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Bipolar
     
 
Bipolar
Disorder
What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is characterized by manic and
depressive episodes that alternate over periods of months and years.
Signs of mania include: increased energy,
excessively happy mood, extreme irritability, rapid speech and thoughts,
poor concentration, sleep problems, aggressive outbursts, and
unrealistic views about one’s capabilities.
During depressive phases, children are sad or
anxious, feel hopeless and worthless, lose interest in activities that
were once enjoyable, have decreased energy, experience changes in sleep
and eating habits, and may think about death or suicide. Depressive
episodes are diagnosed when five or more of these symptoms last for a
period of two weeks or longer.
Sometimes, symptoms of mania and depression occur
together, creating a mixed state that is characterized by agitation,
difficulty sleeping, changes is appetite, and suicidal thinking
Treatment Options For Bipolar Disorder
Non-medication Interventions
- Psychoeducation- teaches clients and their
families to increase communication, decrease family conflict, and
recognize the signs of relapse, so that a full-blown episode can be
prevented.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): With CBT
children learn to change negative thought patterns and behaviors
associated with bipolar disorder.
- Family Therapy- family therapy teaches
techniques for reducing stress that is a risk factor for relapse.
Families might also need to learn coping skills for dealing with the
child's condition. Since bipolar tends to run in families,
parents might also need to consider getting their own difficulties
in order to model healthy coping behaviors.
Medication Interventions
- Mood Stabilizers- Mood stabilizers are commonly prescribed
to treat bipolar disorder, especially if children have recurring
episodes. It is effective to treat acute mania symptoms and is
also prescribed in conjunction with atypical anti-psychotics.
- Atypical Anti-psychotics- these medications have been
successful in reducing aggressive and self-injurious behaviors
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors- Bipolar disorder
is usually treated with SSRI's, which are types of antidepressants.
Research shows that SSRI's can significantly reduce bipolar symptoms
and are generally well tolerated. SSRI's have led to
improvements in self-report and parent ratings of behavioral
problems associated with bipolar disorder, and have enhanced social
and academic functioning. A recently reported link between
SSRI's and suicidal thoughts in youth with depression highlights the
need for careful monitoring by the psychiatrist and caregiver.
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