i am not sure if my chlid may have bipolar or not. but somes times i think he does.
21 Feb 2011
Many children, and especially adolescents, experience mood swings as a normal part of growing up, but when these feelings persist and interfere with a child’s ability to function in daily life, bipolar disorder could be the cause. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depression, is a mood disorder marked by extreme changes in mood, energy levels and behavior.
Symptoms can begin in early childhood but usually emerge in adolescence or adulthood.
Children with bipolar disorder usually alternate rapidly between extremely high moods (mania) and low moods (depression). These mood shifts can produce irritability with periods of wellness between episodes, or the young person may feel both extremes at the same time. Parents who have children with the disorder often describe them as unpredictable, alternating between aggressive or silly and withdrawn. Children with bipolar disorder are at a greater risk for anxiety disorders and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. These "co-occurring" disorders complicate diagnosis of bipolar disorder and contribute to the lack of recognition of the illness in children.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
Bipolar disorder begins with either manic or depressive symptoms. Not all children with bipolar disorder have all symptoms. Children with bipolar disorder are likely to have a family history of the illness. If a child you know is struggling with any combination of the symptoms listed below for more than two weeks, talk with a doctor or mental health professional.
* Severe changes in mood—from unusually happy or silly to irritable, angry or aggressive.
* Unrealistic highs in self-esteem. May feel indestructible.
* Great increase in energy level. Sleeps little without being tired.
* Excessive involvement in multiple projects and activities. May move from one thing to the next and become easily distracted.
* Increase in talking. Talks too much, too fast, changes topics too quickly, and cannot be interrupted. This may be accompanied by racing thoughts or feeling pressure to keep talking.
* Risk-taking behavior such as abusing drugs and alcohol, attempting daredevil stunts, or being sexually active or having unprotected sex.
* Frequent sadness or crying
* Withdrawal from friends and activities
* Decreased energy level, lack of enthusiasm or motivation
* Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
* Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
* Major changes in habits such as over-sleeping or over-eating
* Frequent physical complaints such as headaches and stomachaches
* Recurring thoughts of death, suicide, or self-destructive behavior
Many teens with bipolar disorder abuse alcohol and drugs as a way to escape, and should be evaluated for a mental health disorder. If an addiction develops, it is essential to treat both the mental health disorder and the substance abuse problem at the same time.
Hope the info helps?
22 Feb 2011
Need to have the child fully examined by psychologist/psychiatrist, counselor, not necessarily in that order, because if the child is bi-polar, or suffers from adhd, etc. only certified med prfsnls are going to be able to get you on hopefully the right track, with little to no medication if possible. My cousin just went through all of this with her 2nd child and she does seem to have one of the few success stories in regards to how well the child is doing/ overall, in school/out of school and so on... have your child seen first and hopefully it will help you get some answers... blaze22
7 Mar 2011
I suffer from bipolar, so I have kept a close eye on my 16 yr old daughter. I have sent her to a liscensed counsler first. The problem with my daughter right now is that she is also suffering from BDD and has lots of memory issues going on lately. What helps out is if you write down any of the childs behavior that you see that impacts thier life. Like my daughter is happy, full of energy then the next mintue she is depressed, irritable (which I get all the time), withdrawn, very emotional. Her school work has also been going down little by little then back up. Her wanting to be with friends one mintue then not at all. It's a roller coaster ride with her right now. When you do go to speak with the counsler he/she will speak with you alone, then with your child and then together. Always keep the counsler informed of any new symptoms your child my experience. Bipolar is for life but is managable with the proper help of a professional and learning all you can about the illness. I wish you and your child the best.
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