Bipolar Disorder Affects Children and Adults

Attention all therapists and concerned parents: You should know that bipolar disorder - a.k.a. "manic depression" - is on the rise. Children as well as adults are being affected. You probably already know someone who is "bipolar."

But commonly known as manic depression, bipolar disorder is now affecting about three percent of the entire population. This is huge. This psychological problem manifests itself in people prone to mood swings to begin with. But with bipolar disorder, they will be bursting with so much energy for a day or so that you'd think they were on some sort of street drug like cocaine or something. But after a while - a day or as long as a few days - their energy will run out and they will 'hit the wall' HARD. Burnout to the point where they are so low that they are actually clinically depressed.

Manic depression makes it very hard for a person to get anything productive done, and certainly nothing done while they are in the 'low' state. But the hyper-active state can be just as unproductive: the person is bouncing around in an ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) sort of way.

Children can even develop bipolar disorder. It is important to know that many people begin to show signs of bipolar disorder as children. And like many other mental disorders, the condition goes ignored and untreated for years. This is why it is so important to pay special attention to any unusual changes that may be taking place in your child's behavior, so that you can get the treatment as soon as possible for your son or daughter as soon as possible.

If you notice this sort of strange behavior in someone you know or love, make sure you get some help. Because one symptom of manic depression is that the victim will fiercely deny that he or she has a problem. So don't depend on the victims getting treatment for themselves. Also know that bipolar disorder can start when a person is a child. Normally it doesn't show up until a person is at least 18, but many cases have been diagnosed in preteens.

Another symptom of bipolar disorder is keeping really late hours or not sleeping at all for a day or two. This could be followed by the victim sleeping for two days. (This sort of behavior identifies methamphetamine users as well, though. The effects of severe bipolar disorder are strong enough to mimic a hard drug user - that's how powerful this mental ailment is.

Sleeping irregularly could also be a sign of bipolar disorder. In addition to getting your child to a professional counselor, it may also be a good idea to give your little one rice or soy milk before going to sleep. The reason is dairy products have been proven to trigger depression or manic episodes in some children.

For children, there is some evidence that dairy products have triggered manic episodes. So the advice here is to avoid giving your child milk before bed and instead switch to soy milk - if anything at all. In any case, have a professional examine your child to determine if he or she is developing bipolar disorder or any other mental ailment. Do this before it escalates into something harder to treat.

Bipolar disorder affects children as well as adults. Symptoms include unusual energy bursts lasting hours or days, followed by periods of lethargy or even depression.

Information about the Author:

As a depressed teen who attempted suicide, Author Name is a father of teens himself now. He wants to help other people, including adults, to overcome depression and bipolar disorder.

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