems in youth are:
- Rapid mood shifts
- Chronic irritability
- Grandiosity
- Decreased need for sleep
What causes bipolar disorder?
It is not yet known what causes bipolar disorder. However, there are several factors that may be associated with it:
- Family history — (Children with a parent or sibling with bipolar
disorder are more likely to get the illness.) This is approximately 5 times
more likely when a first degree relative has a bipolar disorder.
- Anxiety disorder — Many children with bipolar disorder also
experience significant anxiety.
- Neurotransmitters — Bipolar disorder is a disorder of brain
development that likely involves differences in neurotransmitters, brain
structures, and/or the function of specific brain structures.
- Environment — (Stress, loss of a loved one, and/or abuse may
trigger bipolar disorder.) Both negative and positive stresses (achieving an
award or accomplishment) can serve as a contributing trigger to bipolar
disorder symptoms.
How is bipolar disorder different in children versus adults?
Children with bipolar disorder may switch moods more
often than adults. For example, a child may exhibit periods of giddiness and
silliness, anger outbursts, and crying all in one day. Children with bipolar
disorder also tend to show less clear episodes and instead may show chronic
irritability or mixed moods that involve a combination of mania and depression symptoms.
How is bipolar disorder diagnosed?
Bipolar disorder is diagnosed by an experienced
doctor. There are no medical tests that can diagnose the illness. Instead,
doctors will ask questions about the child’s mood, behavior, and sleeping
patterns. Doctors may request that you make a mood chart that documents all of
this information for a certain period of time that could help with diagnosis and
finding the right treatment. Family and medical history are also useful in helping the doctor diagnose the illness.
How can I help my child?
If you think that your child may have bipolar disorder, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the symptoms that you
have noticed. Other basic things you can do:
- Be patient
- Be understanding
- Be supportive
- Encourage your child to talk, and listen carefully
- Explain how treatment works
- Help your child have fun
- Seek medical help when needed
How is bipolar disorder treated?
There is no cure for bipolar disorder, but with effective treatment it is possible for children to live normal lives. Doctors
treat children with bipolar disorder with medications and therapy.
Medication: Children respond to medicine differently than adults, so the type and dosage of medication depends on the
child, as well as their symptoms. It is best for the child to start at the smallest amount of medication as possible to help their symptoms, then gradually
up the dosage if necessary.
Therapy: There are different types of psychotherapy that can help children with bipolar disorder. Therapy can help
children manage their episodes and alter their behavior. It can also help with
other psychosocial elements associated with bipolar disorder such as depression,
low self-esteem, and communication issues with family and friends. Family
therapy and education about the illness is an important component to the overall treatment.
References
National Alliance on Mental Illness. Child and Adolescent Bipolar Disorder.
www.nami.gov
Accessed 11/23/2010
National Institute of Mental Health. Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens (Easy to Read).
www.nimh.nih.gov. Accessed 11/23/2010
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Facts for Families: Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens.
aacap.org. Accessed 11/23/2010
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