Wednesday, January 21, 2009

teen bipolar

So yeah this is just some random stuff about bipolar in teens. I get random mood swings throughout the day. But Im learning to deal with it. lol I have no choice.



Recent research suggests that kids and teens with bipolar disorder don't always have the same behavioral patterns that adults with bipolar disorder do. For example, kids who have bipolar disorder may experience particularly rapid mood changes and may have some of the other mood-related symptoms listed below, such as irritability and high levels of anxiety. But they may not show other symptoms that are more commonly seen in adults.
A person with bipolar disorder will go through episodes of mania (highs) and at other times experience episodes of depression (lows). These aren't the normal periods of happiness and sadness that everyone experiences from time to time. Instead, the episodes are intense or severe mood swings, like a pendulum that keeps arcing higher and higher.
Symptoms of mania include:
racing speech and thoughts
increased energy
decreased need for sleep
elevated mood and exaggerated optimism
increased physical and mental activity
excessive irritability, aggressive behavior, and impatience
poor judgment
reckless behavior, like excessive spending, making rash decisions, and erratic driving
difficulty concentrating
inflated sense of self-importance
Symptoms of depression include:
loss of interest in usual activities
prolonged sad or irritable mood
loss of energy or fatigue
feelings of guilt or worthlessness
sleeping too much or inability to sleep
drop in grades and inability to concentrate
inability to experience pleasure
appetite loss or overeating
anger, worry, and anxiety
thoughts of death or suicide
In adults, episodes of mania or depression usually last for weeks or months, although they can be shorter in length. In children and adolescents, though, these episodes can be much shorter, and a kid or teen can even go back and forth between mania and depression throughout the day.
Between episodes, a person with bipolar disorder usually returns to normal (or near-normal) functioning. For some people, though, there is little or no "break period" between their cycles. These mood swing cycles can change slowly or rapidly, with rapid cycling between mania and depression being much more common in women, children, and adolescents.

3 comments:

  1. sounds just like you :(

    i'm still here if you ever need to talk.

    just send the magic email.

    ReplyDelete
  2. this frightens me only because it sounds so much like myself.

    we've never met, but take care of yourself (as hard as it is)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've heard of and seen some of this... It's hard stuff to go through - And one should never have to go through it alone. Don't be afraid to talk to a friend when you need it, whoever it is. It helps a lot.

    ReplyDelete