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Most parents learn the art of parenting skills before their very first child. These parents are taught beforehand but when their child is met with a symptoms they do not know or understand, most parents press the panic button. Believing that it is an attitude problem that must be controlled whatever the cost, verbally or physically abusing their child. Bipolar symptoms may come out gradually or appear suddenly in a child with known cases of bipolar children diagnosed as young as age 5.

Not in the Definition

Intensive research has been done on this mental illness. We are just starting to know more about this illness and also understand that children and adolescents can contract bipolar disorder without reason. This bipolar disease can be defined as, the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated mood referred to as mania or, if milder, hypo mania. But with some severe mood swings the textbook definition does not fit because they do not have a distinct episodes or clear periods of wellness between each mood swings. Those doing researching have not come to a decision yet whether children with chronic annoyance and clear mood swings, but without mania symptoms, should come under the name bipolar.

Only Coming to Light

Little is known about children and adolescent bipolar, because when the DSM-IV was first published in 1994, the entire focus was on adult-symptoms. It was only later that intensive research developments in every area of science, especially the brain, have answered many old questions and opened doors to new questions which was not even thought of before. While on the surface the visible symptoms happen to be behavioral; however, this illness sometimes has less visible, but serious, mental, chemical reactions, and heart effects.

Why Its Difficult to Diagnose

Accompanied by other psychiatric disorder symptoms, the disorder does not affect every child in the same way because it is a neurodevelopment disorder. This means that parts of the brain mature at different rates and times and some brain maturation are not complete until children reach 25 years or so. Consequently, it is a known fact that symptoms and diagnosis of a psychiatric illness may change as the child grows. Doctors have found it difficult to have an accurate diagnosis of a child or teen presenting with severely troubled behaviors, which is perhaps the most problematic issue facing families today.

The Truth

We must all be looking at the bright side of things. Those researching into childrens and adolescent illness is ongoing and have realized that, while bipolar has been managed in some people there is presently no cure for the disorder. We can only hope that genetic discoveries will add light to more accurate diagnosing, better treatments, and perhaps a cure for this mystery illness. Our only advise to all parents that they must always, expect the best but prepare for the worst, because not every child will react the same way on medication. The truth is what works for some may not work for others.

Be Prepared

Families with children or adolescent who have the disorder must expect the unexpected and learn where the road ahead may lead. They must develop strategies and emergency plans while staying flexible and positive in the present. And finally, try to network with other parents, because it may be the only way of keeping you sane.

In a lot of cultures, there is the nasty stigma that is stuck to the phrase “mental illness, bipolar victim or I’m a psycho.” When people hear you have a “mental illness” or tell them you are a bipolar!” the reaction can be shown in their eyes and then their body language which will be slightly tense and tend to back away. There have been cases with people whom you consider to be friends let you know that they cannot handle a person with the illness and leave. But, there are those who will stick by your side through the nightmares and the tantrums which can come in anytime. These are true friends who will stay in there to help in those difficult of times.

Trying to Live the Symptoms

Bipolar children tell us that besides the wave of emotions they are experiencing in the last several years or months, they also have great friends, a wonderful family, a place to call their own, have their wonderful rooms, pets and a wonderful boyfriend who loves them. But, even having all these they find little joy. There is a lot of energy trying to deal with anything. Little things such as the simple smiles, the eating, picking up the phone can take a lot out of them. This is a sure sign they are slowly sliding downward toward the murky and dark depths of depression when this happens.

Other Signs

Many bipolar children prefer to keep to themselves in their home or in a classroom environment, because there are hardly any good friends to talk to or even lend a listening ear to. Most of these adolescent children would prefer to go into their own little world and forget everyone and everything around them. In school they would not eat, play and interact with the other children. Learning and paying attention to what the teacher is saying in the classroom can be very difficult because their brain is not in focus. Its like trying to fly a kite northward but the kite is going southwards because the wind is taking it that way. It is because the mind is in control and the situation is beyond their power.

True Test of Friendship

Probably none of your friends knows what its like to be a young adolescent with bipolar symptoms until they go through the same experience. The experience of depression, hospitalization, suicidal contemplation, loss of energy, staying in the room for days only leaving to use the toilet or to go to school is not a nice thing for both the sufferer and the people who care about them. A true friend will not only know that these are happening, but they will seek help either in a mental hospital or be referred for diagnoses and find out more about bipolar medication. If you have one or two good friends stick by them because you will always have somebody to turn to.

A Really Good Friend

A good friend indeed who will eventually save your life is a person who stays by your side through thick and thin even when your family cannot handle your symptoms.

Some terminologies used by people to call bipolar are a medical condition or morbidity, bipolar disease, bipolar illness, bipolar disorder and bipolar symptoms.

Disease what is?

The meaning of a disease according the English Dictionary, A pathological or medical condition of mind or body, A disease which is infectious has the presence of pathogenic microbial agents, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, prions which are a known abnormal protein protozoa and multicellular parasites. Not considered a disease if an infection does not cause a clinicall impairment of normal functioning. Of all forms of non infectious disease the most popular are cancer, disease caused by genes and heart disease.

Clinically Impaired

Even during periods of symptom remission, one of the most obvious signs and growing evidence of adolescents hit with bipolar disease is the mental impairments. Not as severe Bipolar disease falls in the impairments category like Alzheimer dementia and schizophrenia.

Cognitive impairment

It is unclear how common cognitive impairment among adolescent bipolar diseases occurs. A big number of patients complain of neuropsychological problems (a psychological processes and overt behaviors linked to the brain). Because adolescent bipolar sufferers do not complain of cognitive or mental problems, there is a possibility that neuropsychological impairments may be more widespread than our experience suggests.

Time for Bipolar Episodes

There is no time frame for each episode of bipolar. Each person will experience this ongoing illness differently which can go from manic to calm to depressive to calm again. For some it can be 2 days manic than 3 to 4 weeks all good calm and normal and 5 days depressing and 1 week of calm and normal again. Other Individuals can experience periods of double or mixed episodes in which symptoms of depression and mania are either present, or a person may transit from one episode to the next without a symptom-free period. This bipolar disease can last from a few minutes to one whole year with some experiencing “normalcy”, which is a lack of problematic symptoms.

Important Guidelines

1 . Alcohol: because it can inflate bipolar you must take great care.

2. Promiscuity: high to very high sexual libido especially when in the manic episode.

3. Medication: It is not easy for doctors to find the right combination of drugs ” do not be disheartened.

4. Suicidal: When thinking of suicide ” for them it is the best and the only option.

5. Forcing: Always be gentle with bipolar patients ” forcing them to do something they do not want can be catastrophic.

6. Clarity: be really clear with your doctor about what symptoms are bothering you for them to address and diagnose it properly.

Heart Breaking

A lot of people with adolescent bipolar disease have to be amazingly strong because many mental health conditions can overlap. The darkness that sometimes wells up out of people struggling with bipolar illness can be a big challenge. For families with bipolar children their hopes, dreams and love with someone like this can be really sad. And then watching the person you love melt away and replaced by a completely different stranger can be disheartening.

Final Words

Bipolar can be controlled successfully and those suffering from the disease and their families must have excess to a support network in those difficult times. Most of the time if medication is taken as prescribed patients can live a normal life without adding stress to families or a partner.

A lot of individuals are still being misdiagnosed with bipolar medication which has led to high levels of both under diagnosed and misdiagnosed patients, this despite the increased focus on the disorder and the use of support groups to cater for the social aspects of victims, this according to the, 2005 American Journal of Managed Care. Receiving timely and adequate treatment is often hard for victims with the illness when this happens. A good treatment of the disorder can be given if an accurate and early diagnoses of the problem is identified.

Gaining Weight

Many patients with this mental illness have been caught by surprise and have complained that some medications are making them gain weight. In gaining weight, patients can put on 20 pounds or 10 kilograms in a matter of a few weeks or months. In one year they can put on a total of 60 pounds which there was no prior warning by doctors or psychiatrists. Working against the intended result of medication treatments this weight gain is caused by certain medication. These extra weights on the body add negative feelings of low self-esteem, and depression which happens to be symptoms of bipolar depression. Because there is no alternative a lot of victims may have no choice but to take this medicine because they are able to manage their bipolar.

Some X Factors

Treating this Mental illness successfully depends on many things:

Being given the right medicines.

Having the right dosages.

A good medical doctor who knows what they are doing - with a good working relationship.

A good, supportive and warm counselor.

A good family and a supportive support group.

A well balanced lifestyle with lots of exercise.

Wake times and regular sleep is very important.

Other Types of Help

Those with bipolar have to learn the hard way, they have to learn that medications are just one part of helping them get better. The use of medicine is just a part of the recovery process, however there is a lot that a patient must do to help oneself. Other treatments beside medication are available like therapies and a support network beginning from the immediate family.

Support Group and Why

Bipolar depression phase brings isolation which can be worse than the illness. During the manic phase, people can lose friends and because of their horrific attitude tend to chase away people. Added to all these is the stigma, the shame, the deprivation of meaningful human contact the illness brings. Their social skills or the ability to react with one another can also be robbed which may be disastrous.

Learning to Cope

A good survival tool which you can pick up in a support group is learning to cope. Other victims or those in bipolar support groups can teach you valuable information on avoiding mistakes made by others. There are successful patients who are compliant with their medication who can lay claim to getting moral and other social support from a support group. Sometimes in this gatherings a simple advice like a good nights sleep, taking your bipolar medicine diligently or just having a break is all that is needed to change those bad habits.

When faced with bipolar mania in children who are out of control on a daily basis can bring heartache, frustrations and the feeling of giving up. When others quickly judge and tell them that they as parents are to blame for the prolonged suffering can break many hearts especially when parents are trying their best. Many families because of their great love for their child can do anything just to make them feel better. But because all are ill prepared their actions in trying to control the child can add more to the problem.

Other Symptoms

Psychological in experience but biological in nature, bipolar is a brain illness that distorts moods, destroys rational thoughts and provokes frightening behaviors. In children with bipolar other symptoms not related to bipolar can show its symptoms which can add confusion to doctors and stress to the child.

C

Many people would say that medicine and therapy is the first treatment of children with bipolar mania. That is not so; They must understand that the mind is the first thing that must be changed or they will find themselves swimming against the current in trying to raise their young bipolar child. At times when a child is at his/her prolonged and aggressive temper and outbursts keeping cool is important. Your child is just obeying the brain and trying to stop them would be a big mistake. The child or caregivers should be in an environment that is safe for everybody and they must not talk them out of the situation.

Reward Your Child

Parents have felt sad, confused, and angry and literally being ripped apart by their bipolar child’s wild behaviors. Many families have opted for physical punishment, others just throw in verbal insults which makes the situation worse. The physical punishments include hitting the child to taking away certain privileges. But one of the most effective of all is rewarding your child by something they like. Punishment is not a good option. Reward your child with something like this; If you take your medication all week we’ll go to the zoo to watch your favorite dolphin over the weekend. If you are faithful in one month, we’ll buy your favorite cartoon. And after one year you are still faithful with your prescribed drugs, I’ll buy you a bicycle of your choice. And so forth. Try anything that works best for your child BUT DON’T HIT.

Just Acting Out

Affecting the brain bipolar is a manic-depressive illness which causes unusual shifts in a child’s mood, energy, and their ability to function normally. This is different from the normal ups and downs that children go through but in children with the disorder it is stronger.

Be Careful

Do Not Hit your child. If you are doing this please seek counseling or other forms of help support because you may be a danger to your child.

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depressive illness, is a serious mood disorder that affects approximately one percent of Americans. Though many people focus on the depressive episodes associated with the illness, it’s important to note that bipolar mania requires just as much attention and support.

Symptoms of Bipolar Mania and What are they.

A lot of people experience bipolar mania also described as “hyper active.Mania, the opposite of depression with its common symptoms as increased energy, decreased need for sleep, rapid speech, euphoria, hypersexuality and impulsiveness.

Another symptom that is common but not always noticeable by family and friends is racing thoughts, which can be disjointed. This causes the patient to be easily distracted, even by things that seem very unimportant. This distractedness can often be seen in the conversations people have with those suffering from bipolar mania. The patient will jump from topic to topic quickly, or make “clang associations,” which is the association of words based on how they sound.

Patients with bipolar mania are impulsive and with impaired judgment do not think about the consequences of their actions. Endangering others, patients can lead reckless and risky behaviors. In helping people, treat and manage bipolar it is important they be linked to a support group.

What Support is Available for Bipolar Mania?

Those struggling with bipolar mania, benefit a lot from support groups helping him/her put feelings, decisions, and thoughts into proper perspective. Usually in addition to seeing a psychiatrist or counselor on a regular basis, bipolar support groups are incorporated into the regular psychotherapy for the treatment of manic depressive illness.

Led by a counselor or psychiatrist who facilitates meetings, gets patients talking, and offers expert advice about comments and questions that come up, bipolar support groups are a great “sounding board” for patients. It is a place where they are reminded about many of the decisions they’re making are because of the illness and not of how they are feeling.

People with bipolar depression can get the support they want, but because they feel “good” when at the manic episode, they don’t want to seek the support they need, and this can be just as dangerous as not getting help when feeling depressed. Great resources can be offered by bipolar support groups to those with bipolar mania or depression episodes.

Where Can I Get More Information?

There’s lots of information available online about bipolar mania and bipolar support groups. One very valuable website is knowingbipolardisorder.com, which is an authority on educating the public about manic depressive illness. The site covers a variety of topics helpful to patients, as well as their friends and family, cope with the disease, including specific articles about bipolar mania and bipolar support groups.

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

There are common signs of this mental illness like severe mood swings. These mood swings are so vast that the experience can be high followed straight after by low, calm then extreme anger in a matter of few minutes. Young children with severe manic symptoms get bad tempered and liable to destructive tantrums and be overly happy in one breath. These children can be terrific when compliant to their drugs but without their prescribed drug they can get extremely angry and bad tempered.

Other Signs

Trying to diagnose children s bipolar can be quite difficult because of other problems and emotional changes occurring within these age groups. Bad temper and hostile or forceful behavior can indicate the illness; but they can also be symptoms of other mental health illness like oppositional conduct, attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder and even defiant disorder. Schizophrenia or depression can also be found in these age groups. Drug abuse can also lead to symptoms close to that of bipolar. As you get older in adolescents you have a much closer link to the adult-type episodes and its symptoms than those at a younger adolescent age.

Physical Signs

Those with this disease can be ill-tempered and crabby and get angry more often than normal. The illness has seen children use profane languages to their parents and everybody around them, do not want to go to school, are dishonest and disobedient. When depressed their self-esteem, confidence and ambition can turn upside down.

Final Words

Bipolar disorder is a long-term illness like any other mental disease, which must be carefully managed throughout a patients whole life. Suitable diagnosis for those with the disorder is needed for a productive treatment. Do not hesitate to let them be evaluated by a mental health professional if your child is showing emotional and behavioral symptoms. Take them seriously and refer them to the health specialists in your area if they start talking about suicide or become suicidal, because it is better to be late in their diagnosis than to be sorry for not acting.

Especially when little things get blown out of proportion, it is so hard being a parent living with bipolar in children and you as parents are unable to cope. We can only admire, shake and bow our head on these great families who are hanging in there despite the difficult circumstances. For parents it is a test of the will and love for their young bipolar disorder child. Someday your children will realize all the sacrifices and support you have put in and this will give them extra strength to keep on living.

School Problems

Parents usually arrange home school teachers or alternative schools for bipolar children with special classes for those of high academic potential. One of the biggest problem with bipolar children is because they are uncontrollable and so branded bad kids who are always getting into trouble. While some children want to continue on their education, a lot of teachers are just not willing to cater for these children. Schools have to act on what it deems best for their students and that is the fact. Because of the uncertainty of their attitude bipolar affected children are not accepted everywhere especially among their schools mates.

Never boring

Around bipolar disorder children, they say that there is never a dull moment. They act out their bipolar disorder symptoms with visible signs by way of words or actions which can take everyone by surprise. These children can be in high phase one minute and down to low the next. Just about everything and anything can turn their emotions. When they are angry they can hold anything, throw at others and threaten others or themselves. And straight after their anger they will apologize. The other trademarks is being defiant to any kind of leadership and words such as; what will you do about it when they are asked to stop doing what they are doing can be heard. Teachers in school have experienced children telling them that they know better.

Comorbidity

Is when two symptoms show themselves as similar but one of them is not bipolar. There can be two disorders experienced at the same time, one of which is bipolar and the other similar yet hard to pinpoint.

When Misdiagnosed

We can actually prevent children from having medications and treatments when we call somebody bipolar who are not. Withholding appropriate treatment that will make them sick much longer if they are not diagnosed in time.

Having Right Diagnosis

A good doctor should spend enough time with parents, finding out the different bipolar disorder symptoms and all the other comorbidities, given all the complexities of this disease. The child should be given time to air their feelings. Teachers or psychologists should be asked for past and current evaluations. Because it can be several months to one year in order for the doctors to say with confidence that your child has bipolar disorder symptoms, you may have to see those doctors more than once.

When we talk about bipolar most of us are not familiar with the different stages of the illness. Bipolar is divided according to the symptoms and the severity of the disorder. According to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, accompanied by at least one hypomania or elevated mood, Bipolar 2 or type 2 disorders comprise of one or more highly persistent depressions. The key differences between type 2 from one is that the former reaches only the level of hypomania but not the mania episodes. If you happen to have severe manic episodes you are probably in category one level.

Not Easy

Bipolar is not an easy illness to diagnose because its boundaries are extremely large. Doctors can be confused about the different symptoms they come across. With some patient, they can go from mixed feelings to mania. In actual fact a lot of people can go from type 1 to 2 without fitting into either. With the wrong diagnosis patients can be under or over medicated making them look weak and debilitated. Very important to get the right treatment for any victim.

Hypomania Symptoms

The negative thing about hypomania is that it is a part of bipolar disorder and can shift to either a full manic state or depression cycle. These patients do not get themselves into the kind of serious trouble that a bipolar mania do. They tend to call attention to themselves with behavior that hovers on the edge of being unacceptable. People with the symptom can be very pleasant people to be with, highly humorous and entertaining but they can quickly be irritating and hostile. Being around a hypo manic person for very long is fatiguing or distressful.

Rating yourself using a Chart

Try and rate yourself every chance you get with a mood chart say from 10 to 1, 10 is the high of the highest (mania) and one being lowest of low (depression). The number 5 is when you’re feeling normal and not experiencing either depression or mania. Only rate yourself at least once a day when your mind is clear and also important to take note of what medication you took and at what time of the day because like most bipolar patients it can be hard to remember. Rating your mood swings 2 to 3 times a day can be ideal for the doctors to have an idea of where your mood is swinging. Always look for past behaviors compared to the ones you’re going through. Keep up your mood chart for a while say 4 to 5 days and the result can be given to your doctor to determine the best medication for you.

More Information

If you want to know more about bipolar and its symptoms there are pamphlets available at your local mental health centers. The internet also has valuable information about bipolar disorder, its symptoms and treatments.

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depressive illness, is a serious mood disorder that affects approximately one percent of Americans. Though many people focus on the depressive episodes associated with the illness, it’s important to note that bipolar mania requires just as much attention and support.

Knowing the Symptoms of Bipolar Mania.

A lot of people experience bipolar mania also described as “hyper active.Mania, the opposite of depression with its common symptoms as increased energy, decreased need for sleep, rapid speech, euphoria, hypersexuality and impulsiveness.

Racing thoughts, which can be disjointed, is a common symptom not always noticeable by family or friends. Easily distracted, even by things that seem not important, patients can often be seen in conversations with people suffering from the same symptom. Bipolar mania patient will make “clang associations,” which is the association of words based on how they sound and jump from topic to topic quickly.

The impulsiveness associated with bipolar mania can be dangerous in some cases. Patients have impaired judgment, and may not think about the consequences of their actions. Impulsiveness can lead to reckless and risky behavior that may even endanger the patient, or others. Because of this, bipolar support groups are important in the treatment and management of bipolar mania.

Bipolar Mania and the Support Available

Bipolar support groups can be very beneficial to those struggling with bipolar mania. Not only can the patient relate to others in the group, it also helps him or her put feelings, decisions, and thoughts into perspective. Many bipolar support groups are incorporated into the regular psychotherapy for the treatment of manic depressive illness. This is usually in addition to seeing a psychiatrist or counselor on a regular basis.

Led by a counselor or psychiatrist who facilitates meetings, gets patients talking, and offers expert advice about comments and questions that come up, bipolar support groups are a great “sounding board” for patients. It is a place where they are reminded about many of the decisions they’re making are because of the illness and not of how they are feeling.

There is support for people with bipolar depression which many people know. Because they feel “good” when at the manic episode, they are reluctant to seek the support they need, which can be just as dangerous as avoiding help when they are down. For anyone suffering from bipolar depression or bipolar mania, support groups offer great resources.

Where Can I Get More Information?

Available online are lots of information on bipolar mania and bipolar support groups. Educating the public about manic depressive illness, one very valuable website is knowingbipolardisorder.com, which is an authority site covering a variety of topics helpful to patients. It includes specific articles about bipolar support groups and bipolar mania.