In stark contrast, in the adult population of individuals with bipolar disorder, females outnumber males slightly (Egan 2008, p.11).These discrepancies indicate a profile of a more 'difficult child' rather than the specific disease-related pattern of manic depression. The malleable nature of childhood reality presents another difficulty in diagnosis. While a dissociation from reality is one of the manifestations of bipolarity in adults, "it's normal for children to pretend that they are superheroes, or believe that they can run faster than cars, whereas in an adult, these convictions would be signs of grandiosity" (Egan 2008, p.1).
The changing face of psychiatry is another possible social explanation for the increase in diagnosis. More and more non-clinicians are involved in the diagnostic process: a critical shortage of child psychiatrists in non-urban areas may result in a difficult child being diagnosed by a by family doctor or pediatrician. The health insurance industry is also an influence: "managed care usually pays for a single, brief psychiatric evaluation (and it strictly limits the number of therapy appointments a year) -- not nearly enough time, many say, to accurately diagnose a condition in a mentally ill child" (Egan 2008, p.4).
Clinicians with a background in psychiatry are more easily able to spot mania, and not confuse it with hyperactivity. Mania is defined in DSM-IV as a distinct period of an abnormally elevated or irritable mood, accompanied by at least three out of seven other symptoms, including distractibility, indiscretion, grandiosity, and a rapid flow of ideas, activity increase, sleep deficit and talkativeness (Egan 2008, p.5). Said one psychiatrist of a child he had interviewed who was suspected of being bipolar: "I'm not seeing clear patterns of distinct periods of being accelerated and talking and moving and thinking with an intensity of mood that just overflows and then goes back to his usual state…the intense anger outbursts can happen in kids with bipolar disorder, but they can happen with other mood disorders, or with ADHD and severe oppositional behavior. He's only 7 years old. This could be the very early signs of bipolar, and it may not be until two, three, four,...
Bipolar Disorder Symptoms Bipolar disorder has been studied for more than a decade after remaining undiagnosed in children and adolescents for many years. Much literature such as that by Pavuluri, Birmaher, and Naylor (2005b), and Kowatch and Debello (2006) is available on diagnostic issues pertaining to paediatric bipolar disorder. In addition, many cases studies have also been published on the topic such as those by DuVaI (2005) and Hamrin and Bailey
Bipolar Disorder Genetics, Brain Structure & Behavior Bipolar disorder is biological problem which affects the brain that causes unusual shifts in mood (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). It is also known as manic-depressive illness. Bipolar disorder is different than regular mood swings and daily ups and downs of the average person's life. Bipolar disease typically develops in late adolescent and early adulthood and is treatable; currently there is no cure for this disorder
Bipolar Disorder generally sets in during adolescence or early adulthood though it may also occur late in one's life or during childhood. It results in terrible mood swings ranging from mania and euphoria to depression and suicidal tendencies. The earlier a person is diagnosed with bipolar disorder the better. Medication is available for bipolar disorder, which helps control the mood swings and even treats the condition. Diagnosis of bipolar disorders
Bipolar Disorder: Abnormalities in Brain Structures and Functions A person experiencing bipolar disorder will feel alternately euphoric and severely depressed of they can have a mixture of those emotional states. This condition is known to e a disease, much like any other chronic medical condition, which can be mediated by a medication regimen, but not cured. It is also known that there are elements of the disease which relate to certain structures
Scientists thus call this tendency a "genetic vulnerability" to inherit depression (Read 2007:1) Biologically, bipolarity is not caused by brain damage although there is mounting evidence that the brains of bipolar patients look different from those without mood disorders. A 2000 study in the American Journal of Psychiatry that the brains of patients with bipolar disorder contain 30% more cells that send signals to other brain cells, suggesting that the
Bipolar disorder individuals often make highly lethal suicide attempts therefore early identification of high-lethality suicide attempters is critical. In this study, BD patients were classified as high- or low- lethality attempters. High lethality attempts required inpatient medical treatment. A logistics model and permutation analyses examined the correlations between lethality, number and order of attempts. Researchers found that multiple attempters showed no pattern in increasing or decreasing their lethality attempts later
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