Bipolar disorder – Can it affect anyone?

Bipolar disorder is a serious yet treatable illness. It is one of the very many mental disorders that is quite common nowadays.  It can greatly affect a person's vocational and social development since the disorder can significantly cause a change in a person's behavior due to the serious psychological symptoms.  In America alone, there are more than 2 million people who are living with the case of a bipolar disorder, so there is really no denying its presence.  It can occur in childhood but the peak years are during late adolescence and early adulthood. But there should be no denying of the existence of bipolar in children too.

Bipolar in Children

Though the diagnosis of bipolar in children is considered controversial and rare, according to studies it is estimated that 0.3% to 0.5% of children under the age of ten are affected with bipolar. However, some argue this finding. There has been an increase of over 40-fold from the year 1994 to the year 2003 and it still continues to rise. Other recent studies also suggest that bipolar can strike as early as the age of seven years old .A staggering number compared to previous years.

Bipolar in Adolescents

The peak years of the onset of most bipolar illnesses are during late adolescence and early adulthood.  People who are experiencing bipolar during this time of their lives can be severely disrupted since these are the critical periods in the development of vocational and social aspects of a young adult's life. In any given year, about 2.6 percent of people who age 18 years and older suffer from bipolar illness. 

The symptoms of bipolar are different in adults than in children, which presents a diagnostic challenge to the professionals in the field of mental health. Bipolar in adults have predictable patterns of symptoms, unlike in bipolar disorder children that very often exhibit explosive outburst and irritable moods. Also, bipolar kids may experience the cycles of manic-depressive far more rapidly compared to adult cases.

Bipolar disorders in children are most often overlooked due to the fact that some of the symptoms of bipolar are close to those of mental disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD. In some cases, Bipolar even co-exists with ADHD.

In adults, bipolar is often not recognized as an illness because it can mask the symptoms of postpartum psychosis, postpartum depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and substance abuse. Bipolar must be carefully managed throughout the life of the person since it is a long-term disorder.

Because of the possible cases that bipolar can be overlooked since it has similar symptoms like other mental disorders, it is necessary to be knowledgeable enough with the disorder. Since in some cases it tends to run in families, then if the symptoms manifest, it is wise to consult a psychologist at once.  Bipolar disorder is a serious mental disorder since it is one of the reasons for people to commit suicide.  If diagnosed early and with proper management, bipolar has a good prognosis and can easily be treated.