Bipolar Disorder in Adolescents Essay - 2868 Words

Case Study In this paper, I will present a case study in which I will describe the struggles of living with an adolescent diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I will discuss the case, the family relationships, the causes and diagnosis, and the treatment options currently available to those with bipolar disorder in general. The purpose of my paper is to make the reader aware of what goes on in the life of an adolescent with bipolar disorder type II. VR is a vibrant, beautiful, fun loving 17 year old. She is witty, creative and has a deep passion for dance. Over the last couple of years however, there are many times when she becomes so sad that it is difficult for her to function. She will go to sleep immediately after school and still†¦show more content†¦She feels her anger coming on but loses her sense of control. VR describes it as an out of body experience. For example, several months ago, she was at a local fair and physically assaulted another girl after being provoked by her peers. She states that she knew she was hitting the girl but it was as if she was looking down from above; after the fight was broken up and several minutes had passed, VR could not tell the police officers what had happened. She told them she felt as though she had blacked out. My parents have found this whole experience extremely difficult and exhausting. It breaks their hearts to see their child go through such anguish. They have struggled in trying to find her a firm diagnosis. VR has been to numerous pediatricians, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, gynecologists and a multitude of other specialists. Finally, after two years of variable mental health symptoms and physical illnesses, VR was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. After much research and exploration, as a family, we learned that many cases of bipolar illness go undiagnosed due to the â€Å"normal† changes occurring within an adolescent’s body. At age 11, VR had obsessive thoughts and mild to moderate depression. It was at this age that she also experienced her first menstrual period. At age 12, her school performance began to drop and after extensive testing performed by school administration, she was given a diagnosis of attentionShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Bipola r Disorder On Adolescents1275 Words   |  6 Pagesprominent, disruptive, and longer-lasting, can be indications of bipolar disorder. This may come as a surprise to many, as bipolar disorder has often been thought of as a condition that affects adults. This neurobiological disorder severely affects approximately 5.5 million Americans age 18 or older, or 2.6% of the adult population. An estimated 51% of individuals with this condition are untreated in any given year. 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