Many parents wrongly believe that teenagers cannot have bipolar disorder. This myth is prevalent because parents believe that symptoms of bipolar disorder are just normal teenage mood swings. As a parent or guardian, you should recognize the early signs of bipolar disorder. This will enable you to seek professional help for your teenager.
This article seeks to provide guidance about bipolar disorder in teens. It will explore the causes and symptoms of this mental health condition. Additionally, it will provide parents with the criteria for diagnosing bipolar in teenagers. If you need clarification about any points in this article or are seeking immediate professional help, contact NexStep Teen Academy. We will happily guide you through our treatment programs and services.
Can Teens Develop Bipolar Disorder?
Did you know that most adults with bipolar disorder were diagnosed when they were teenagers? According to statistics, the onset of 50% of mental health conditions occurs by the age of 14. 75% of all lifetime mental illnesses occur by the time your child turns 24. These statistics show that teenagers are at a higher risk of developing mental health conditions.
As a parent or guardian, do not be fooled by the misconception that bipolar disorder does not affect teenagers. Bipolar I is more likely to affect teenagers between the ages of 15 to 25. Studies show that bipolar I is 53% as likely to manifest after 15 years. It is 28% as likely to develop in teens between 12 and 15. This shows an increased likelihood of the development of bipolar in teenagers.
Causes and Risk Factors of Bipolar Disorder in Teens
Genetics plays a key role in the development of mental health conditions. This means that if your teen has a first-level relative with bipolar, they are likely to develop this condition. Very little is known about the genes responsible for the onset of bipolar disorder. However, studies suggest that small variations or mutations in various genes may cause bipolar. These studies also show a correlation between genes responsible for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This is why teens experiencing manic episodes may develop psychosis.
Biological Factors
Chemical imbalances in the brain may cause your teen’s bipolar. It is believed that imbalances in norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine may cause bipolar in teens. Since bipolar is a mood disorder, it is likely that issues with serotonin and norepinephrine receptors may cause this condition. Additionally, dopamine receptors may also play a role in the development of psychosis.
Environmental and Lifestyle Triggers
Triggers such as the death of a family member may lead to the onset of bipolar disorder. It is also believed that childhood trauma can be linked to bipolar. More studies need to be conducted to ascertain the causes of bipolar.
Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions
Bipolar disorder may occur in teens with other conditions like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is also commonly misdiagnosed as depression. Similarly, substance use disorder may lead to the onset of bipolar. When teenagers use drugs that induce hallucinations, it may trigger symptoms of bipolar.
Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder in Teens
Diagnosing bipolar disorder in teenagers requires three distinct steps. These include the following:
Conducting a Physical Exam
First, your teen’s doctor needs to be satisfied that no physical ailments are responsible for your teen’s symptoms. They will conduct various physical examinations and lab tests. If the tests do not reveal any physical issues, your teen can undergo a mental health assessment.
Mental Health Assessment
At this stage, your teen will be referred to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist will talk to your teen about their symptoms and underlying issues. They will do an in-depth analysis of your teen’s thoughts, feelings, and behavioral patterns. This interview is used to ascertain whether your teen meets the diagnostic criteria provided in the DSM-V. Your teen may also receive a bipolar screening through the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ).
The mental health assessment may also require your participation. You will be asked about your teen’s medical history and any mental health challenges within your family.
Mood Charting
To avoid misdiagnoses, a mood chart is necessary. It enables your teen to keep a daily record of their moods. Because your teen will log their mood over an extended period, it will help rule out major depression.
The necessary criteria for the diagnosis of bipolar I is a manic episode. It may be followed or preceded by a depressive or hypomanic state.
During a manic episode, teens need to have abnormally high energy levels with elevated and expansive moods. They become goal-oriented and try to achieve all their goals. This state should last for over a week and must be present almost every day.
Three or more of the following symptoms need to be present during a manic episode:
Grandiosity and elevated self-confidence
Restlessness and a decreased need for sleep
Talkativeness
Racing thoughts
Becoming easily distracted
Becoming increasingly goal-oriented
Engaging in risky behaviors
Your teen’s elevated mood should sufficiently impair their daily life
The elevated mood is not attributable to any drugs or medication
Diagnostic Criteria for Bipolar II
Bipolar II diagnostic criteria require your teen to have never experienced a manic episode. The following are its criteria:
At least one hypomanic and depressive episode.
No mania.
The symptoms of bipolar II should not be explainable using other conditions, such as schizophrenia.
Depressive episodes should significantly impair your teen’s daily functioning.
Treatment and Management of Bipolar Disorder in Teens
Teen bipolar disorder can be treated in a variety of ways. These include the following:
Medication
Teen bipolar disorder is a serious mental health condition. Although psychotherapy is the primary treatment for many mental illnesses, bipolar disorder requires medication to prevent future episodes. The most common medications include the following:
Mood stabilizers: These medications prevent episodes of mania and depression. This allows teenagers to continue with their daily lives without a hitch. Lithium is the most popular mood stabilizer for bipolar disorder. Other medications include carbamazepine, valproic acid, and lamotrigine.
Antipsychotics: Antipsychotics such as risperidone, aripiprazole, and olanzapine are also used to treat mania-induced psychosis.
Anti-anxiety medications: Benzodiazepines are used by many doctors to treat bipolar. However, they are not the primary form of medication used for bipolar.
Antidepressants: Antidepressants like lumateperone and lusidone have been shown to be effective in treating bipolar depression.
A combination of antidepressants and antipsychotics: Symbyax, a mixture of fluoxetine and olanzapine, is a good drug for treating both mania and depression.
Therapy and Counseling
Psychotherapy interventions like CBT and IPSRT are effective in managing bipolar disorder. CBT teaches your teen to replace negative thoughts with more positive ones. This helps reduce negative behavioral patterns caused by manic and depressive episodes. Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) assists your teen in creating a steady and consistent daily routine. This routine prevents negative behavioral patterns such as not sleeping or sleeping too much.
Treatment of Bipolar Disorder at NexStep Teen Academy
Treatment of bipolar disorder requires a comprehensive approach. It also requires patience and perseverance. At NexStep Teen Academy, we employ a compassionate approach to treating teens with bipolar disorder.
Our staff is highly qualified and experienced in working with teenagers. We understand your teen’s needs and strive to improve their mental health outcomes. Our outpatient services ensure your teen receives high-quality treatment without disrupting their daily routine. We offer outpatient, teen intensive outpatient, and teen partial hospitalization programsas part of our treatment plans. This caters to varying levels of care required by each teen.
If you require further information about our bipolar disorder treatment services, contact us today.
Bipolar disorder can affect anyone. It can be diagnosed at any age. Although it can be diagnosed in children, it is most commonly diagnosed in teenagers above 12 years old.
Normal teenage mood swings are sudden changes to a teen’s mood. They last for a few hours and do not significantly disrupt a teen’s life. On the other hand, bipolar disorder is an intense and chronic shift in mood that can last for days, weeks, or even months. Teenagers with bipolar usually shift from depressive to manic or hypomanic episodes. Bipolar disorder significantly impairs a teen’s day-to-day life.
Can Teens Have Bipolar Disorder?
Table of Contents
Many parents wrongly believe that teenagers cannot have bipolar disorder. This myth is prevalent because parents believe that symptoms of bipolar disorder are just normal teenage mood swings. As a parent or guardian, you should recognize the early signs of bipolar disorder. This will enable you to seek professional help for your teenager.
This article seeks to provide guidance about bipolar disorder in teens. It will explore the causes and symptoms of this mental health condition. Additionally, it will provide parents with the criteria for diagnosing bipolar in teenagers. If you need clarification about any points in this article or are seeking immediate professional help, contact NexStep Teen Academy. We will happily guide you through our treatment programs and services.
Can Teens Develop Bipolar Disorder?
Did you know that most adults with bipolar disorder were diagnosed when they were teenagers? According to statistics, the onset of 50% of mental health conditions occurs by the age of 14. 75% of all lifetime mental illnesses occur by the time your child turns 24. These statistics show that teenagers are at a higher risk of developing mental health conditions.
As a parent or guardian, do not be fooled by the misconception that bipolar disorder does not affect teenagers. Bipolar I is more likely to affect teenagers between the ages of 15 to 25. Studies show that bipolar I is 53% as likely to manifest after 15 years. It is 28% as likely to develop in teens between 12 and 15. This shows an increased likelihood of the development of bipolar in teenagers.
Causes and Risk Factors of Bipolar Disorder in Teens
Like many other mental health conditions, bipolar disorder is caused by a combination of factors. These include the following:
Genetics
Genetics plays a key role in the development of mental health conditions. This means that if your teen has a first-level relative with bipolar, they are likely to develop this condition. Very little is known about the genes responsible for the onset of bipolar disorder. However, studies suggest that small variations or mutations in various genes may cause bipolar. These studies also show a correlation between genes responsible for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This is why teens experiencing manic episodes may develop psychosis.
Biological Factors
Chemical imbalances in the brain may cause your teen’s bipolar. It is believed that imbalances in norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine may cause bipolar in teens. Since bipolar is a mood disorder, it is likely that issues with serotonin and norepinephrine receptors may cause this condition. Additionally, dopamine receptors may also play a role in the development of psychosis.
Environmental and Lifestyle Triggers
Triggers such as the death of a family member may lead to the onset of bipolar disorder. It is also believed that childhood trauma can be linked to bipolar. More studies need to be conducted to ascertain the causes of bipolar.
Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions
Bipolar disorder may occur in teens with other conditions like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is also commonly misdiagnosed as depression. Similarly, substance use disorder may lead to the onset of bipolar. When teenagers use drugs that induce hallucinations, it may trigger symptoms of bipolar.
Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder in Teens
Diagnosing bipolar disorder in teenagers requires three distinct steps. These include the following:
Conducting a Physical Exam
First, your teen’s doctor needs to be satisfied that no physical ailments are responsible for your teen’s symptoms. They will conduct various physical examinations and lab tests. If the tests do not reveal any physical issues, your teen can undergo a mental health assessment.
Mental Health Assessment
At this stage, your teen will be referred to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist will talk to your teen about their symptoms and underlying issues. They will do an in-depth analysis of your teen’s thoughts, feelings, and behavioral patterns. This interview is used to ascertain whether your teen meets the diagnostic criteria provided in the DSM-V. Your teen may also receive a bipolar screening through the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ).
The mental health assessment may also require your participation. You will be asked about your teen’s medical history and any mental health challenges within your family.
Mood Charting
To avoid misdiagnoses, a mood chart is necessary. It enables your teen to keep a daily record of their moods. Because your teen will log their mood over an extended period, it will help rule out major depression.
Diagnostic Criteria for Bipolar Disorder in Teens
The diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder are categorized into two. These include the following:
Diagnostic Criteria for Bipolar I
The necessary criteria for the diagnosis of bipolar I is a manic episode. It may be followed or preceded by a depressive or hypomanic state.
Diagnostic Criteria for Bipolar II
Bipolar II diagnostic criteria require your teen to have never experienced a manic episode. The following are its criteria:
Treatment and Management of Bipolar Disorder in Teens
Teen bipolar disorder can be treated in a variety of ways. These include the following:
Medication
Teen bipolar disorder is a serious mental health condition. Although psychotherapy is the primary treatment for many mental illnesses, bipolar disorder requires medication to prevent future episodes. The most common medications include the following:
Therapy and Counseling
Psychotherapy interventions like CBT and IPSRT are effective in managing bipolar disorder. CBT teaches your teen to replace negative thoughts with more positive ones. This helps reduce negative behavioral patterns caused by manic and depressive episodes. Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) assists your teen in creating a steady and consistent daily routine. This routine prevents negative behavioral patterns such as not sleeping or sleeping too much.
Treatment of Bipolar Disorder at NexStep Teen Academy
Treatment of bipolar disorder requires a comprehensive approach. It also requires patience and perseverance. At NexStep Teen Academy, we employ a compassionate approach to treating teens with bipolar disorder.
Our staff is highly qualified and experienced in working with teenagers. We understand your teen’s needs and strive to improve their mental health outcomes. Our outpatient services ensure your teen receives high-quality treatment without disrupting their daily routine. We offer outpatient, teen intensive outpatient, and teen partial hospitalization programs as part of our treatment plans. This caters to varying levels of care required by each teen.
If you require further information about our bipolar disorder treatment services, contact us today.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Bipolar disorder can affect anyone. It can be diagnosed at any age. Although it can be diagnosed in children, it is most commonly diagnosed in teenagers above 12 years old.
Normal teenage mood swings are sudden changes to a teen’s mood. They last for a few hours and do not significantly disrupt a teen’s life. On the other hand, bipolar disorder is an intense and chronic shift in mood that can last for days, weeks, or even months. Teenagers with bipolar usually shift from depressive to manic or hypomanic episodes. Bipolar disorder significantly impairs a teen’s day-to-day life.
Manic and depressive episodes can last for days or weeks. Depressive episodes are more intense and can last for months or years.
Bipolar disorder is a lifetime mental illness. It has no cure. However, it can be managed through medication and psychotherapy.