Young Adults with Bipolar Disorder

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Young Adults with Bipolar Disorder
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Biological Factors

• Strong genetic tie between bipolar and other
  mental illnesses in a family
• No specific causes, however, certain triggers
  such as stress or substance use could initiate an
  episode
• Prevalence among males and females are equal
• Individual can manage their episodes by learning
  the triggers, dealing with the sleep
  disturbances, and taking prescribed medications
• Stop taking their medication when they feel
  better because they think theyre cured
• Some symptoms can be controlled through diet
  and/or medication, such as vitamin deficiencies
  which cause some chemical imbalances (Vitamins
  and Minerals may be beneficial
  http//depression.about.com/cs/diet/a/vitamin.htm?
  p1 to read about the specific benefits)

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• Often like how they feel and all they accomplish
  during a manic episode
• Characterized by variations in mood, from elation
  and/or irritability to depression causing major
  disruptions in family, social, and occupational
  life (Grissold Pessar, 2000),
• Early-onset bipolar disorder (before age 18)
  carries more comorbidity, suicidality, and
  substance abuse than later-onset bipolar
  disorder.The main issue is not whether the
  patient is a child or an adult but at what age
  and stage of development he/she begins to display
  impairment due to bipolar symptoms. (Chang,
  2007).
• Three of the borderline characteristics emerged
  as potentially useful in differentiating bipolar
  depression from unipolar depression Ive never
  threatened suicide or injured myself on
  purpose... I have tantrums or angry
  outbursts and Giving in to some of my urges
  gets me into trouble (Smith, Muir,
  Blackwood, 2005).

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• Considered good workers during their manic
  episodes, and often dont want to take
  medications because it reduces their production
• Often seen as school failures, occupational
  problems, and poor relationship partners
• First episode of a male is typically mania,
  females first episode is most often MDD (major
  depressive disorder)
• Have a greater difficulty with job longevity
  often losing a job during a depressive episode
• People at risk for mania have also been found to
  have high educational and occupational
  attainment (Kwapil, Miller, Zinser, Chapman,
  Chapman, Eckblad, 2000)

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• Risk of suicidal attempts and completed suicides
  are higher than in many other diagnoses by 10-15
• Often co-morbid with eating disorders, panic
  disorder, substance use disorders, and attention
  deficit disorder
• No indication that bipolar disorder is more
  prevalent in a given racial or ethnic group
• African-Americans are diagnosed more severe and
  usually treated unfairly often receiving no
  access to treatment or are incarcerated for their
  impulsive activity

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• The individual with bipolar disorder is looked
  down upon by society and often their family.
  Often this occurs prior to the individual being
  diagnosed and society calls them strange. Once
  the diagnosis is known, little changes except
  that society now believes their reason for
  shunning this individual is justified.
• Society assumes the following about individuals
  with bipolar you dont want to be married to
  them, they dont make good parents, theyre poor
  workers, and not very smart.
• By changing how providers (medical and other
  professionals) view individuals with bipolar we
  can change how a person with bipolar views
  themselves.
• It is important to equip individuals with
  knowledge and a good understanding of how their
  diagnosis may affect their everyday life. By
  changing how they respond, their family,
  community, and society may learn that the
  stereotypical view of someone with bipolar is not
  the norm. By being open-minded, the professional
  will be more accepting and understanding about
  their clients SCR.
• Research on why some medications quit working
  after theyve been successful for a period of
  time. Behavioral options for managing
  uncontrolled, inappropriate behaviors, e.g., the
  urge to spend as a way of feeling better and ways
  to help this population discover more appropriate
  behaviors which would give them equal or near
  equal gratification.
• Encouraging this population to discover their
  strengths, building their support system, and
  dont allow them to get away with being brats.
  This comes from personal experience.

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• Professionally, my first client with Bipolar
  disorder said she doesnt take her medication
  when she is manic because she is able to get a
  lot done that during her depressive stage she is
  unable to accomplish at all.
• Individuals with Bipolar cycle from manic to
  depression at differing rates. If the cycle is
  slower, they seem to have longer periods of more
  normal mood. (Knowledge gained through direct
  client contact and education.)
• Most often this population have few close friends
  and many have mental illnesses. If the spouse of
  this population has prior knowledge and
  education, they appear to have a better outlook
  on what needs to be done. If they discover this
  after marriage, they not prepared to deal with
  the problems associated and want out of the
  marriage.

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• Chang, K. (M.D.). (2007). Adult bipolar disorder
  is continuous with pediatric bipolar disorder.
  The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 52(7),
  418-425, Retrieved September 13, 2008, from
  Academic Search (at EBSCOhost) database.
• Griswold, K. S., Pessar, L. F. (2000).
  Management of bipolar disorder. American Family
  Physician, 62(6), 1343. Retrieved September 13,
  2008, from ProQuest database.
• Kwapil, T. R., Miller, M. B., Zinser, M. C.,
  Chapman, L. J., Chapman, J., Eckblad, M.
  (2000). A longitudinal study of high scorers on
  the Hypomanic Personality Scale. Journal of
  Abnormal Psychology, 109, 222-226.
• Smith, D. J., Muir, W. J., Blackwood, D. H. R.
  (2005). Borderline personality disorder
  characteristics in young adults with recurrent
  mood disorders A comparison of bipolar and
  unipolar depression. Journal of Affective
  Disorders, 87(1), 17-23. Retrieved September 13,
  2008, from Academic Search (at EBSCOhost)
  database.