Adolescents And Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder in adolescents is often under-diagnosed. An estimated 1.1 million children and adolescents with depression may actually have early-onset bipolar disorder.
The symptoms of bipolar disorder in teens tends to manifest differently than they do in adults. During the depressive phase of bipolar disorder, teens or preteens tend to experience physical symptoms, such as headaches, excessive tiredness and stomach aches. Teens and preteens may also be sensitive to failure or disapproval and may seek social isolation. During manic phases, teens and preteens become hyper, occasionally exhibiting irritability and destructive outbursts. Teens often do not experience the euphoric effects of the manic phase like adults do.
How Common Is Bipolar Disorder
- Globally, 46 million people around the world have bipolar disorder.
- One survey of 11 countries found the lifetime prevalence of bipolar disorder was 2.4%. The U.S. had a 1% prevalence of bipolar type I, which was notably higher than many other countries in this survey.
- Annually, an estimated 2.8% of U.S. adults have a bipolar disorder diagnosis .
- Of all mood disorders, those with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder were found to have the highest likelihood of being classified with severe impairment .
- The past-year prevalence of bipolar disorder is similar in females and males .
Bipolar And Suicide Risk
Unfortunately, bipolar disorder causes an increased risk of suicide. The correlation between bipolar disorder and suicide risk is related to the depression experienced and the feeling of hopelessness that depression can cause. A few, key bipolar disorder suicide risk statistics to take note of:
- 2550 percent of people with bipolar disorder will attempt suicide
- The bipolar disorder suicide rate is about 11 percent
- Between 5 and 15 percent of people with bipolar disorder will develop rapid cycling
While suicide is a risk of bipolar disorder, professional treatment can help to decrease this risk.
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Genetics And Gene Environment Interactions
The contribution of genetic factors to bipolar has long been identified, withevidence from twin studies suggesting monozygotic concordance of between 4070%, andlifetime risk in first-degree relatives is 510% around seven times higher than thegeneral population risk. However, relatives of patients with bipolar are more likely to developunipolar depression than bipolar themselves, suggesting the genetic risk transcendsdiagnostic categories. There is also evidence of shared genetic risk between bipolar, schizophreniaand autism., Nonetheless,bipolar clearly does not follow a Mendelian pattern of inheritance, and linkagestudies have not identified individual genes with a strong association with the disorder. The genetic risk for bipolar in part is likely due to multiple singlenucleotide polymorphisms, which are highly prevalent in the general population andconfer a very small increased risk individually. Technological advances have allowed for genome-wide association studies thathave pooled data and identified multiple genetic loci associated with bipolarpatients, suggesting aggregated polygenic risk.
Bipolar Disorder And Substance Abuse
Bipolar disorder substance abuse comorbidity can be almost 60 percent, depending on the severity of mood swings and other symptoms. The relationship between bipolar disorder and substance abuse may be because medications used to treat bipolar disorder are not always effective, causing those with bipolar disorder to seek additional ways to address their symptoms.
People with bipolar disorder may also misuse substances to boost the natural high experienced during the manic phase of bipolar disorder.
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What Is The Prevalence Of Bipolar Disorder
The prevalence of BD is 1% of the population. According to the DSM-IV, or Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, text revision, BD is a common mood disorder that is often misunderstood, underdiagnosed and underreported. According to The National Institute of Mental Health , it is associated with significant morbidity, mortality and health care costs..
Is Bipolar Disorder Becoming More Common
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, bipolar disorder is in fact becoming more common. In a study published every few years, participants are interviewed about their mental health over a twenty-year period. A total of 43,093 people were surveyed between 1990 and 2001. Bipolar disorder rates had increased by almost 50 percent in that time period. The most common age of onset is between fifteen and thirty years of age, but the disorder can start in the teen years or as late as the fifties or sixties. Bipolar disorder is a very serious, often disabling condition that can cause high levels of anxiety and depression..
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How Common Is Bipolar 2020
Bipolar disorder is a treatable illness that affects approximately 5.7 million American adults, or 2.6% of the US population age 18 and older in a given year. About 1.4% of Americans age 18 and older have experienced at least one major depressive episode and about 2.6% of Americans have experienced at least one hypomanic episode. Bipolar disorder is considered rare in children and young adolescents, with an estimated prevalence of 0.4% among adolescents 13 to 18 years of age. Those with the disorder typically have a lifelong pattern of swings from the lows of depression to the highs of mania . The average life expectancy of someone with bipolar disorder is the same as that of the general population, however, the average age of death for those with bipolar disorder who do not receive treatment is estimated to be 33 years for men and 37 years for women. The risk of suicide is high in those with bipolar disorder, with 10% of those with the disorder eventually taking their lives. Researchers have found that people with bipolar disorder have a threefold increase in mortality compared to the general population..
Signs Of Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is diagnosed with two subcategories: bipolar I and bipolar II disorder. Bipolar I is diagnosed when a person goes through at least one manic episode, whether or not they experience a depressive episode. Bipolar II involves no manic episodes but at least one major depressive episode. It may have episodes of hypomania, which is mild manic symptoms that are brief and less severe.
Mood shifts can happen over a month or within the same day. The characterization of bipolar symptoms as causing extreme mood swings in mere moments arent always true, but it is possible. In some cases, people spend time in normal moods before slipping into one extreme or the other. Others may have a depressive period, a normal period, and another depressive period before experiencing a manic episode.
Identifying the mania and depression of bipolar disorders means recognizing the signs from each episode. Diagnosing manic and depressive episodes also requires that multiple symptoms are experienced for most of each day for two weeks for depression and one week for mania.
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Is Bipolar A Womens Disease
Despite the stereotypes, men and women are affected in equal numbers. However, research does show some differences in how the disorder develops:
women are 3 times more likely than men to experience rapid cycling.
women may have more depressive episodes and more mixed episodes than men.
Other interesting research from the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance in 2000 showed a gender bias women are far more likely to be misdiagnosed with depression and men are far more likely to be misdiagnosed with schizophrenia.
Additional Bipolar Disorder Statistics
Like depression and anxiety, bipolar disorder isnt just a concern in the United States. As you read on, youll learn about how it affects everyone collectively as well as health and treatment statistics.
Bipolar Disorder Around The World
As of 2017, it was estimated that 46 million, or about 0.6 percent of the entire world population, has bipolar disorder. Keep in mind, this value may be actually much higher due to many areas of the world having a lack of mental health resources or stigmatization of it, and therefore, fewer diagnoses in these areas.
Despite this, bipolar disorder is the sixth leading cause of disability in the world.
In regards to statistics in developed countries, approximately 240,000 in Australia, 725,000 in the United Kingdom, 390,000 in Canada, 810,000 in Iran, and nearly a million in Germany have bipolar disorder. These numbers are dependent on population, and the most populous nations, India and China, are believed to have up to 15 million people with bipolar disorder.
Bipolar Disorder & Other Health Issues
Aside from the difficulties that come with this mental health issue, bipolar disorder is connected to several other health problems. One of the main ones is the risk of substance abuse, as those with the condition are more likely to use drugs and alcohol to cope with their symptoms.
Bipolar & Treatment Statistics
How To Get Help For Bipolar Disorder
References
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What Are The Treatments For Bipolar Ii Disorder
Hypomania often masquerades as happiness and relentless optimism. When hypomania is not causing unhealthy behavior, it often may go unnoticed and therefore remain untreated. This is in contrast to full mania, which by definition causes problems in functioning and requires treatment with medications and possibly hospitalizations.
People with bipolar II disorder can benefit from preventive drugs that level out moods over the long term. These prevent the negative consequences of hypomania, and also help to prevent episodes of depression.
Mood Stabilizers
Lithium: This simple metal in pill form is highly effective at controlling mood swings in bipolar disorder. Lithium has been used for more than 60 years to treat bipolar disorder. Lithium can take weeks to work fully, making it better for long-term treatment than for acute hypomanic episodes. Blood levels of lithium and other laboratory tests must be monitored periodically to avoid side effects.
Carbamazepine : This antiseizure drug has been used to treat mania since the 1970s. Its possible value for treating bipolar depression, or preventing future highs and lows, is less well-established. Blood tests to monitor liver functioning and white blood cell counts also are periodically necessary.
Valproate : This antiseizure drug also works to level out moods. It has a more rapid onset of action than lithium, and it can also be used off label for prevention of highs and lows.
Antipsychotics
What Are The Symptoms Of Bipolar I Disorder
During a manic episode in someone with bipolar disorder, elevated mood can manifest itself as either euphoria or as irritability.
Abnormal behavior during manic episodes includes:
- Flying suddenly from one idea to the next
- Rapid, pressured , and loud speech
- Increased energy, with hyperactivity and a decreased need for sleep
- Inflated self-image
- Substance abuse
People in manic episodes may spend money far beyond their means, have sex with people they wouldnt otherwise, or pursue grandiose, unrealistic plans. In severe manic episodes, a person loses touch with reality. They may become delusional and behave bizarrely.
Untreated, an episode of mania can last anywhere from a few days to several months. Most commonly, symptoms continue for a few weeks to a few months. Depression may follow shortly after, or not appear for weeks or months.
Many people with bipolar I disorder experience long periods without symptoms in between episodes. A minority has rapid-cycling symptoms of mania and depression, in which they may have distinct periods of mania or depression four or more times within a year. People can also have mood episodes with mixed features, in which manic and depressive symptoms occur simultaneously, or may alternate from one pole to the other within the same day.
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How Does Bipolar Disorder Impact Society
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that leads to changes in a persons mood, energy, and activity levels. It is characterized by periods of depression, and periods of elevated mood, referred to as mania. Bipolar disorder can be extremely destructive to a persons life and the lives of those who are in contact with them, especially when they fail to seek appropriate treatment..
What Is The Most Common Mental Disorder
It is common mental disorder in America that is anxiety disorder. It is found that more than 3 billion people worldwide have a mental disorder. There are around 300 million adults in the United States that have a mental disorder. It makes the mental disorder as the most common ailments in the United States. Statistics say that the mental disorder are increased by 18% in the United States by 1988..
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Bipolar Disorder In The United States
In this section, you will learn about various bipolar disorder statistics exclusive to the United States and the groups that make up its population.
In Adults
Each year it is estimated that around 5.7 million adult Americans are struggling with bipolar disorder. This equates to about 2.6 percent of the adult population. Approximately 4.4 percent of them will develop this disorder at some point in their lives.
The majority of those diagnosed with bipolar disorder are within the 18 to 29 range, followed by those 30 to 44, then the 45 to 59 years of age. Nearly 83 percent of adults in the U.S. will experience severe impairment from the disorder.
In Adolescents
Although the median age of onset for bipolar disorder is about 25 years old, the condition can appear at any age, and it is quite common among those aged 13 to 18 years old.
The adolescent group rivals the adults in terms of percentages. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, around 2.9 percent of adolescents had bipolar disorder.
However, because there arent as many adolescents as there are adults in the U.S., naturally, there will be fewer numbers overall.
In Men & Women
Males and females in the United States suffer from bipolar disorder at the same rates, which are at 2.9 and 2.8 percent, respectively.
Therefore, even though the figures are very close between males and females, it can present themselves and affect others differently.
In Families
In Ethnic Groups & Social Classes
Bipolar Disorder And Other Conditions
Some bipolar disorder symptoms are similar to those of other illnesses, which can make it challenging for a health care provider to make a diagnosis. In addition, many people may have bipolar disorder along with another mental disorder or condition, such as an anxiety disorder, substance use disorder, or an eating disorder. People with bipolar disorder have an increased chance of having thyroid disease, migraine headaches, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other physical illnesses.
Psychosis: Sometimes, a person with severe episodes of mania or depression may experience psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions. The psychotic symptoms tend to match the persons extreme mood. For example:
- People having psychotic symptoms during a manic episode may have the unrealistic belief that they are famous, have a lot of money, or have special powers.
- People having psychotic symptoms during a depressive episode may falsely believe they are financially ruined and penniless, have committed a crime, or have an unrecognized serious illness.
As a result, people with bipolar disorder who also have psychotic symptoms are sometimes incorrectly diagnosed with schizophrenia. When people have symptoms of bipolar disorder and also experience periods of psychosis that are separate from mood episodes, the appropriate diagnosis may be schizoaffective disorder.
Anxiety: It is common for people with bipolar disorder to also have an anxiety disorder.
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What Country Has The Highest Rate Of Mental Illness
Id suggest a country that should have the highest rate of mental illness is the United States. This is due to the fact that the United States has the highest amount of guns and people who commit suicide with guns, while they have the highest amount of people who abuse alcohol, the highest amount of prescription drug abuse. The U.S. has the highest amount of people who are overweight or obese, which is a major risk factor for mental illnesses. And finally it has the highest amount of people who are or were involved in incest and sexual abuse, which again is one of the most common risk factors for mental illness..
How Does It Affect People
Bipolar disorder affects both men and women. For many people, the first symptoms show up in their early twenties. However, research has shown that the first episode of bipolar disorder is occurring earlier: It often shows up in adolescence, and even children can have the disorder.
Recent research suggests that kids and teens with bipolar disorder dont always have the same behavioral patterns that adults with bipolar disorder do. For example, kids who have bipolar disorder may experience particularly rapid mood changes and may have some of the other mood-related symptoms listed below, such as irritability and high levels of anxiety. But they may not show other symptoms that are more commonly seen in adults.
Because brain function is involved, the ways people with bipolar disorder think, act, and feel are all affected. This can make it especially difficult for other people to understand their condition. It can be incredibly frustrating if other people act as though someone with bipolar disorder should just snap out of it, as if a person who is sick can become well simply by wanting to.
Bipolar disorder isnt a sign of weakness or a character flaw its a serious medical condition that requires treatment, just like any other condition.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Bipolar Ii Disorder
During a hypomanic episode, elevated mood can manifest itself as either euphoria or as irritability.
Symptoms during hypomanic episodes include:
- Flying suddenly from one idea to the next
- Having exaggerated self confidence
- Rapid, pressured and loud speech
- Increased energy, with hyperactivity and a decreased need for sleep
People experiencing hypomanic episodes are often quite pleasant to be around. They can often seem like the life of the party making jokes, taking an intense interest in other people and activities, and infecting others with their positive mood.
Whats so bad about that, you might ask? Hypomania can also lead to erratic and unhealthy behavior. Hypomanic episodes can sometimes progress onward to full manias that affect a persons ability to function . In mania, people might spend money they dont have, seek out sex with people they normally wouldnt, and engage in other impulsive or risky behaviors with the potential for dangerous consequences.
The vast majority of people with bipolar II disorder experience more time with depressive than hypomanic symptoms. Depressions can occur soon after hypomania subsides, or much later. Some people cycle back and forth between hypomania and depression, while others have long periods of normal mood in between episodes.
Untreated, an episode of hypomania can last anywhere from a few days to several months. Most commonly, symptoms continue for a few weeks to a few months.
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