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You know this had to be here somewhere. I myself have struggled with Manic- Depression (also known as Bipolar Mood Disorder)for 20 years now, since I was 11 years old. My own daughter, now 12, has been diagnosed with Manic-Depression, Type B. She has yet to develop the full-blown Mania, but since she was detected early and is now undergoing drug therapy, she may never have to suffer from it.Did you know that teenagers, as young as my daughter could be afflicted with a "mental disorder"? Yes! Of course they can! And the worst part is, most of their families, schools and community don't, or won't recognise it. And, when caught at early most never have to suffer from the long-term effects of psychosis and long-term disability in adulthood (where I'm at right now).
My goal for this page is to help out anyone, teen or adult, who may be at wits' end trying to deal with the cyclical madness. I have a small checklist that you can go over, then I will add on, as I find them, every resource link I can find.
Teenagers with manic-depressive illness have an ongoing combination of extremely high (manic) and low (depressive) moods. Highs may alternate with lows, or the person may feel both extremes at close to the same time. Professionals also refer to manic-depression as bipolsr mood disorder.Manic-depressive illness usually starts in adult life, before the age of 35. Although uncommon in young children, it does occur in teenagers. This illness can affect anyone. However, if one or both parents have manic-depressive illness, the chances are greater that their children will develop the disorder. Manic-depressive illness may begin with manic or depressive sysmptoms. The manic symptoms include:
- severe changes in mood compared to others of the same age and background- either unusually happy or silly, or very irritable;
- unrealistic highs in self-esteem- for example, a teenager who feels specially connected to God;
- great energy increase and the ability to go with little or no sleep for days without feeling tired;
- increased talking- the adolescent talks too much, too fast, changes topics too quickly, and cannot be interrupted;
- distractibility- the teen's attention moves constantly from one thing to the next;
- high risk-taking behaviour, such as jumping off a roof with the belief that this will not cause injury.
The depressive symptoms include:
- persistant sadness, frequent crying, depression;
- loss of enjoyment in favourite activities;
- frequent complaints of physical illness such as headaches or stomach aches;
- low energy level, poor concentration, complaints of boredom;
- major change in eating or sleeping patterns, such as oversleeping or overeating.
Some of these signs are similar to those that occur in teenagers with other problems such as drug abuse, delinquency, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or even schizophrenia. The diagnosis can only be made with careful observation over an extended period of time. A thorough evaluation by a child and adolescent psychiatrist can be helpful in identifying the problems, manic-depressive or other, and starting specific treatment.
Teenagers with manic-depressive illness can be effectively treated. Effective treatment for manic-depressive illness usually includes education of the patient and the family about the illness, mood stabilizing medication such as lithium, and psychotherapy. Lithium often reduces the number and severity of manic episodes, and also helps to prevent depression. Psychotherapy helps the teenager understand himself or herself, adapt to stresses, rebuild self-esteem, and improve relationships.
This "Facts For Families" is developed and distributed by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Please send requests to:
- Public Information, P.O. BOX 96106, Washington D.C, 20090-6106.
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