Some experts believe that experiencing a lot of emotional distress as a child can cause bipolar disorder to develop. This could be because childhood trauma and distress can have a big effect on your ability to manage your emotions. This can include experiences like: Neglect.
Childhood traumatic events are risk factors for developing bipolar disorders, in addition to a more severe clinical presentation over time (primarily an earlier age at onset and an increased risk of suicide attempt and substance misuse).
Although trauma is most often associated with PTSD, depression, or anxiety, trauma can cause bipolar disorder, as well. However, it's more of a contributing factor rather than a direct cause. To clarify, exposure to trauma can increase your risk of developing bipolar disorder, but it does not guarantee that you will.
The trauma and the PTSD may contribute to, trigger, or worsen a mood disorder like bipolar. Treatment is possible, though, and it can be effective in helping you build a better life.
Diagnosing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, or both can be trickier than it seems. The two conditions have overlapping symptoms, making it more difficult to get the right diagnosis and best treatment. It's also possible — and quite common — to have both conditions.
The most common misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder is major depressive disorder (MDD). The symptoms of major depression last for at least two weeks and can include: persistent feelings of sadness or low mood.
Bipolar disorder often runs in families, and research suggests this is mostly explained by heredity—people with certain genes are more likely to develop bipolar disorder than others. Many genes are involved, and no one gene can cause the disorder. But genes are not the only factor.
Bipolar disorder can cause your mood to swing from an extreme high to an extreme low. Manic symptoms can include increased energy, excitement, impulsive behaviour, and agitation. Depressive symptoms can include lack of energy, feeling worthless, low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts.
If you live with a mood disorder (depression or bipolar disorder), a traumatic event can disrupt your routine and impact your therapy. It may even trigger an episode of mania or a deepening of depression.
About one in 10 children of a parent with bipolar disorder will develop the illness. Nine out of 10 will not. It's unclear why, but some people get bipolar disorder more easily than others do. The child is not the cause of the parent's bipolar disorder.
Background. Child maltreatment has been shown to be associated with a wide range of mental disorders, including bipolar disorders. In this 2-year follow-up study, recollections of emotional, physical and sexual abuse were related to bipolar symptoms, namely depressive, hypomanic and manic symptoms.
Bipolar disorder can occur at any age, although it often develops between the ages of 15 and 19 and rarely develops after 40. Men and women from all backgrounds are equally likely to develop bipolar disorder. The pattern of mood swings in bipolar disorder varies widely between people.
One of the most common bipolar triggers is stress. In a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, negative or stressful life events were associated with subsequent mood episodes.
A person with bipolar disorder may be unaware they're in the manic phase. After the episode is over, they may be shocked at their behaviour. But at the time, they may believe other people are being negative or unhelpful. Some people with bipolar disorder have more frequent and severe episodes than others.
Though the specific causes of bipolar disorder within the brain are unclear, an imbalance of brain chemicals is believed to lead to dysregulated brain activity.
Bipolar disorder affects multiple structures in the brain, as well as the organ's function. Experts believe that bipolar disorder is associated with the smaller size of certain regions of the brain and with changes in the brain's chemicals. It can also cause changes in thinking and hallucinations.
Bipolar disorder may make it more difficult for you to interpret people's emotions. Missed clues make it harder for you to empathize when others feel happy or sad. If someone is feeling troubled, you may lack enough empathy to be moved to help.
So no, not everyone who has bipolar disorder knows they have it. There are lots of reasons why someone with bipolar disorder might not realize it—or why they might deny having it even if they do.
Obsessive thinking is a fairly common but rarely discussed symptom of bipolar. We look at ways you can take charge when intrusive thoughts take hold. Getting something stuck in your head—the catchy chorus of a song, a gruesome image from the news—can be annoying for anyone.
The life expectancy for someone with bipolar disorder is approximately 67 years old. A 2021 study researched the effect of bipolar disorder on longevity and found that: risk of death is 2.6 times greater than the general population. the average life span is between 8–12 years shorter than the general population.
But don't argue or debate with a person during a manic episode. Avoid intense conversation. Don't take comments or behavior personally. During periods of high energy, a person often says and does things that he or she would not usually say or do.