Bipolar Disorder In Children

Bipolar disorder, also commonly referred to as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual and heightened swings in a person’s mood, energy level, and ability to function. The symptoms of bipolar disorder can be severe and therefore, they are quite different from the normal shifts in mood that everyone goes through on a daily basis. The effects of bipolar disorder can result in broken relationships, poor performance at work or school, self-mutilation, and even suicide. However, in most instances, bipolar disorder can be treated and people with this illness can lead normal and productive lives with the help of medication and therapy.

Manic depression disorder, more commonly known today as bipolar disorder, is a mental illness that can affect any age, race, or gender. It is not prejudiced, and has a grim prognosis if the symptoms are not treated or controlled in some fashion. Bipolar disorder is, by Boris Birmaher as the presence of recurrent episodes of mania or hypomania with and without episodes of depression (Birmaher, 2013). As explained by Hockenbury and Hockenbury, a manic episode can be sudden and escalates the emotional state of the individual causing them to have extreme euphoria, as well as more excitement, physical energy, and a more rapid thought and speech process. A depressive episode can also come on suddenly and leaves the individual in a lost state, where they are tired, and no longer find enjoyment from activities that they once loved and could lead to suicidal thoughts or actions (Hockenbury & Hockenbury, 2014). A person does not mentally mature fully until about the age of 25. Meaning that a 25 year old has different brain processes than a 10 year old. Because of this, there have been many studies conducted on the controversy between whether or not bipolar disorder should be diagnosed in children and adolescents.

These mood episodes include the manic episodes and the depressive episodes. The mood changes of mania include a long period of an overly happy mood and irritability; the behavioral changes are talking quickly, having racing thoughts, being distracted, increasing of activities, being restless, getting little or no sleep, being impulsive, and engaging in high-risk, pleasurable activities or behaviors (NIMH, 2015). The mood changes of the depressive episodes are loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed and a long period of sadness; the behavioral changes are feeling very tired, having trouble with decision making and problem solving, being irritable, changing normal habits, and negative thinking (NIMH, 2015). Sometimes symptoms from both episodes can be present in a person’s current mood episode. This is called a mixed state. In the mixed state, a person can feel agitated, have a change in eating habits, and have suicidal thoughts; they also feel very hopeless and very energized at the same time (NIMH, 2015). About ten percent of people have at least four mood episodes every year which is called rapid cycling bipolar disorder (Schacter el at.,

Bipolar Disorder is a brain disorder that is characterized by abnormal changes in mood, energy and activity levels (“National Institute of Mental Health”). Manic-depressive illness is also another name that bipolar disorder is commonly referred to as (“National Institute of Mental Health”). This disorder has four basic types including, bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymic, and any other which do not perfectly fit the first three. All four of the types have episodes of extreme highs, manic periods, and extreme lows, depressive periods. Symptoms can range greatly and depend on what type of episode the affected is having. Manic episodes can include, but are not limited to: having extraordinarily high amounts of energy, activity,

There are different symptoms and different types of bipolar disorder. The primary symptoms of bipolar disorder are dramatic and unpredictable mood swings. Mania symptoms may include excessive happiness, excitement, restlessness, less need for sleep, and high sex drive. Depression symptoms include sadness, anxiety, loss of energy, uncontrollable crying, need for sleep, and thoughts of death or suicide.

Bipolar Disorder is a stigmatic disease that affects adults and 1% of adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 each year (Jones, 2015). This disease has been the feature of

For an episode to be categorized as manic, the patients’ mood has been irritable or abnormally elevated for at least 1 week. A person must also exhibit at least 3 of the following symptoms (4 if the mood is only irritable): extreme feelings of personal greatness; a decreased need for sleep, marked talkativeness; distractibility; extreme focus on a goal-directed activity; reports of ‘racing’ thoughts or a flight of ideas; or excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences (i.e. sexual indiscretions or unintelligent business investments). As in the criteria for a depressed episode, the DSM-IV specifies that these symptoms should not be better explained as being a side effect of a drug or illness to qualify as a manic episode. These symptoms must interfere with the person’s normal functioning and must not meet the criteria for a mixed episode. As with adults, childhood-onset bipolar disorder has many faces. Children with Bipolar I Disorder have episodes of mania and episodes of depression, sometimes there are long periods of normal moods between episodes. Adults usually tend to have more depressed episodes than manic episodes. However, some children will have chronic mania (symptoms of mania lasting for long periods of time or marked by frequent recurrence) and seldom experience a depressed episode.

Despite the similarities, there are more common symptoms in bipolar depression than it is in regular depression. For example, bipolar depression has individuals feeling guilty, hopeless, sad, empty, unpredictable mood swings, and feelings of restlessness. People with bipolar depression also tend to move very slow, gain weight, and sleep a lot (Hatchett). On the other hand the hypomania state has led observers to feel that bipolar patients are "addicted" to their mania. Paranoia or irritable characteristics begin to manifest in this stage. Hyperactive behavior can sometimes lead to violence and speech becomes very rapid (Hirschfeld, 1995). A mixed episode is when you have both manic and depressive symptoms at the same time. According to Hirschfield, “Those afflicted are a special risk because there is a combination of hopelessness, agitation, and anxiety that makes them feel like they,” “could jump out of their skin” (Hirschfeld, 1995). Up to 50% of all patients with mania have a mixture of depressed moods. This episode is considered very dangerous because individuals feel as if they could commit suicide.

The second episode is depressive or depression stage. This episode includes a long period of feeling worried or empty, such as lost of interest in activities once enjoyed. During a manic episode the patient will show signs of talking very fast, being overly distracted, sleeping for 2 hours and feeling really rested, or the patient might even find him or herself quitting a job for no reason, some of the patients experimenting this episode can also charge up huge amounts in their credit cards. During a depressive episode the patient might feel like sleeping for hours or not sleeping at all, also everything people do affects them. Patients with bipolar disorder often go through depression more then they go through a manic episode. These episodes of bipolar disorder can last up for days, weeks, or even months. Patients experiencing these mood swings are not the same as experiencing everyday mood swings; the mood swings of bipolar patients are very severe that they interfere sometimes with the ability to function with their everyday life.

the exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown but several factors may be involved, such as biological differences, some seem to have physical changes in their brain, neurotransmitters seem to play a significant role in bipolar disorder, bi polar disorder is more common in people who have a relative such as a sibling or parent with the condition, researchers are trying to find genes that may be involved in causing bipolar disorder. (Mayo clinic staff, ND).

In the United States alone, approximately five point seven million people have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, being considered “the sixth leading cause of disability among middle age group and the ninth leading cause of years lost to death or disability worldwide” (Sawan & Hamilton, 2015). Although equal in both males and females, studies have shown that males are prone to developing bipolar disease earlier in life. On the other hand, females are three times more likely to experience rapid cycling and have more depressive and mixed episodes when compared with males. Average age for onset of bipolar disorder is twenty five years, however, studies have shown that illness can develop at any age, including early childhood (Sawan & Hamilton, 2015). Increased risk factors for both men and women diagnosed with bipolar disorder may include ischemic heart disease, diabetes and COPD, together with influenza and pneumonia. In accordance with Swan & Hamilton (2015), bipolar disorder risk factors are probably caused by genetic factors, unhealthy behaviors and pathophysiologic changes occurring with bipolar patients; also medications used to treat this disorder (Sawan & Hamilton, 2015).

“Bipolar disorder, also commonly known as manic depression, is defined as a serious mental illness in which common emotions become intensely and often unpredictably magnified. Individuals with bipolar disorder can quickly alternate from extremes of happiness, energy and clarity to sadness, fatigue and confusion. All people with bipolar disorder have manic episodes abnormally elevated or irritable moods that last at least a week and impair functioning. But not all become depressed ” (American Psychological Association, 2015). Bipolar disorder can vary in each individual. The symptoms fluctuate in pattern, severity and rate of recurrence. Some people are more susceptible to either mania or depression, while others change proportionately between the two types of episodes. Some have frequent mood disruptions, while others live through a few throughout their lifetime.

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness affects about 1.2 percent of the U.S. population (8). It is defined by fluctuating states of depression and mania throughout ones life. Those who are depressed may be restless, irritable, have slowed thinking or speech, decreased sexual activity, changes in appetite and sleep patterns, suicidal thoughts as well as other changes. Those in a manic state may have increased activity or energy, more thoughts and faster thinking, grandiose thoughts, decreased sleep and need for sleep, increased sexual activity, elated mood, irritable mood, as well as other symptoms. Mixed state is when both depression and mania are exhibited at the same time in a cycle. Rapid cycling

Those who are diagnosed, or are looking for a diagnosis because they believe something may be wrong, with bipolar disorder work very closely psychiatrists. Psychiatrists are able to diagnose as well as help to treat patients who have already been told they are bipolar. It is important that a person works with the same psychiatrist because they will learn more