Can Teenagers Be Diagnosed With Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is often associated with adults, but can teenagers be diagnosed with the condition? The answer is yes. 

Bipolar disorder can occur during adolescence, although diagnosing it in teenagers can be challenging. Hormones, school pressures, relationships, family conflicts, and the growing responsibilities that come with becoming an adult can all affect a teenager’s mood and behavior. It is normal for teens to experience occasional irritability, sadness, excitement, or changes in energy.

Bipolar disorder is different from the typical emotional ups and downs of adolescence, however. The condition involves distinct episodes of unusually elevated, expansive, or irritable mood and changes in energy and activity, as well as episodes of depression. These symptoms can interfere with school, relationships, family life, and everyday functioning.

 

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder, sometimes called manic depression, is a mental health condition characterized by significant changes in mood, energy, activity level, and behavior. 

A person with bipolar disorder may experience periods of mania or hypomania followed by periods of depression. The symptoms and severity can vary from one person to another.

During a manic episode, a teenager may:

• Feel unusually happy, excited, or irritable
• Have much more energy than usual
• Need very little sleep without feeling tired
• Talk much more quickly or frequently
• Have racing thoughts
• Become unusually confident or feel capable of things that are unrealistic
• Act impulsively or take unusual risks
• Have difficulty concentrating
• Become involved in activities that could have serious consequences

During a depressive episode, a teenager may:

• Feel extremely sad, hopeless, or empty
• Lose interest in activities they once enjoyed
• Have very little energy or motivation
• Sleep much more or much less than usual
• Experience changes in appetite
• Have trouble concentrating or making decisions
• Withdraw from friends and family
• Feel worthless or guilty
• Have thoughts of death, self-harm, or suicide

Some teenagers may also experience symptoms of psychosis during severe mood episodes, such as hallucinations or delusions.

 

How Is Bipolar Disorder Different From Typical Teen Mood Swings?

Nearly every teenager has mood swings from time to time. A teen may be happy in the morning, frustrated after school, and upset with a parent later that evening. These changes are not necessarily signs of bipolar disorder.

With bipolar disorder, changes in mood are generally more extreme and occur as episodes that represent a noticeable change from the teenager’s usual behavior and functioning. These episodes may involve changes in sleep, energy, thinking, activity, and behavior at the same time.

For example, staying up late to finish homework is different from a teen suddenly sleeping only a few hours a night and still feeling full of energy. Being excited about a new project is different from an unusually elevated or irritable mood accompanied by racing thoughts, rapid speech, impulsive behavior, and a dramatically decreased need for sleep.

A mental health professional looks at the entire pattern rather than one symptom by itself.

 

Why Can Bipolar Disorder Be Difficult to Diagnose in Teenagers?

Several other mental health conditions can cause symptoms that look similar to bipolar disorder. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety disorders, depression, disruptive behavior disorders, trauma-related conditions, and substance use can all involve irritability, impulsivity, difficulty concentrating, changes in sleep, or problems with behavior.

ADHD can be especially difficult to distinguish from bipolar disorder because both conditions can involve distractibility, impulsivity, increased activity, and rapid speech. One important consideration is whether symptoms are chronic or occur in distinct episodes. Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes involving a significant change from a person’s usual mood and behavior, while ADHD symptoms tend to be ongoing.

Depression can also complicate the picture. Some teenagers may first seek treatment because they are experiencing depression, while a history of mania or hypomania may not become clear until later.

 

How Is Bipolar Disorder Diagnosed in a Teenager?

There is no blood test, brain scan, or other laboratory test that can confirm bipolar disorder. Instead, a qualified mental health professional completes a comprehensive evaluation.

The evaluation may include questions about:

• Mood changes
• Sleep patterns
• Energy levels
• Behavior and activity
• School performance
• Relationships with friends and family
• Substance use
• Previous mental health symptoms
• Medical history
• Family history of mental health conditions

Information from teachers or other adults who regularly interact with the teenager may also help provide a more complete picture. It is also important for the teenager to have an opportunity to describe their own thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

 

What Happens After a Bipolar Diagnosis?

Receiving a bipolar disorder diagnosis can be overwhelming, but a diagnosis is not destiny. Instead, it can provide an explanation for symptoms that have been difficult to understand or manage and serve as the first step toward getting the care needed to move forward.

Treatment for bipolar disorder is individualized and may change over time based on a teenager’s symptoms and needs. Treatment may include:

• Medication. Medications may be used to help stabilize mood and manage symptoms of mania, hypomania, or depression.
• Therapy. Psychotherapy can help teens understand their symptoms, develop healthy coping skills, and recognize changes in mood or behavior.
• Family support and education. Helping parents and caregivers understand bipolar disorder can make it easier to recognize warning signs and provide consistent support at home.
• Healthy routines. Consistent sleep, regular meals, physical activity, and predictable daily routines can support overall mental health and help teens manage changes in mood and energy.
• Monitoring symptoms. Learning to recognize changes in sleep, energy, mood, and behavior can help teenagers and their families identify potential warning signs and seek support when needed.
• Ongoing mental health care. Regular follow-up with qualified mental health professionals can help ensure that treatment continues to meet the teen’s changing needs.

At Eagle View Behavioral Health, we understand that adolescents have unique mental health needs. Our adolescent services provide a safe, structured environment for young people experiencing significant psychiatric or behavioral symptoms. Our Bettendorf, Iowa facility offers inpatient care for adolescents age 12 and older, as well as outpatient programs for eligible adolescents.

If you are concerned about significant changes in your teen’s mood, behavior, sleep, or energy, Eagle View Behavioral Health can help you take the next step. Contact us today to learn more about our adolescent mental health services and find out what level of care may be appropriate for your child.