bi polar

I would just like to know the signs and symptoms of being bi polar??? How is it treated??? And what kind of tests are done to determine if this is the problem???

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Dear Kelli,

Bipolar Disorder is a type of Mood Disorder characterized by periods of mania and periods of depressive. I won't delineate the range of symptoms here, because you can use the SEARCH function in this Forum and in the Mental Health Forum to see these.

Bipolar Disorder is diagnosed via clinical interview by a qualified mental health professional (clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, psychiatric social worker, psychiatric nurse). There is no test per se for Bipolar Disorder, though indications can de discerned via certain types of projective testing.

Bipolar Disorder is treated through a combination of medication and therapy. Medications often include both a mood stabilizer and an antidepressant, and sometimes an anti-psychotic is also employed for a while, particularly when the manic phase includes psychosis (which does not happen in each patient).

[Cynthia]

For more information on early onset bipolar and a wonderful support message board, please go to this site:

http://www.bpkids.org

It is sponsored by the Child Adolescent Bipolar Foundation.

Also, you might want to read the book "The Bipolar Child" by Demitri Popolas.  You can check out the book at:

http://www.bipolarchild.com

My son is bipolar and both these sites have really helped me.

[doeyjill]

A related discussion, My fiver-year-old hates me was started.