Bipolar disorder, or bipolar mood disorder, as the name suggests, is a state of mood swings between two extremes. In other words, it is both depression and high energy level (fast thinking and unusual mood) known as "mania".
What is Bipolar Disorder?
The mood of the person varies between the mania and depression poles. A stable, constant and balanced mood cannot be observed. Instead, classical symptoms of depression such as unhappiness, sadness, reluctance, and loss of motivation are seen in the depressive period.
In the manic period; exuberant mood, increased energy and activity (talking a lot, traveling a lot, spending a lot of money, increased sexual desire, flight of ideas, increased creativity, increased risk-taking behaviors), distraction, inability to concentrate, feeling energetic despite decreased need for sleep, Features such as a marked increase in self-confidence and self-esteem, and disturbing or aggressive behaviors may occur. The lifetime risk of getting sick in the community is around 1%. It has been shown that hereditary factors play a role in the formation of the disease.
What are the Causes of Bipolar Disorder?
There is no single cause of bipolar disorder. According to research, this disease arises from a combination of many factors. It is generally a genetically inherited disease and there are other bipolar cases in the family. First-degree relatives of bipolar patients are at higher risk of developing this disease. As with other diseases, there is not a single gene that causes the disease in bipolar. More than one gene puts a person at risk of developing this disease.
We know that genes are not the only cause. Studies with adult identical twins show this. If one of the identical twins has this disease, there is a 70% chance that the other will also have this disease. If the whole story was only about genes, there would be 100% risk, not 70% risk. So 30% biological, psychosocial and emotional factors play a role. These factors can play both a protective and a predisposing role.
Research, trauma or a stressful life event. It shows that the disease also plays a role in this disease; Manic and depressive episodes are not caused by a single and identifiable cause.
What are the Symptoms of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder?
Symptoms of a manic episode:
- Extra talkative and irritable moods and attitudes
- Increased activity and energy compared to before
- Reduced need for sleep
- Accelerated thought processes
- Quick speech
- Inflated self-confidence and grandiose state
- Hydromas and delusions
- Increased sadness and tearfulness, crying often
- Hopelessness
- Disliking what she liked to do before, decreased participation in social activities
- Constant boredom
- Low energy
- Social withdrawal, poor communication
- Low self-esteem or guilt
- High sensitivity to rejection and making mistakes
- Increased irritability, anger and hostility
- Difficulty in relationships
- Increase in complaints such as headache and stomachache
- Not wanting to go to school or decrease in school success
- Major changes in eating and sleeping patterns
- Expressing thoughts or even attempting to run away from home
- Suicidal thoughts and self-harming behaviors
Bipolar disorder is not an easy disease to diagnose, especially when it comes to children. Many symptoms can be confused with other disorders, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and depression. Children and adolescents with bipolar disorder may also have anxiety disorder and substance abuse symptoms. For this reason, it is very important to conduct a comprehensive examination and consult a psychiatrist.
What are the Consequences of Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder has many long and short-term negative consequences. Bipolar children have many problems at school, at home and with their friends. Those with bipolar In adults, divorce, unplanned pregnancies, legal and financial difficulties and conflicts at work are very common.
About 60% of bipolar patients use drugs and alcohol at some stage of their illness. Studies have shown that bipolar patients are more likely to have heart disease, diabetes, migraine, and hypothyroidism.
Again, studies have shown that the risk of suicide is high in bipolar patients. One in four people attempt suicide and one in 10 die by suicide.
Fortunately, research shows that with effective and proper treatment, short-term and long-term effects can be reduced in children, adolescents and adults with bipolar disorder. Of course, the earlier the intervention, the easier the risk and symptoms can be eliminated.
Which Treatment Methods Can Be Used?
Although it is not a treatment that can completely eliminate bipolar disorder, Medication and psychosocial treatments are vital to managing the symptoms of the illness and making it easier for a person to live with the illness.
While drug treatment reduces the symptoms of the disease, psychosocial support and education given to both the family and the individual enable the child to cope with the disease in the best way possible. Studies have shown that patients who are supported by both drugs and therapy have higher coping skills than those who only take drugs. Many doctors also agree that therapy is needed to cope with emotional and behavioral problems, especially in children.
An important pillar of psychosocial treatment is to inform the family about the disease. This helps the child stay on the treatment schedule. In many trainings, families are taught to recognize the symptoms of the disease.
It is also very beneficial to receive psychotherapy together with psychiatric treatment. In psychotherapy, it is aimed to reduce the effects of stress factors that may trigger manic and depressive episodes and to develop methods of coping with stress. For this reason, treatment is not usually limited to the disease period only. Be already perfectly well outside of manic or depressive episodes (periods) For patients at the moment, the goal should be to target “conservative” therapy. The duration of treatment may be long. Sometimes it can last for a lifetime.
In the later stages of treatment, people may stop the drugs suddenly or reduce the dosages because they feel better. Undoubtedly, this situation is risky for the course of treatment and invites a new attack. For this reason, it is very important for the success of the treatment that patients with bipolar disorder remain under constant doctor follow-up.
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