Detection and Diagnosis

Symptoms of manic depression can become evident in a child’s life as early as infancy. The early symptoms include erratic sleeping patterns or difficulty settling down. During the toddler stage in a child’s life, symptoms are expressed through extreme temper tantrums, rages and severe separation anxiety.

Symptoms in children may not present themselves the same as in adults. Children who suffer from manic depression do display traits such as mood swings and erratic behaviour, however in children, these symptoms come in episodes. Episodes of elevated agitation or excitement and high energy are known as mania; episodes of extreme irritability or sadness followed by lethargy is the depression aspect of the disorder.

Different from adults, children tend to suffer from ongoing mood disturbances that are a combination of depression and mania. The severe and rapid cycle of moods creates a chronic sense of irritability and fewer episodes of excessive happiness and excitement. Rapidly cycling through moods is quite common among manic-depressive children, who may experience different episodes bouncing between depression and mania several times throughout a single day. These symptoms of depression and mania may even at times occur at the same time.

Associated Illnesses

In addition, in many cases, other mental disorders are found in children who suffer from manic depression. Some mental disorders commonly found alongside of or misdiagnosed as manic depression in children are Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Tourette syndrome and schizophrenia.

In is currently suspected that many children who are diagnosed with ADHD may actually be suffering from manic depression instead. Misdiagnosis can be dangerous, leading to the wrong medication, which can trigger extreme mania or thoughts of suicide in these children.

For many in their teenage years, it is found that a great loss or traumatic event can result in triggering the first manic or depressive episode. Later, these episodes can occur without obvious reason and may even worsen if stress is introduced into the child’s life.

Many children find puberty to be a time of risk for manic or depressive episodes. For girls, the disorder may be triggered by the onset of her first menstrual cycle and continue to experience symptoms with increased severity during her regular cycle each month.

Early diagnosis and treatment is the first step toward recovery from childhood manic depression. Early detection will give these children a better sense of stability in their lives so they can grow into happy, healthy adults.

The distinguishing characteristic of Bipolar depression disorder, as compared to other mood disorders, is the presence of at least one manic episode. Additionally, it is presumed to be a chronic condition because the vast majority of individuals who have one manic episode have additional episodes in the future. The statistics suggest that four episodes in ten years is an average, without preventative treatment. Every individual with bipolar depression disorder has a unique pattern of mood cycles, combining depression and manic episodes, that is specific to that individual, but predictable once the pattern is identified. Research studies suggest a strong genetic influence in bipolar disorder.

Bipolar depression disorder typically begins in adolescence or early adulthood and continues throughout life. It is often not recognized as a psychological problem, because it is episodic. Consequently, those who have it may suffer needlessly for years without treatment.

Effective treatment is available for bi polar depression disorder. Without treatment, marital breakups, job loss, alcohol and drug abuse, and suicide may result from the chronic, episodic mood swings. The most significant treatment issue is noncompliance with treatment. Most individuals with bipolar disorder do not perceive their manic episodes as needing treatment, and they resist entering treatment. In fact, most people report feeling very good during the beginning of a manic episode, and don’t want it to stop. This is a serious judgment problem. As the manic episode progresses, concentration becomes difficult, thinking becomes more grandiose, and problems develop. Unfortunately, the risk taking behavior usually results in significant painful consequences such as loss of a job or a relationship, running up excessive debts, or getting into legal difficulties. Many individuals with bipolar disorder abuse drugs or alcohol during manic episodes, and some of these develop secondary substance abuse problems.

Facts About Bi polar depression disorder

More than 2 million Americans have manic-depressive illness. It is extremely distressing and disruptive to their lives.

• Like any serious illness, bipolar disorder also creates problems for spouses, family members, friends, and employers.
• Family members of people with bi polar depression disorder often have to cope with serious behavioral problems (such as wild spending sprees) and the lasting consequences of these behaviors.
• Bipolar disorder tends to run in families, and there is strong evidence that it is inherited. However, despite ongoing research efforts, a specific genetic defect associated with the disease has not yet been identified.
• Bipolar illness has been diagnosed in children under age 12, although it is not common in this age bracket. The symptoms can be confused with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, so careful diagnosis is necessary.