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Mood swings are considered a normal part of a teenager’s life. However, ‘normal’ mood swings can be quite different from the intense mood swings of bipolar disorder. Formerly called manic-depressive disorder, bipolar disorder is a serious lifelong psychiatric illness. Although onset typically occurs in early adulthood, it can also develop in childhood or teenage years.  As a parent, it is challenging to determine what is normal and what’s not when it comes to a teen’s emotional health. This brief blog is crafted to help you know which signs to watch out for and steps to take if your teenager has bipolar disorder . Signs of Bipolar Disorder in Teens There are two main things to remember: Watch for drastic changes in your teen’s normal mood Symptoms of mania and depression differ in teens than in adults Signs to Look For Mania and hypomania – Manic episodes can cause elation, euphoria or extreme irritability. In teens, irritability is more common than elation. Other si...

Bipolar disorder is a far-reaching mood disorder that, according to Web MD, affects 5.7 million adults in any given year. Because of its sometimes contrasting symptoms, it can be difficult to determine if someone is suffering the disorder or a different type of ailment. There are a number of online bipolar tests that people can take who are concerned that they might have the disorder, but for a true diagnosis a doctor should be involved. A test for bipolar disorder involves a number of different, progressive steps to help determine if it is, in fact, bipolar disorder, or if other health complications are at play. The first step is the physical exam. By going to the doctor and having a physical exam performed, the patient and their doctor can rule out other possible medical problems that could be the cause of their symptoms. The second step is the psychological evaluation. Feelings, behavior patterns and moods are all targeted in the self-assessment or questionnaire. During this step,...