Signs in Adolescent Bipolar
Bipolar illness or manic depression is a disorder of the brain and it is serious. The illness has a good chance of being managed if treated. Usual signs of this disorder are extreme energy, mood and behavioral changes. Bipolar illness can be treated at a young age but very often it is diagnosed during adolescent and later stages.
Manic-depressive illness can look different in children than in adults. Usually children with this brain illness have mood disturbance (a mix of mania and depression) that is ongoing and continuous. A traumatic event or loss can trigger episodes of depression or mania in adolescents. The illness can reoccur independently if the person experiences stress or can get worse with stress. Without proper treatment or medication manic depressive illness can come again or will get worse.
Substance abuse in adolescents and bipolar disorder
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.
An adolescent with bipolar experience mood swings from very high, sad to hopeless with periods of normal mood in between. There are severe changes in mood, behavior and energy. The highs in bipolar disorder are called bipolar mania the low bipolar depression and hippomania the periods in between depression and mania.
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
There are several types of bipolar medications. Doctors usually prescribe medications according to the symptoms and the severity of the condition. Sometimes, a combination of medications may be necessary to show desirable effects. Parents, however, should be aware that abruptly stopping these kinds of medication can harm the patient. So a doctor’s advice should always be sought.
Commonly used therapy for bipolar disorder in adolescents is the psychotherapy, which is also known as the talk therapy. This kind of therapy is usually effective. The goal of such therapy is to manage the teen’s routines and to change their behavior. Psychotherapy may require many sessions before showing some improvements.
Bipolar and Support groups
Letting the affected teenagers communicate and open up in bipolar support group can help them manage their disorder by learning from other people. Knowing that there are also others who are suffering from such condition will give them the encouragement to pursue treatments.
Appropriate action must be taken if your teen age child is showing signs of bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder must not be taken for granted because it is very dangerous. This is not a normal 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.