About Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder

Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder

A diagnosis might be frightening at first, but the sooner the problem is identified, the faster & more effectively it can be treated. “The illness itself is not positive but a diagnosis is.” Having an early diagnosis is a tremendous help. Teenagers who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder at an early age are more likely to manage their illness successfully during the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, when bipolar disorder beings during early teenage years, parents often mistake symptoms for regular teenage behaviour & fluctuating hormones.

If bipolar disorder begins during childhood or teenage ears, it’s considered early-onset bipolar. Early-onset bipolar disorder is often more severe than the forms that appear in older teenagers & adults. On average, people with early-onset bipolar disorder have greater risk for attempting suicide than those whose symptoms start in adulthood. One large study on bipolar disorder in children & teens found that more than one-third of study participants made at least one serious suicide attempt. Youth with bipolar disorder are different from adults with bipolar disorder in that young people with the illness appear to have more frequent mood switches, are sick more often, & have more mixed episodes. In my case, I had early-onset bipolar disorder, as well as borderline personality disorder (BPD), yet I remained undiagnosed for nearly seven years. These are illnesses that need treatment so they don’t completely destroy me.