Teens and Bipolar Disorder

Parenting a teen can be challenging, even occasionally frustrating. In the best of circumstances, parents are dealing with normal moodiness in their teens and perhaps erratic sleep habits and general sassiness from time to time. But if your teen is suffering from bipolar disorder, you're going to see behaviors that are out of the realm of the normal adolescent experience.

Bipolar disorder has been called "manic depression" in the past. Extreme mood changes are the main symptom seen in teens, or for that matter, anyone who has bipolar disorder. Your teen may appear calm, then cranky, then depressed, then excessively energetic over a few days or a period of several days when suffering from bipolar disorder.

Typically, the depressed mood will span two weeks or more and is often the most prominent sign of the disorder. It's not unusual for parents to consult with mental health experts, indicating they believe their teen is "depressed" when the eventual diagnosis is bipolar disorder.

In many people, teens included, the manic phase of the disorder looks more like crankiness, grouchiness and irritability. You might notice a real disagreeable nature in your teen during this phase. These types of symptoms typify what we call, "hypomania," which is a less severe form of the manic phase of bipolar disorder.

On the other hand, a teen experiencing a full-blown manic episode might exhibit symptoms like a flurry of many ideas, appearing overly happy or even giddy, a decreased need for sleep, and way too much energy. Interestingly, at the first signs of the manic (or hypomanic) phase, some parents might find it a welcome break from the teen's prior depressed mood.

However, as the manic episode continues, difficult behaviors can increase in number and intensity. Also accompanying the prior-mentioned manic symptoms could be non-stop talking and pressured or fast speech. Even episodes of risky behaviors such as sexual promiscuity and overspending can be present. Grandiose thinking and other extreme behaviors and emotions might also occur in a teen's manic phase.

Be aware, though, that depending on the specific bipolar disorder diagnosis (there are 4 different types of bipolar disorder), it's possible your teen will not experience all of the symptoms elaborated here. The lengths of time and degrees of a teen's depressed and manic phases determine whether he will be diagnosed with Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Bipolar NOS (not otherwise specified), or Cyclothymic Disorder (symptoms are less intense than in the other bipolar diagnoses).

If you believe your teen could be suffering from bipolar disorder, see your teen's general or family physician right away and request a referral to a mental health expert. Alternatives would be to seeking help and guidance directly from the various mental health professionals in your community, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, and licensed therapists/counselors. You can also call the National Mental Health Services Information Center for assistance at 1-800-789-2647 as of this writing.

Sources

National Institute of Mental Health

Professional experience as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Web MD website