What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness which causes people to experience dramatic mood and behavioural changes, swinging from extreme highs to severe lows.
Around 1 in 100 people have bipolar disorder, and most develop the condition before the age of 30, although it can also affect older people.
Of course, everyone goes through mood swings from time to time. That’s completely natural, and it doesn’t necessarily mean you have bipolar disorder.
But if you’re experiencing extreme mood changes and are finding it difficult to cope, then you might be developing bipolar disorder.
What are the symptoms?
One of the main characteristics of bipolar disorder is mania. When someone is going through a manic episode, they might feel unusually energetic and happy for no particular reason. They could also find that they don’t need as much sleep, that they’re having lots of bright ideas, or that their mind is racing from one thought to another. Sometimes people even start having delusional thoughts, like that they have super power, or are on a special mission.
That might sound like fun, and some people say they enjoy parts of the highs they feel when they’re having a manic episode. But there are really serious downsides too. Mania can affect your ability make good decisions, which can leave you vulnerable or result in you ending up in dangerous situations. You might be more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol without thinking of the consequences, or go on spending sprees that you can’t actually afford. Sometimes people who are manic become unusually irritable and aggressive towards others.
The other side of bipolar disorder is depression, which means having a low mood for a long period of time. Depression can affect your energy levels, and make you feel less interested or excited about things you normally enjoy. It can also cause you to have negative feelings about yourself or suicidal thoughts.
People who have bipolar disorder might also experience psychosis, which means seeing and hearing things that aren’t there, having delusions or becoming paranoid.
What causes bipolar disorder?
We still don’t have a completely clear idea of what causes bipolar disorder, but it is normally a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
If someone in your immediate family has the condition then you are five - 10 times more likely to develop it too.
Traumatic or distressing life events, such as childhood abuse, can trigger the condition, but people who have had happy or uneventful lives sometimes still develop bipolar disorder. It can also be caused by having uneven levels of particular brain chemicals, which affects your moods and behaviour.
What help and support is available?
The symptoms of bipolar disorder might sound pretty grim, and it can be a very difficult condition to live with. But don’t despair – with the right treatment and support, it is possible to manage the symptoms and enjoy a really good quality of life.
The most important thing to try and get help as quickly as possible – the sooner you get support, the better your chances are of recovering. Go to your GP and tell them what you’re going through.
They can refer you for specialist treatment, which will may involve medication and therapy.
For example, people with bipolar disorder are often offered mood-stabilising medication to help deal with manic episodes, or antidepressants to help with depressive periods.
You should also be offered talking therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which is widely available on the NHS. CBT helps people focus on the “here and now” – how your thoughts and behaviour impact on how you feel, and how you can learn to manage that in a positive way.
Unfortunately, NHS mental health services for young people don’t get as much funding as they should do, so getting good treatment quickly can be difficult. You may have to be persistent to get the care you need.
But there is other support available, and there’s lots of advice about all kinds of mental health issues on the Rethink Mental Illness website. That includes information about what treatment you’re entitled to, how you can manage your condition, and how your family can get help too. There are also suggestions on how to look after your mental health if you’re at school, college or at work, and information about support groups and services in your area.
Our main message is don’t suffer in silence. Bipolar disorder isn’t a life sentence, and with the right support, you can recover and get on with your life.
• For more information and advice, visit www.rethink.org or call 0300 5000 927
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We have authors including, Jennifer Niven @jenniferniven (whose book All The Bright Places is about a boy with bipolar disorder), Madeleine Kuderick @kuderickwrites, Matt Haig @matthaig1, Nicola Morgan @nicolamorgan, James Dawson @_jamesdawson, Gayle Forman @gayleforman and Sita Brahmachari @SitaBrahmachari, together with mental health experts Rethink Mental Illness @Rethink and @youngmindsUK ready to talk about teen books and mental health. Please come and join us using #Gdnbluemonday on Monday 19 January from 7-8pm on @GdnChildrensBks.
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