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Lovella Santos

Instructor Judith McCann

English 1302.203

13 March 2022

Bipolar Disorder in Adolescents

Introduction

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression illness, is a mental health condition that

causes mood swings, which includes emotional highs and lows. Some of the symptoms include

struggle sleeping, loss of touch in reality, depression, low motivation, loss of interest in daily

activities, suicidal thoughts, and much more. There are many types of bipolar disorders. They

range from bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, cyclothymic/cyclothymia disorder, mixed

bipolar, and rapid cycling bipolar. However, bipolar I and II disorders are known to be the most

common when it comes to adolescents from ages 11 and up. Researchers in the field have shed

light on the types of bipolar disorders, its effects and the use of antipsychotics in adolescents.

Type I and II Bipolar Disorder in Adolescents

Type I and II bipolar disorder have different symptoms and are treated differently. Bipolar

I disorder has an effect in which at least one manic episode has happened in the person's life.

While on the other hand, bipolar II disorder the person gets up mood swings and down moods

swings. Although the up moods do not reach full blown energy and the down moods swings are

not so intense. These two types of bipolar disorders have different symptoms. Bipolar I disorder

has symptoms which include hallucinations, delusions of guilt, and suicidal thoughts (Duffy

et.al, 2019). While on the other hand bipolar II disorder has “higher rate of depressive episodes

and more frequent suicide attempts than BDI (bipolar I disorder)” (Karanti et.al, 2020). Although
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both types of disorders are considered to be critical. Type II bipolar disorder is to be more critical

than type I bipolar disorder since its symptoms show that it could lead to death if not treated.

Having both types of bipolar disorders not only have severe symptoms but they also have effects

that affect adolescents everyday living.

The Effects of Having Bipolar Disorder

Like mentioned before, bipolar disorder has many symptoms that affect adolescents,

some symptoms that make them struggle throughout their everyday living. These symptoms

include the lack of sleep and depression. As known, sleeping is very important for adolescents

since they still do not reach full maturity. On the other hand, depression affects everyone, but

others to a full on capacity that affects their daily living. Bipolar disorder is a critical disorder

that does not let someone live a “normal life.” As mentioned before bipolar I disorder and

bipolar II disorder has many symptoms that are to be considered critical, but both disorders have

similar and different effects which include sleep deprivation and depression. According to

Cosma, “sleep disorders, such as parasomnias, narcolepsy and sleep-related movement disorders,

are associated with depression, whereas insomnia, obstructive sleep apnoea and circadian rhythm

disorders are associated with both depression and bipolar disorder in children and young people”

(1). (gonna add 2nd source in final draft)

Adolescents and Antipsychotics

Antipsychotics also known as neuroleptics are used to help reduce psychotic symptoms

such as depression, anxiety, hallucinations and much more. Many doctors use this medication to

control some of the bipolar symptoms while other doctors find such medication not useful at a

young age and so they recommend therapy as an alternative. But such medications can also lead

to substance abuse (drug addiction). Antipsychotics are basically relaxatives that are used to
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control bipolar episodes. But in reality such medications can also lead to substance abuse. Many

adolescents who are given antipsychotics follow a strict agenda in which they have a small

dosage of the medication because many abuse the drug and overuse its content. (still figuring

out he order I want to start with)

Conclusion

All in all, bipolar disorder is to be more effective on children and adolescents. There are

different types and all have different effects, treatment and symptoms that affect adolescents and

children. Adolescents nowadays are affected by two kinds of bipolar disorders known as bipolar

I disorder and bipolar II disorder. Although it is not curable it can be treated to not furthermore

its symptoms. (need to add more)

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Work cited

Comsa, Monica, et al. "The relationship between sleep and depression and bipolar disorder in

children and young people." BJPsych Open, vol. 8, no. 1, 2022. ProQuest,

http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2021.1076.

Crowley, Matthew J., et al. “Prioritization of Research Addressing Antipsychotics for

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160, no. 7, Apr. 2014, pp. 492–98. EBSCOhost,

https://doi-org.tamiu.idm.oclc.org/10.7326/M13-2549.

Duffy, Mary E., et al. “Psychotic Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation in Child and Adolescent

Bipolar I Disorder.” Bipolar Disorders, vol. 21, no. 4, June 2019, pp. 342–49.

EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1111/bdi.12789.

Ganzola, Rossana, et al. “Diffusion Tensor Imaging Correlates of Early Markers of Depression in

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https://doi-org.tamiu.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/jcpp.12879.

Hulvershorn, Leslie A., et al. "Substance use disorders in adolescent and young adult relatives of

probands with bipolar disorder: What drives the increased risk?" Comprehensive

psychiatry, vol. 78, 2017, pp. 130-139. ProQuest,

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2017.07.010

Karanti, Alina, et al. “Characteristics of Bipolar I and II Disorder: A Study of 8766 Individuals.”

Bipolar Disorders, vol. 22, no. 4, June 2020, pp. 392–400. EBSCOhost,

https://doi-org.tamiu.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/bdi.12867.
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Mitchell, Rachel H. B., et al. “Sex Differences in Brain Structure among Adolescents with

Bipolar Disorder.” Bipolar Disorders, vol. 20, no. 5, Aug. 2018, pp. 448–58. EBSCOhost,

https://doi.org/10.1111/bdi.12663.

Urback, Adam L., et al. “Reduced Cerebrovascular Reactivity among Adolescents with Bipolar

Disorder.” Bipolar Disorders, vol. 21, no. 2, Mar. 2019, pp. 124–31. EBSCOhost,

https://doi-org.tamiu.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/bdi.12719 .

Zak, Nathalia, et al. “Mood Episodes Are Associated with Increased Cortical Thinning: A

Longitudinal Study of Bipolar Disorder Type II.” Bipolar Disorders, vol. 21, no. 6, Sept.

2019, pp. 525–38. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.tamiu.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/bdi.12771.