Bipolar Disorder in Childhood and Early Adolescence Free Essay Example, 2000 words

Anxiety disorders, phobias, and developmental dysfunctions, all play a great role in the development of the illness (NIMH, 2008b). As such, comorbidity with other disorders has been greatly studied and debated upon. Strong predisposing factors include a family history of mood disorders, developmental disorders, and substance abuse (Wilkinson, Taylor, Holt, 2002). Signs and Symptoms Bipolar disorder causes sensational mood swings, from extremely high or irritable, to miserable and hopeless, and then back to high again, usually with periods of regular moods in between (NIMH, 2008a). These periods of ups and downs are called manic episodes and depression, while a combination of the two is called mixed episodes (NIMH, 2008a). These symptoms can be dangerous to children as they may sometimes try to hurt themselves during one of their episodes (NIMH, 2008b). Hence, they must not be ignored. In children, extreme elation or very active periods may be classified as manic episodes, and the y feel very sad and are much less energy during their depressed state (NIMH, 2008b). In addition to this, children and teens with bipolar disorder may manifest symptoms and change moods more frequently than bipolar adults (NIMH, 2008b). We will write a custom essay sample on Bipolar Disorder in Childhood and Early Adolescence or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page Weller claimed that: Rather than grandiosity or euphoria in children and adolescents, the mood is most often irritable. They often have a decreased need for sleep not insomnia, but an actual ability to function well on much less sleep than normal.