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Teen Bipolar Disorder

August 7, 2009 By Eric Putnam Leave a Comment

By Kent Pinkerton -

Children and teenagers with bipolar disorders can have manic or depressive symptoms. Some children may mostly have depression and others a combination of manic and depressive symptoms. Highs are usually combined with alternative lows.

Bipolar disorders usually begin in childhood and during the teenage years, and may be diagnosed in adult life. This illness can affect anyone and without any specific history. If one or both parents have a bipolar disorder, the chances are greater that their children may develop it at an early age. Family history of drug or alcohol has also been associated with greater risk for bipolar disorders.

Symptoms of bipolar disorders in children and teenagers are – severe changes in — unusually happy, silly, sometimes very irritable, angry, agitated or aggressive. Some teenagers experience unrealistic highs in self-esteem, for example, a teenager may start feeling very powerful or like a superhero with special powers. They may develop an increase in energy and the ability to go with little or no sleep for days without feeling tired. An adolescent may start talking too much, too fast and changes topics too frequently, without interruption due to depression. They also get distracted very easily, and attention moves constantly from one thing to another. They may also develop repetitive, high risk-taking behavior; such as abusing alcohol and drugs, reckless driving or sexual promiscuity

When a teenage is in a depression he or she may develop excessive irritability, depressed moods, unrelenting sadness, frequent crying, thoughts of death or suicide, loss of enjoyment in favorite activities, frequent complaints of physical illnesses such as headaches or stomach aches, low energy level, fatigue, poor concentration, complaints of boredom and a major change in eating or sleeping patterns, such as oversleeping or overeating.

Teenagers with bipolar disorder can be successfully treated. Treatments include educating the patient and their families about the illness, mood-stabilizing medications such as lithium and valproic acid and psychotherapy. Mood stabilizing medications will often reduce the severity of manic episodes, and also help prevent depression. Psychotherapy helps a child adapt to stresses, rebuild self-esteem and enhance relationships. The diagnosis of bipolar disorders in children and teens is complicated and involves careful observation over an extended period of time. Bipolar Disorder provides detailed information on Bipolar Disorder, Symptom of Bipolar Disorder, Teen Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Disorder Treatment and more. Bipolar Disorder is affiliated with Bipolar Depression.

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Natural Treatment Options For Bipolar Disorders

July 25, 2009 By Eric Putnam Leave a Comment

By Samuel W. Johnson -

Another name for bipolar disorder is manic depression and it is often debilitating to those that are living with it. This does not include the impact that it has on the people around them that love them. It is important to know that there are two types of bipolar disorders. The first is bipolar disorder I which has moments of euphoria and moments of mania that are then accompanied by feelings of depression. Meaning that there are times when the person feels really good and times that the person feels really bad. Bipolar disorder II has alternating moments of hypomania and depression; this is the less severe of the two types.

The total number of people afflicted with a bipolar disorder is a little over two million, in the U.S. alone and the age range starts as young as 6 years old. With such a disparity in age, anyone can understand why finding a natural way to treat such a severe disorder naturally is important. You don’t want to start your child on a medication that is suppose to help them only to cause them more health problems down the road. The good news is, you don’t have to. There are effective natural treatment options.

True that traditional medicine does not offer a cure for bipolar disorder (manic depression,) because they do not know of one. There are different nutrients that can be added to the diet that have been shown to have a positive impact on people that are suffering with bipolar disorder. Some of those nutrients include coconut butter, fish oils, cod liver oil and alkaline foods. These foods have been shown to help decrease the number of mood swings and improved overall mood. This can be a godsend not only to the person with bipolar disorder but those that love them.

Naturally if there are foods that can help you feel better, then there are foods that you should avoid because they can aggravate your condition. Do your best to avoid any artificial ingredients, opt for organic natural foods whenever possible. Skip foods with refined sugars such as ice cream, soda pop and other tempting desserts. Junk food and alcohol are also known triggers as are bad fats such as transfats found in fried foods.

Keep in mind that foods you eat have an overall impact on your mood and physical body. While it is wonderful to know that by adjusting the food you eat you can live a less manic life and feel better, there are other all natural treatment options available to you. If they are all natural the only side effect there is, is you having a happier healthier life. Isn’t it time that you took a moment to find out more about these options?

The first utmost important thing to do is to find everything you need to know on depression and how to cure it. Don’t wait a second longer to access complete info and resources on How To Cure   Bipolar Disorders Fast And Permanently which can be found at http://www.infofordepression.com now!

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Bipolar Disorder in Children

July 22, 2009 By Eric Putnam Leave a Comment

By Jennifer Brister -

Bipolar disorder, though treatable, can be a devastating illness. It is marked by severe mood changes and changes in energy and behavior. Until only a few years ago, bipolar disorder was rarely diagnosed in children. Now, it is becoming more common.

It is now thought that early intervention is the best way to treat children with bipolar disorder. Dealing with it early on can help children to become stable, productive members of society. It is very important for parents of bipolar children to find help and support. It is apparent that a large number of children with bipolar go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed every year. Most often they are diagnosed with ADHD instead.

Symptoms of manic depression include wide ranging mood changes. When a child is sad and has little energy this is considered depression. When they are hyperactive, elated and full of energy, this is the manic state. In adults who have bipolar disorder, these mood changes can last for days or even months, but in children with bipolar, they more often have an ongoing mood disturbance that is a mix of mania and depression. Irritability is usually a very difficult problem with these children.

Some symptoms of bipolar disorder in children include:

* irritable mood
* sadness
* mood changes
* rage
* anxiety
* defiance
* hyperactivity
* sleeping problems
* bed wetting
* cravings
* impaired judgment
* dare-devil behavior
* inappropriate sexual behavior
* hallucinations
* grandiose belief in one’s self

Symptoms can begin as soon as early in infancy. Babies who are later diagnosed with bipolar were often babies that had trouble sleeping and were difficult to please.

To take a quiz to find out if you or someone you love has bipolar disorder, visit the Bipolar Disorder Help Center

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How to Explain Your Bipolar Disorder to Children

July 13, 2009 By Eric Putnam Leave a Comment

By Madeleine Kelly -

A parent’s bipolar disorder can be frightening and overwhelming to children, who are often left to figure out for themselves how to cope with their scary parent.

Parents who have bipolar disorder typically worry about the effect of the illness on their kids, but there is little information available about how to reduce the impact.

It’s doubly difficult because bipolar disorder is an inherent, built-in part of you as the child’s parent.

Here are some ways we can help children cope with our bipolar disorder and grow up normally.

Drip-feed      information in small dollops on demand. Keep updating your explanation as      the years go by and the children’s understanding increases, as you may do      with sex education.

Answer      questions openly in a way that invites further questions. Answer the      question and do it truthfully,      fully and honestly. Then be prepared to answer any follow-up questions.      Eventually you will get a look that says ‘enough info for now, thanks.’ Let      the child determine the end of the conversation.

Avoid      lectures, where you talk and the child listens. Use everyday occurrences      as opportunities to make brief comments on the run. This technique reduces      bipolar disorder to a normal everyday matter-of-fact thing.

Give      bipolar a nickname. In my workshops for bipolar sufferers and their supporters I      run a fun exercise where we all think of a nickname for our bipolar      disorder. Calling it ‘Bertha’ or ‘Gerry’ allows us to separate ourselves      from our ill-selves, and even laugh at it. That’s an important activity      for children, too. Find out from your child if they have a nickname for      it, or encourage them to think of one. Ask them to tell you or another trusted adult  when they see Bertha or      Gerry arrive!

Have      fun with your children: plain, no-cost play time together.  Tell the children their job is to have fun, and not to be concerned about you.

Expect      to have to change. As children grow and their capacity for understanding increases, they will tend to make requests of you.  Negotiate this as you would with an adult, and if you can make a change in your behavior, try to do so.

Set aside      your own embarrassment or shame so you can talk frankly about your      behavior when you are ill. The easiest way to do this is with the      nickname: you can say ‘It wasn’t me, Bertha did it,!’ After all, when you      were ill you were ‘not yourself’. (That is not to say you’re not responsible      for doing your best to stay well!)

Apologies      for your behavior when ill are not necessary. Instead, say you wish it      hadn’t happened, and focus on what the child observed and felt during that      time.

Allow      the children to see the best of you. Children do what parents do, not necessarily      what they say. You have to agree that sometimes bipolar behavior is not the      type of role model you want for your kids. You can model responsibility, healthy      self-criticism, admitting your own shortcomings, determination to live      well, and refusal to admit defeat. From your example, your children will      learn how to overcome setbacks in their own lives.

Finally,      if your bipolar is causing you to act as a parent in ways that you do not      approve of then seek assistance from professionals who understand and      accept bipolar as an entity. Your doctor or psychiatrist, for example,      rather than social workers and psychologists who may not be educated about      mental illness.

We all want the best for our children, but it’s important to recognize that all children are impacted upon by events beyond their parents’ control. Don’t waste time grieving about something you can’t change – just enjoy your children while they grow.

Madeleine Kelly is the award-winning author of Bipolar and the Art of Roller-coaster Riding available at http://beatbipolar.com She has written The Rainbow Angels, a story helping to explain bipolar disorder to children, available at http://twotreesmedia.com/explain_bipolar_to_children.htm

More information about parenting with bipolar disorder can be found at http://twotreesmedia.com/parents_with_bipolar.htm

(c) Madeleine Kelly. All rights reserved world-wide.

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Cure Bipolar Disorder – A Guide to the Various Treatment Options Available to You

July 7, 2009 By Eric Putnam Leave a Comment

By Pankaj N -

Millions of people around the world suffer from bipolar disorder. This is one brain disorder which is very difficult to diagnose. In fact a lot of people go for many years without realizing that they have the disorder. No amount of laboratory testing can find it. Fortunately for those looking to cure bipolar disorder, there are many different treatment options available these days.

Mood stabilizing medication is generally prescribed to those having this disease. Mood stabilizers are known to generally delay mania episodes also help in relieving depression. For those who are suffering from deep depression arising out of bipolar disorder, antidepressants are also sometimes prescribed. Although there is no specific treatment procedure available to cure bipolar disorder, doctors often use a combination of medications based on each individual’s condition.

In cases of severe mania or depression, arising out of this disease, antipsychotic medication is also used. Many looking to cure bipolar disorder also undergo Electroconvulsive Therapy, popularly known as ECT. This treatment method is designed to stabilize mood swings and instability. Although medication for this disorder is widely available, you should always take them only in consultation with your doctor.

Many people looking to cure this also choose from among the various natural remedies that are available nowadays. In fact one of the easiest natural treatment methods involves making certain dietary and lifestyle changes, which is known to give good results, when done in combination with prescription medication. Certain food items such as gluten, wheat and diary products need to be avoided by those looking to cure bipolar disorder. Those who have this disease should also make it a point to exercise regularly, since it is known to enhance one’s mood.

If you are someone looking for ways to cure bipolar disorder, then there is plenty of help available online these days. ]Bipolardisorder uncovered is one such online guide, where you can find valuable information on finding the best cure for your bipolar disorder.

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Is My Young Adolescent Child Bipolar?

June 25, 2009 By Eric Putnam 1 Comment

By Ken P Doyle -

Bipolar Children at a very young age have shown symptoms which only later were diagnosed as bipolar. Some have their first symptoms of this illness identified during childhood, and others develop them later in life. This illness can be genetic, especially for those children’s parents who have the illness compared with those whose parents are not with the disease.

Symptoms to Look out for

One of the common signs of this mental illness is the severe mood swings that occur. Their mood swings are so vast that they experience high times followed straight after by low times, calm then extreme anger in a matter of few minutes. Young children with severe mania symptoms are more likely to be bad tempered and liable to destructive tantrums than to be overly happy. They can be terrific children when compliant to their drugs but without their prescribed drug they can get extremely angry and irritable.

Signs to Look out for

This disorder in young ones isn’t easy to diagnose because other problems and emotional changes are occurring within these age groups. While irritability and aggressiveness can indicate the illness, they also can be symptoms of other mental health illness like attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder, oppositional conduct and even defiant disorder. Also found in this age groups are major depression or schizophrenia. Because those at this age are onto drugs, drug abuse can also lead to symptoms close to that of bipolar. Late adolescents have a much closer link to the adult-type episodes and its symptoms than those at a younger age.

Other physical Signs

Those with this disease are moody and irritable and get angry more often than normal. The illness has seen children bad mouth their parents, run away from school, dishonest and disobedient. Their self-esteem, confidence and ambition can take a turn for the worse when they are going through the symptoms.

Words of Advice

Like any other mental disease, [http://knowingbipolardisorder.com/2009/05/symptoms-of-bipolar-and-bipolar-in-children-recognizing-it/]bipolar children disorder is a long-term illness that must be carefully managed throughout a patient’s life. Appropriate diagnosis for those with the disorder is needed for an effective treatment. If your child is showing emotional and behavioral symptoms do not hesitate to let them be evaluated by a mental health professional. On the other hand if they start talking about suicide or become suicidal, take them seriously and refer them to the health specialists in your area.

Ken P Doyle as an advocate for bipolar disorder and has a wealth of knowledge in the field on mental illness. As an advocate he would like to share some FREE information and findings on adolescent bipolar and bipolar children.

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Bipolar Mania Disorder – Triggers to Watch Out For

June 19, 2009 By Eric Putnam Leave a Comment

By Ashish K Arora -

Life becomes miserable for those afflicted with bipolar mania disorder. The mood swings in such people is way beyond the normal mood swings experienced by people. The mood swings in those having bipolar disorder fluctuates between extremely low levels to depression and highs of mania or elated mood. The frequency of the mood changes will vary from one person to another. Although the exact causes for bipolar mania disorder have not yet been established, experts believe that certain personal experiences can trigger of the symptoms.

The triggers, also known as stressors that often lead to mania or depressive episodes include, using drugs or alcohol, not getting enough sleep and sudden stoppage of some medication, among others. Certain medical conditions are also known to cause these triggers. For example bipolar mania disorder is found in more numbers among those suffering from thyroid problems. In some people seasonal changes are known to trigger off the symptoms.

Even holidays to a distant land with different climatic conditions is known to trigger of the symptoms. A disagreement with close friends or family members, which leads to deep depression also ultimately leads to bipolar mania disorder in many people. Work related stress is another trigger that has been the cause of the disorder in many. In today’s hectic and competitive business environment, work related stress is common and in trying to win the rat race, many people end up ruining their physical as well as their mental health.

It is important for you to recognize the triggers if you have been diagnosed with bipolar mania disorder. You can keep a small diary with you always and note down the triggers. You can also ask some of your friends or family members to pay attention to the triggers that lead to mood swings, if you are not able to keep tab on them.

The internet is a good source of information on the various aspects of bipolar mania disorder. You can get to know about the triggers that set of the symptoms by visiting Bipolardisorderuncovered. You can also find useful tips for treating the condition at this online guide.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ashish_K_Arora

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Children With Bipolar Disorder – 13 Tips You Can Start Using Today

June 15, 2009 By Eric Putnam Leave a Comment

By Idriys Muhammad -

Bipolar Disorder is is one the most treatable of all mental illnesses. It consists of three phases:

*     Manic.  The person has an oversupply of confidence and energy, which often leads to reckless behavior.
*     Depression.  The person has little interest in things that are usually enjoyable. They can barely function.
*     Normal moods.  These occur between episodes of mania and depression.  Stressful events and physical illness may trigger depression or mania.

Some guidelines for working with children with Bipolar Disorder are:

1.  Help the child learn to recognize triggers to depression or mania.

2.  Teach coping skills to use when triggers occur, e.g. Talk with a peer when feeling depressed.

3.  Encourage, don’t force, participation in groups or activities.

4.  Listen.  It’s OK to sit in silence: it’s your presence that is important.  Children will talk when they are ready.

5.  Ask about and accept thoughts and feelings.

6.  Be supportive.

7.  Communicate honestly and openly.  Children will be more likely to talk to you about a problem.

8.  Praise what the child does right; don’t focus on what they do wrong.

9.  Set up rules and consequences for breaking them.  Explain them to the child.

10.  Find ways to give the child control over everyday thing things.

11.  Teach positive ways to handle difficult situations.

12.  Make sure the child gets adequate exercise, sleep and a healthy diet.

13.  Be alert during the depressive phase for signs of suicidal ideation.  Always take any signs seriously. And always be sure to treat your child with tenderness, love and compassion, they are carrying such a great burden.

Idriys Muhammad is a mobile therapist by day, delivering quality mental health services to children, youth, families and couples in their homes and in the community. Idriys has worked in the human/social services arena since 1989. He holds a masters in social science. At night, Idriys is the quintessential Internet marketer specializing in teaching people how to rapidly improve their results in marketing their products and/or services. Idriys “Luke” Muhammad has over 19 years experience in sales and marketing and has assisted over 900 client in achieving their sales and marketing goals and objectives. Please click  Children With Bipolar Disorder for more information and solutions.

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Your Bipolar Child – How To Deal With This Challenging Disorder

June 10, 2009 By Eric Putnam Leave a Comment

By Abhishek Agarwal -

Do you recall when your son or daughter were born? Do you remember when you counted his or her little fingers and toes? Then their teenage years hit and they are acting like a maniac. What is this? Where did this person come from? You take him to the doctor and there you learn the news… your child has Bipolar disorder.

It’s not a death sentence, true. But it is still frustrating none the less.  Bipolar Disorder is a severe illness that can be treated. It is recognized by intense swings in energy, mood, behavior and thinking. Believe it or not, what was once your little boy or girl, has always been your little boy or girl. Doctors who study bipolar have said that it can even be seen in infancy and even early childhood.

Most often children who are Bipolar do have ADHD (Attention Defeict Hyperacitivity Disorder). And with everything going on, parents are desperate to obtain information and get support.
Studies have shown 3.4 million children or young adults with depression are actually having an early onslaught of bipolar disorder. Though the manic stage is never experienced.
In children with bipolar disorder there are changes in energy and moods. They also have serious agitation or become elated with he high energy surge. This is called mania. Persistent conditions of irritability/sadness followed by low energy is called depression.

Remember that adults and children vary for how the disease inflicts them. Since children are naturally hormonal, the disease makes it harder for them to control their behavior so ongoing mood disturbances with episodes of depression and mania. It rapidly changes, leaving many to feel chronic irritability.

What some parents say to look out for?

Parents say ome of the signs to look for include:
* lack of play enthusiasm
* rages that are lengthy,explosive and destructive
* seperation anxiety
* bed wetting
* agitation
* night terrors
* extreme sadness
* strong cravings for junk food such as sweets or carbohydrates
* dare-devil behavior
* delusions
* sleeping too little or too much; and
* too much self confidence for which defies logic or laws.

In infants, that were later diagnosed with bipolar, parents reported extreme temper tantrums that would occur with the word “NO”. Even to those that seemed like common sense, save your lives “nos”.

In children, bipolar disorder can be triggered by an event that’s very tramatic for them which sets off either the manic high or manic depression. Later on, the episodes can come about on their own when they are stressed out. Puberty is a major risk factor for the illness especially when girls have their menstrual cycle. Studies have shown a parents’ lack of treating their child can have the disorder disrupt life for another 10 years before anything is done. It is in the parents and child’s best interest to undergo an evaluation if there seems to be four or more symptoms present.

Teens who have this disease and are left untreated can be lead towards drugs and alcohol. Teenagers who seemed “normal” up until their recent years and are suddenly experiencing onsets of the disease are also more inclined to do drugs and alcohol. Environmental factors as well as genetics influence the illness.

With early preventions or treatments, children have the ability and the chances of getting well, while achieving stability and enjoy life as “normal” children typically do. With aqequate and the right treatment adverse effects are greatly reduced.

Studies are still being done to explore children’ characteristics with the illness. So far reports have been promising in the safety and its effectiveness for both children and adults.

Abhishek has got some great Bipolar Disorder Treatment Secrets up his sleeve! Download his FREE 97 Pages Ebook, Understanding And Treating Bipolar Disorders! from his website http://www.Health-Whiz.com/69/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

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Children With Bipolar Disorder – How To Diagnose And Treat Kids

June 1, 2009 By Eric Putnam Leave a Comment

By Abhishek Agarwal -

Bipolar disorder was once only seen in adults but studies are showing children also get the manic depressive illness. The only issue is many of the kids are being diagnosed as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) Though now many researchers and doctors are realizing that bipolar is rearing its ugly self in childhood along in adolescence.

The early the diagnosis is made in children, the better their chances of having successful treatments and living inhibited lives that would otherwise be full of chaos. It seems though that anything doing with children is full of controversy. Medicating children with bipolar is not without its debates. Many doctors feel with medication (which is given first) along with talk therapy will work. However, many parents along with psychologists disagree with this method.

It seems that as soon as parents realize their child is on medication that the child loses some of his or her personality.. a sense of who they are that parents seem to love. It’s not true actually. Anytime a person is medicated or overly medicated, they do not lose a sense of who they are. However, it can be said that medications can make some children “spacey” or just plain “out of it”. This of course causes concern among the parents and doctors, making them questions if medicine is actually necessary and if the child is better off without any.

An effective therapy for children is play therapy especially for children with bipolar disorder. These children tend to live better childhoods. Play therapy typically places the child in certain “pretend” situations where they must have a logically and emotionally healthy solution.  Play therapy is good for some children but not so good in others. In certain bipolar children, the mood swings are so strong that the child cannot control both their emotional reactions and other actions to situations.

A new therapy being introduced is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The therapy centers on the patient learning to recognize bipolar symptoms, what triggers it and inappropriate behaviors that go along with it. It also comes up with alternatives to that “bad” behavior. This therapy allows the patient to discover for themselves what they can do to avoid manic or depressive episodes and how to effectively manage it. For adults, this is a good option… for children, however, it is still quite new. This therapy does work well with medicine therapy.

Cognitive therapy requires some level of resolving crisis and vital thinking that does not occur in children typically. For that reason, it is not used a lot in children under certain age guidelines and their maturity level. Some researchers say if the cognitive and behavioral therapy had some changes and were geared toward children, that it could work. This can prove difficult to do however.

No matter the end result, childhood treatment options should be discussed with their doctor, psychiatrists, psychologists, parents and teachers to come up with a livable and realistic treatment. Every person that child comes into contact should be aware of the process in order for it to be triumphant. Should they have concerns about what kind of effects it will have on the child or they see a difference in a bad result, they need to speak up when necessary. Parents should also not be afraid to change doctors if they feel their child is not getting the care and attention they need. The goal behind treatment is to get the child to live in society and function “normally” as the law says.

Abhishek has got some great Bipolar Disorder Treatment Secrets up his sleeve! Download his FREE 97 Pages Ebook, Understanding And Treating Bipolar Disorders! from his website http://www.Health-Whiz.com/69/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

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