By Joan Young
Teen Bipolar Disorder

Over 2 million Americans are known to suffer from a disorder called bipolar disorder. Seven percent of the sufferers are teenagers. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depressive; it is a brain disease, which is distinguished by dramatic mood changes, energy levels, and behaviors. There are mainly two different types of extremes, mania and depression. Mania is when energy peaks and moods may be overly euphoric and irritable. Depression is characterized by suicidal thoughts, helplessness, and fatigue.
Teen Bipolar Disorder occurs mainly in the late teens, although it has been diagnosed in children as young as 6 years old. The usual problem lays in identifying the symptoms and reaching for help.
Teen bipolar disorder can be mistaken as ADHD because of the similar signs between the two disorders. When a teen is having mood swings from extreme high to low this should not be overlooked at common irrational behavior, the teen should be taken to a doctor for a check up to see if they have teen bipolar disorder.
If you suspect your child to have teen bipolar disorder take the time to watch his/her behavior in order to recognize some of these common symptoms.
Manic symptoms include:
* Severe changes in mood - extremely irritable or overly good
* Increased energy
* Lack of sleep for long periods of time
* Increased speed of speech, jumping from idea to idea quickly without much connection between them
* Lack of concentration
* Increased goal-directed activity or physical agitation
* Hyper sexuality
* Unrealistic talk such as relating to fantasy happenings in real life
Depressive symptoms in teen bipolar disorder include:
* Persistent sadness
* No interest in once pleasurable activities
* Insomnia or over sleeping
* Loss of energy or fatigue
* Difficulty in concentrating
* Feeling of emptiness/worthlessness
* Physical agitation or slowing
* Suicidal thought and actions
Teen bipolar disorder is a life long disease, which cannot be cured; however it can be successfully treated with medications and therapy. Family and friends play a huge role in treating this disease successfully.
To help a teen with teen bipolar disorder a person should do the following:
Keep a routine
Talk to teachers
Follow the medication schedule
Monitor side effects
Consider family therapy
Take suicidal threats seriously
Even though teenagers can be difficult to deal with its better to seek professional help as soon as possible rather then disregard it as a tantrum and live to regret it later. Teen bipolar disorder is not to be neglected but dealt with carefully and as soon as possible for best results.
Joan Young is an expert author on bipolar disorder and other health related issues. She is an author on Joan Young is an expert author on bipolar disorder and other health related issues. She is an author on http://www.bipolardisordersymptom.org/Guide-To-Teen-Bipolar-Disorder.html

Joan Young writes for various mental health issues including bipolar disorder. She currently writes articles for bipolardisordersymptom.org.

By Carl DiNello

The United States may in fact be the richest country in terms of technology, and natural resources, but the majority of its citizens suffer from various kinds of disorders ranging from simple depression, as a result of too much societal pressure, all the way up to very serious disorders requiring long term clinical treatment.

One of the more serious disorders that effects both the young and the old is bipolar disorder. While bipolar disorder will affect people of all ages, it is most often detected, or diagnosed in adulthood. Today, we find an increase in teen bipolar disorder, as well as an increase of children showing signs of potentially having this problem.

Bipolar disorder occurs as a result of hormonal imbalances in a person's brain. It is often considered hereditary due to the increased risk of getting the disorder should a person have a parent with the problem.

Bipolar disorder is most commonly identified with manic and depressive symptoms. Symptoms that are characterized by rapid and extreme mood changes resulting in a person behaving in a manner that cannot be classified as rational.

Usually diagnosed in adulthood, bipolar disorder affects an increasing number of our younger children, and our teenagers. We are learning to recognize teen bipolar disorder more efficiently. The rapid changes in the mood of teenagers are no longer being taken for granted, and treated as regular mood swings common among their age group. Many parents are now aware that their may be something more going on with their teenagers than just bad behavior.

Bipolar disorder affects how the mind functions, and as a result, drastic mood changes can always be expected. A teenager with bipolar disorder will often feel hilarious one moment, and totally depressed just moments later.

Teenagers suffering from teen bipolar disorder can also display manic, or obsessive behavior. Parents sometimes dismiss this behavior as being ordinary teenage attitude. But, there is a strong possibility that the teenager may be exhibiting symptoms of bipolar disorder.

All teenagers go through their own highs and lows depending, but the symptoms of mania and depression exhibited by a teenager can be recognized by swift and intense mood changes that is beyond those normally felt by teenagers.

Teenagers, who display excessive energy, can't sit still, or who talk incessantly about a single or several topics for days may be exhibiting symptoms of teen bipolar disorder. In the same manner, teenagers who exhibit reckless behavior, or sexual promiscuity may also be exhibiting symptoms of teen bipolar disorder.

A teenager exhibiting manic or depressive symptoms, or perhaps both, who turns to alcohol, drugs, or promiscuity, should be carefully evaluated by a medical professional. A teenager demonstrating this behavior usually does so because it may be their only way of coping with bipolar disorder. Not only are alcohol and the use of drugs not a solution to someone with teen bipolar disorder, they will only make the disorder worse.

Parents be vigilant when observing the attitudes of their teenagers. Do not take dramatic changes in attitude as typical teenage behavior, it may well be a symptom to teen bipolar disorder.

Carl DiNello is an Article Author whose articles are featured on websites covering the Internets most popular topics.

To read more on this topic, please visit Bipolar Information %26 Resources!