One of the cruelest aspects of depression and bipolar disorder is that both illnesses are feeding on our young in ever-increasing numbers. One in every eight teens is depressed, and girl teens suffer depression at an even higher rate. Meanwhile, bipolar disorder is manifesting in some children at the toddler stage or earlier. Then there is the growing crisis of mental illness on campus. The crime is only a minority of kids are getting treatment.

But are drugs effective for kids? It's not a simple yes or no.

Women supposedly suffer depression in twice the numbers as men. In addition, their child-bearing processes bring on special problems of their own. But men bring their own special issues to the table, often expressing their depression in ways psychiatry is only beginning to recognize.

Senior citizens, in the meantime, are faced with their own unique situations.

Depression and bipolar disorder also cause severe suffering for the families involved, as "Family Heartbreak" and "What Goes Up" make clear.

Two articles look at the effects of ethnicity on mood disorders. "Ethnopolar" comments on the Surgeon General's 2001 Supplement on Mental Health: Culture, Race, and Ethnicity, which examined Asians and Pacific Islanders, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans. "The Mark of Oppression" explores how racism plays a role in depression, with many young black men effectively committing suicide in slow motion.

Then there is mental illness in the workplace.

What's missing here is an article on gay and lesbian depression, bipolar, and suicide. If you have any insights, please feel free to contact me by clicking on the letter icon on the top left.

New

The Bipolar Child - An Historic Book

Few books can claim to put an illness on the map. The improbable story of the surprise best-seller.

Updated

Child Bipolar - I

This illness is feeding on our young.

Child Bipolar - II

Treatment and other considerations.

Are We Over-Medicating Our Kids?

What do Peter Breggin and the pharmaceutical industry have in common? They are both prone to exaggeration.

What Is Your Opinion?

If you could change one thing in the educational or medical system to make it responsive to mental health in kids, what would it be?

Melinda (April 13, 2001) The first thing i would change, would be how teachers are trained. I'm a bipolar mother of two bipolar children. I think teachers should be trained in how to spot all mental illnesses, and how to handle it. The faster a child is noticed having problems the faster they can be put in the proper learning atmosphere. My 8 year old's 1st grade teacher let him lay on the floor all year and play with paper clips or his fingers because the classroom setting was not right for him. My son is very intelligent so, they allowed him to go to 2nd grade even though he didn't do anything all year. But it took me a whole year to get my son into a BED class where he could learn. The teacher thought my son was just lazy, and was going to fail him until he went into a psychiatric hospital for a month and she finally believed there was something wrong with him.

Amy Stanfield (July 25, 2001): We have had experiences on both ends of the spectrum. Kindergarten, my son couldn't handle the atmosphere of a large classroom and the principal enforced ZERO Tolerance. I could not get him to accept that BP Kids cant adhere to that, given the mood swings, etc.
Then in 1st grade I found a BD (Behavior Disorder) Classroom. He made a complete turn around. The ratio of teacher to students was 1-3 and he had a "time out room" which was nothing more than an enclosed corner with carpeted walls, where he could "vent". He made the honor roll and I believe he couldn't have done it without the BD classroom.

Julie (Sept 19, 2001): The biggest change I would make in the medical industry for my bipolar child and for children like him is to have this illness recognized for what it is: a neurobiological brain disorder. My child should, first of all, have the same insurance coverage for his bipolar illness as he would if he had a broken arm, or the flu or diabetes. He should not be forced to suffer at the end of each year because he has run out of outpatient benefits, nor should I as his mother be forced to weigh his mental health against dwindling inpatient benefits.

I would also encourage more healthcare professionals to study this illness so that they give the child the respect they deserve. My son is sick when he is cycling, not spoiled. He is suffering, not manipulating. When more physicians, psychiatric and otherwise, realize this, the road to stability is that much closer.

Julie (Nov 5, 2001): if i could change on thing for medical use for children or adults would be to make sure that if there is a medical problem that it not go left untreated and it be caught right at the exact moment and that they be told what is wrong with them so they don't have to go years with out knowing what is wrong with them and commit suicide. i know that i was not properly helped and i attempted once and tried once. so now that i find a counselor who taught me things he helped me learned methods and made something of me. the thing that these hospitals and counselors need to realize is when someone is depressed don't put them through six weeks or months before they can get counseling. i had that happen to me where it took me weeks before i finally got the help i needed and i was so depressed that it wasn't great to go through years of what i did and then falling into depression again. i had a sister that threatened suicide and the hospital didn't even keep her and then again she did and they put my mom through hell and they diagnosed my sister wrong once and finally got it right. well guess what last year because of one stupid counselor and not paying attention my sister was being watched because she was having problems and she jumped from a high two story building and broke her ankle really bad and almost died and she was screaming and the part that hurts the most is she could of been dead because they weren't watching her well like they should of been doing and why should anyone suffer because of a mental problem. i am sorry to say this but you doctors and counselors that put people off and children or send people home that are suicidal early better think twice before you lose someone in this life time and really help mental people and patients and not worry about your money situations. you better think about the lives of people before you destroy someone else as what my mom and sister went through and what i went through of waiting six weeks to get help... help is help and whether suicidal or not you need to help that person so they feel better and can go on with lives.

Lyndell (Sept 20, 2002): I believe that the social workers need to have some learned skills about children that are difficult, so they could be helped by pointing them in the right direction. Or at least have a psychologist to screen all kids on intake. That would be better because most Social Workers are overburdened. I also believe that kids in the foster care system or group homes should have base line testing for any and all disorders. It seems to me that some kind of base line testing could be made if it isn't already in existence. Many of the kids in the system are high risk kids already and should have the help needed as early as possible. It would help family's from crashing and burn out, that take in kids or adopt. This is a widespread problem in the social service departments.

Susan (Oct 1, 2002): To get the funding to pay for the treatment that the kids need except for sending them out of the hospital when they do not display immediate suicidal or homicidal thoughts or actions. To pay for residential treatment of depressed teens so they do not get worse, get into substance abuse and or trouble with the law.

Mauri (Oct 10, 2002): This takes some courage. I would put a psychiatric nurse in every public school in America.

Rjacks (Oct 12, 2002): The one thing that EVERYONE NORMAL ON EARTH NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT WE ARE HIGHLY INTELLIGENT AND SENSITIV human beings and not psychos and let the stigma go.

Shirley (Jan 7, 2003): As you will see in Question 5 of a poster paper on my web site
http://home.earthlink.net/~smwillett/homepageindex.html
I suggest some "social systems changes". The most important is "emotional education" for the young so we can truly begin understanding ourselves - especially those of us who are born with emotional sensitivities.
If you go to Fig. A, "Color Code of Emotions", which I explain in Question 3, you can see how I became conscious of my emotions, and has made my life with "Manic-depressive energies" one of a beautiful spirit in which I have recovered to be resilient.

Kippen (Jan 31, 2004): I'm the victim of a bipolar husband. The abuse I have received is, is more than anyone could take. I am talking to my husband about this. So far, so good. He is reading about bipolar anyway. I am tired of all of the beatings, broken ribs, black eyes, and questions everyone asks me. I hope he will continue the interest and get the help he needs. I believe he is at the "worst" level of bipolar. Is there a chat room or support groups for us? Thanks again.

McMan (Jan 31): Hi, Kippen. Check out BPSO and all the best.

Chelsea Morning (March 19, 2004): It's so validating to find this article! I fell in love with a man in his manic phase. His energy, optimism and creativity were contagious. He wanted to be together all the time, wrote songs for me, and was constantly planning activities for us. I did think it was a bit wacky that he would talk about getting married and having a baby so early on. But, we liked the same sports, played the same instrument, read books together and he seemed over-the-moon to have found me.

Then, he crashed into depression. At first, he was still very open to me, and shared his feelings more intimately than anyone ever had with me. That's when he told me about his childhood, and that his mother was bipolar. I began to think something wasn't quite right with him, but since he was a doctor and he said he was fine, I believed him. When he got really depressed, he was nihilistic and shut me out for several weeks. This hurt, but when he apologized so eloquently, I figured it was a one time thing. We did alright for months, but then came a mood that didn't seem like depression to me--it seemed like cruelty. We went away together on a vacation we were both very excited about. He turned mean--snapping at me repeatedly for no reason, then treating me with sullen disdain. Any trace of his abundant affection was gone. He began talking to his ex-girlfriend on the phone but not telling me. When we got home, he had her move into his house. He never talked to me about it--I went to his house and she opened the door.

I was in my early twenties--young enough to think this must be my fault. It was devastating. Later, I thought about his mom and began to read about bipolar disorder. Every symptom fit. By the time he was finished with his ex and began trying everything to get me back, I was wise enough to say no. He kept in touch, but finally, I had to cut that off because he became very paranoid, lost his hospital privileges and his job, and was acting so crazily that it scared me.

It helped so much to find this site, realize that other people have been through this, and remember that his moods were caused a disorder, not by me.

CC (Jan 29, 2005): If I could change one thing, it would be to have every kid having problems to be tested for biochemical and metabolic dysfunction that may contribute to problems like depression, ADHD, OCD, etc. My son is an autistic spectrum child, in 1st grade, didn't want to live anymore, was upset by everything, cried all the time... Now we are lucky enough to see wonderful results from 5HTP, magnesium, fishoil and other things that are also recommended for depression and bipolar. I feel that half of these types of problems are due to biochemical imbalances that can be corrected naturally.

Post your opinion here.

John McManamy

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