What Is Bipolar Disorder
“Bipolar disorder is characterized by having a history of depressive episodes but more specifically at least one manic episode,” says Jared Heathman, MD, a psychiatrist in Houston, Texas. “Manic symptoms include grandiosity, decreased need for sleep, increased rate of speech, flight of ideas, distractibility, and impulsive behaviors that contribute to social or occupational dysfunction.”
Symptoms Of Manic Episodes
Episodes of mania and hypomania are prevalent features of bipolar disorder. While the signs of mania may at first be a pleasant diversion from the dark depressive episodes, the manic phase can also be destabilizing and self-destructive.
Symptoms include:
- Racing thoughts and difficulty staying focused, easily distracted
- Rapid speech
- Impulsive behaviors, using poor judgment
- Risky behaviors, such as substance use or sexual promiscuity
- Psychosis
Who Was The First To Be Diagnosed With Bipolar Disorder
Although Patrick was the first in the family diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Emma was the first to be diagnosed with a mental illness. Twenty years ago, she learned she had anxiety disorder. In the past year, her younger sister, like Patrick, has been diagnosed with bipolar. My sister really struggles, Emma says.
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When A Parent Has Bipolar Disorder
…What kids want to know
- Guides & Publications
- When a parent has bipolar disorder … What kids want to know
Children have a lot of questions when someone in their family is sick. When children dont have answers to their questions, they tend to come up with their own, which can be incorrect and scary!
When the family members illness is bipolar disorder, it often becomes a secret that nobody talks about. All children need some explanation and support, geared to their age, to help them understand bipolar disorder.Each parent and childs beginning conversation about bipolar disorder will be different depending on the childs age and ability to manage the information. You know your children best.This brochure will help prepare you to take the first step. If you have already started talking to a child about bipolar disorder, this brochure will give you more information to keep the conversation going. It lists common questions children have about their parents bipolar disorder, as well as suggestions for how to answer their questions.
Questions kids have
What is bipolar disorder? How does bipolar disorder work?
Why does my dad act the way he does? How does it feel to have bipolar disorder? What goes on in my moms head when shes not herself?
What does a low mood, or depression, mean? What does it look like?
What does a high mood, or mania, mean? What does it look like?
How will bipolar disorder affect me? How will it affect my family?
How can my mom or dad get better?
Is Bipolar Disorder A Single Condition
Rather than just being one disorder, some experts have proposed that bipolar disorder is a group of related mood disorders, sometimes called bipolar spectrum disorders.
Since symptoms of bipolar disorder overlap with many other conditions and experiences such as side effects of using certain drugs its not uncommon for people to be misdiagnosed or to have several diagnoses over a lifetime.
So while bipolar disorder tends to follow a typical disease course of intense shifts in mood and energy, individual symptoms vary widely and dont fit neatly into one box.
For some people living with bipolar disorder, low mood can be the core symptom, while in others, it may be an elevated mood with excessive energy.
About half of people diagnosed with bipolar disorder are likely to experience psychosis.
Research suggests that 82.9% of people with bipolar disorder may experience more severe symptoms of the condition, the highest rate among all mood disorders.
According to the data, the more severe bipolar disorder symptoms may cause serious impairment, characterized as intense shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels affecting a persons ability to perform everyday tasks.
Bipolar disorder appears to share a genetic link with related mental health conditions. This means that other treatable conditions may also develop in a person with bipolar disorder.
Conditions that can sometimes co-occur with bipolar disorder include:
- anxiety disorders
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Rise In Bp Diagnoses Sparks Continued Controversy
Those worries have been aggravated by a dramatic increase in the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children and the resulting attention in the mainstream media. An issue once discussed primarily in medical journals is now a frequent topic on everything from the evening news to The Oprah Winfrey Show.
But how can parents sort through the often-conflicting reports?
Doctors at New Yorks Stony Brook University recently analyzed data from patients discharged from U.S. psychiatric hospitals from 1996 to 2004. They found that while the number of adults with a bipolar diagnosis rose slightly, the number of children discharged with that diagnosis increased from one in 10 in 1996 to four in 10 by 2004.
The exact reason behind those numbers is unclear. Some mental health experts point to the 1994 update of the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . That year, psychiatrys official manual widened the definition of bipolar disorder.
Mental health advocates cite improved diagnosis and awareness of the illness. Still others believe publicity generated by the pharmaceutical industry may be driving the increase.
The controversy is over how narrowly or broadly to define childhood bipolar disorder, said Joan Luby, MD, an associate professor of child psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.
Its Hard To Come To Terms With Having A Mental Illness
Even after a person learns they have bipolar disorder, it can be hard to accept the reality of it. Living with any mental illness can be really difficult and bipolar disorder has its own challenges. Sometimes people feel like if they reject the label of bipolar disorder, they can avoid some of those challenges. But bipolar disorder doesnt just go away if you ignore it.
The reality is that labels can actually set you free. Being diagnosed with bipolar disorder helps you understand what youre experiencing. It opens up treatment options that can help you feel better. And it puts you in good company with millions of other people around the world, many of whom have accomplished incredible things.
On the other hand, sometimes people who dont know any better use the word bipolar to describe someone who is actually just moody. Be careful pushing labels on people when youre not an expert yourself. If you think your friend has bipolar disorder, encourage them to see a mental health professional who can evaluate and diagnose them. You can also point them to our online bipolar test, which is an easier start than going straight to a professional.
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Genetics And Bipolar Medications
A separate issue that has been noted with our newer understanding of genetics is that genetics may play a role in how a person responds to medications for bipolar disorder. For example, those with two inactive copies of the CYP206 gene may be poor metabolizers of drugs such as risperidone and aripiprazole. As noted above, how much a person responds to drugs such as lithium may run in the family.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Get Bipolar Disorder
While the role of heredity is clear from family and twin studies, further research is needed. The overall lifetime risk of developing bipolar disorder is thought to be somewhere between 1 and 4 percent, depending on the definition, with the average age at diagnosis being 18.
Bipolar disorder is a complex condition involving untold genes, and family history does not necessarily mean a person will inherit the illness. But it does play a strong role.
Although Patrick was the first in the family diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Emma was the first to be diagnosed with a mental illness. Twenty years ago, she learned she had anxiety disorder. In the past year, her younger sister, like Patrick, has been diagnosed with bipolar. My sister really struggles, Emma says.
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Who Is At Risk Of Bipolar Disorder
More than 10 million Americans have bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder affects men and women equally, as well as all races, ethnic groups, and socioeconomic classes.
Although men and women appear to be equally affected by bipolar disorder, rapid cycling is seen more often in women. Women also tend to experience more depressive and mixed state episodes than do men. A man’s first experience with bipolar disorder may be in a manic state women tend to first experience a depressive state.
Bipolar disorder can present itself at any age, but typically, onset occurs around age 25.
Generation To Generation Family Members Observe And Reflect On Patterns Of Bipolar
For some families, bipolar disorder runs through the generations as invariably as freckles or cleft chins appear in other family trees. Even so, looking for your familys source of bipolar disorder can be a little like searching for the headwaters of the Nile. You start backtracking through the generations and suddenly realize that the quirky behavior you once brushed aside as your grandmothers eccentricity was really a signpost.
If only you had recognized her outlandishness or rage for what it wasthe genetic source of your own bipolar disorder. You might have been more tolerant of her. Perhaps you wouldnt have distanced yourself so much. At the very least, you might have asked some questions.
Unfortunately, many people never think to connect the dots in their familys history of wellness until the day a family member is diagnosed with bipolar. Suddenly, it hits like a ton of brickseverything falls into place. As one mother describes it, it wasnt until her son was diagnosed that she recognized her own illness. Oh my gosh, thats whats the matter with me!
This experience was related in one way or another by several individuals interviewed for this story. Jolted by the diagnosis of a child or a grandchild, an older family member may reluctantly acknowledge the symptoms as his or her own. Sometimes, it comes as a bolt of self-recognition other times, its a case of reluctant consent, a muttered admission, Yes, thats me.
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Is Bipolar Hereditary Possible Genetic & Biological Links
Reviewed by Heather Cashell, LCSW
Bipolar disorder is one of the most common mental health disorders and affects millions of people worldwide, but did you know that having a family member with the disorder may increase the risk of it? This article will discuss the possible connection between genetics and bipolar disorder and other implications that it may have.
Does Bipolar Disorder Run In Families?
Studies show that genetics can certainly be a factor when it comes to someone developing bipolar disorder.
According to the Black Dog Institute, approximately 80 percent of all cases of bipolar disorder are hereditary, and if one parent has bipolar disorder, this increases the likelihood of their child developing the condition later in life by approximately 10 percent.
Now, if both parents have the condition, its estimated that this increases the odds to 40 percent.
In addition to parents, when taking a look at twin studies, its estimated that the chances of both having bipolar disorder could be up to 60 to 80 percent.
These types of statistics show that the odds of someone having bipolar disorder increases based on how close the relative is – people who have a parent or a sibling with the condition are more at risk.
It is also rare that the disorder affects multiple family members across different generations, and many cases of bipolar disorder are isolated ones.
What Genetic Mechanisms Are Responsible For Bipolar Disorder?
References
Can Lifestyle Habits Increase The Risk Of Bipolar Disorder
Lack of sleep increases the risk of having an episode of mania in someone with bipolar disorder. In addition, antidepressants, particularly when taken as the only medication, may also trigger a switch into a manic state.
Excessive use of alcohol or drugs can also trigger bipolar symptoms. Research has shown that about 50% of bipolar sufferers have a substance abuse or alcohol problem. Sufferers often use alcohol or drugs in an effort to reduce unpleasant feelings during low mood periods, or as part of the recklessness and impulsivity associated with manic highs.
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Do People With Bipolar Know They Have It
Bipolar disorder is a pretty common mental health condition. About 1 in 40 American adults live with it. Its common in children and adolescents, but it usually doesnt get diagnosed until adulthoodit can take up to ten years from the time a person experiences symptoms to the time they actually get diagnosed!
So no, not everyone who has bipolar disorder knows they have it. There are lots of reasons why someone with bipolar disorder might not realize itor why they might deny having it even if they do. If you think someone you know might have untreated bipolar disorder, there are a few things you can do to help.
Bipolar Disorder Genetics: From My Grandmother To Me
There’s a strong genetic component to bipolar disorder. Researchers have already shown that bipolar disorder can be passed from generation to generation.
When diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder, my doctor was curious as to who could have passed the bipolar gene down to me. In my immediate family, no one showed symptoms of bipolar disorder. Looking deeper into my family history, it became apparent that my grandmother had bipolar disorder. Her story made me think about the differences between what our lives are like living with bipolar.
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Are You Born With Bipolar Disorder
Babies arent born with symptoms of bipolar disorder. But someone with a genetic risk is born carrying the genes that may increase their chances of developing the condition later in life.
However, many other factors besides heredity and genes play a role in whether these genes will be triggered, causing the disorder to develop.
Its rare for symptoms of bipolar disorder to begin in childhood. For most people with bipolar disorder, symptoms start to appear in late adolescence or early adulthood.
Study Participants And Procedures
The study combined data from two birth cohorts in Pelotas, a southern Brazilian city with a population of 328,000 inhabitants . Generation 2 are members of the 1982 birth-cohort Generation 1 are the mothers of the 1982 birth-cohort and Generation 3 are members of the 2004 cohort with parents who are in the 1982 cohort . Common mental health disorders , especially depression and anxiety, were assessed using the same instruments in parents and grandmothers , whilst emotional and behavioural problems in grandchildren were measured at age 4years.
Fig. 1
1982 Cohort
2004-cohort
The 2004 Pelotas cohort consisted of a population of women with children born in 2004 in Pelotas . All mothers who resided in the urban area of Pelotas, or in the adjacent neighborhood of Jardim América , were approached to participate and interviewed within 24-h of delivery . Less than 1% of mothers refused, given a total of 4231 newborns in the study were successfully recruited to the study . All cohort children were followed up at the age of 4years old .
The Ethical Review Board of the Faculty of Medicine of the Federal University of Pelotas approved the 1982 and 2004 studies. Written informed consent was obtained at each follow-up from mothers or directly from participants when they were> 18years old. In 1982, verbal consent was obtained from the mothers following the standard practice at that time.
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Challenging The Inevitability Of Inherited Mental Illness
With a family history that famously includes depression, addiction, eating disorders and seven suicides including her grandfather Ernest Hemingway and her sister Margaux actress and writer Mariel Hemingway doesnt try to deny that mental health issues run in her family. She repeatedly her family history to advocate for mental health and to help others affected by mental illness feel less alone.
And, of course, they arent alone. Mental health issues are prevalent in many families, making it natural for some individuals to wonder or worry about the inherited risks of developing mental health problems. Take the common mental health issue of depression, for example. The Stanford University School of Medicine estimates that about 10% of people in the United States will experience major depression at some point during their lifetime. People with a family history of depression have a two to three times greater risk of developing depression than does the average person, however.
A 2014 meta-analysis of 33 studies examined the familial health risk of severe mental illness. The results, published in the journal Schizophrenia Bulletin, found that offspring of parents with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder had a 1 in 3 chance of developing one of those illnesses by adulthood more than twice the risk for the control offspring of parents without severe mental illness.
Is mental illness hereditary?
Environmental factors
The hope of epigenetics
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Stories Of Hereditary Bipolar Disorder An Upcoming Study
Nathalie Sagar, MA
on June 24, 2021
This post is a part of a three-part series over the next year, where PhD student Nathalie Sagar will be documenting her dissertation research about hereditary bipolar disorder.
As the child of a parent with bipolar disorder, my desire is to improve the way we communicate with people who have a parent with bipolar disorder. This is why, in my dissertation research, I aim to explore the stories of adults who not only experience bipolar disorder themselves, but also have a parent living with bipolar disorder.
For this research, I hope to collaborate with CREST.BD to interview participants who will help me to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of people with a hereditary mental illness. The purpose of the study is to provide a rich and broad understanding that can more accurately capture the strengths and needs associated with living with bipolar disorder, as well as having a parent with bipolar disorder.
Introduction to research
Although we know that bipolar disorder has a strong hereditary link , much of the research to date has focused on the associated risk factors for family members. At times, this research reads like a laundry list of statistics of what may go wrong! What I feel the literature is currently missing is in-depth stories of the experiences of family members stories that may allow us to more accurately capture the varied experiences, both the strengths and difficulties associated with this condition.
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