The documentary “The Medicated Child” gave me a lot of insight into the lives of children diagnosed with bipolar disorder. When we hear and learn about bipolar disorder, we do not normally think of children. However, there are many children diagnosed with bipolar disorder ranging from all ages. As we saw in the documentary, bipolar disorder can be very hard on both the child and the family, so finding a cure that is effective and safe is important. The video also highlighted how little research there has been on the effectiveness of antidepressants on children. I thought the video was very memorable because it showed how young these kids were and they were already taking multiple pills each day. It is sad to me that these children will likely spend most of their lives on medication. Also, the little girl, Jessica, really stuck out to me. I had never seen such a violent thought come from a four year old, it was something you would never expect because most people don’t recognize that kids can have bipolar disorder too. The meaningful and powerful part of the movie to me was that a little girl died in the night as a result of all the medications she was prescribed. That was very shocking to me because …show more content…
The book and documentary talked about the biological cause of bipolar disorder. The brain structure is different in those with bipolar disorder than those without it. They both touched on how there is a question about doctors over diagnosing bipolar disorder in children. They also both talked about how people with bipolar disorder are given many medications. Once they are given medication, those same medications give a person side effects that require them to take more medication. This was referred to as domino effect. Also, many of the drugs given to these children are not tested or approved for children. This treatment was also discussed in the book, as well as psychotherapy (Comer
Bipolar disorder, which is also called manic-depression, is a term used to define forms of irregular and intense mood swings that can make someone be depressed one day and a complete maniac the next. Unlike other medical conditions, bipolar disorder does not only affect one’s life, but it can also have an impact on other individuals. The extreme mood swings can have a major consequence on someone’s social life and cause one to fail in his or her career or education. Even though bipolar is not the immense discussion in medical disorders; it is still a dangerous condition that affects a multitude of individuals in the world. Many suffer severe symptoms and dangers but they can still live a satisfying life with treatments and therapy.
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.
Crowe, M. (2011). Feeling out of control: A qualitative analysis of the impact of bipolar
The severe mood fluctuations of bipolar or manic-depressive disorders have been around since the 16-century and affect little more than 2% of the population in both sexes, all races, and all parts of the world (Harmon 3). Researchers think that the cause is genetic, but it is still unknown. The one fact of which we are painfully aware of is that bipolar disorder severely undermines its victims ability to obtain and maintain social and occupational success. Because the symptoms of bipolar disorder are so debilitation, it is crucial that we search for possible treatments and cures.
There is a great deal of controversy surrounding the issue of children being medicated with powerful psychotropic medications. Psychological disorders, such as bipolar disorder, that were once believed only to effect adults, are now being diagnosed in children, and those children are, more often than not, now being treated with medications. The number of children being diagnosed and treated with psychotropic medications has rapidly increased in recent years. A report issued by Medco Health Solutions in 2010 states that the number of children being prescribed psychotropic medications doubled from 2001 to 2010. Psychotropic medications can be defined as "any medication capable of affecting the mind, emotions, and behavior"(medicine net). The classes of psychotropic medications are; Stimulants, such as Adderall- prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Antidepressants, such as Prozac- prescribed for depression, Anti-psychotics such as Haldol - prescribed for behavioral disorders, and Mood Stabilizers, such as Depakote - prescribed for bipolar disorders. These medications have been shown to "stunt growth, cause obsessive behaviors, suppress spontaneity, and cause children to become depressed and less social"(Breggin, 2009). This paper will discuss what research suggests about the potentially negative effects of these medications on a child’s physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development. In addition, this paper will also examine the potential reasons these medications are increasingly prescribed, and alternative treatments for some of the psychological disorders that these kinds of medications are prescribed for.
Few deny either that we’re a quick-fix culture, and if you give us a feel-good answer to a complicated problem, we’ll use it with little thought of long term consequences (Kluger). Ritalin and Concerta are just two of the drugs used to help children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). While Seroquel and Lithium are two drugs of many to help with Bipolar Disorder, and Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil are some of the drugs that can be prescribed for Depression. All these drugs can be useful as a temporary solution, but they will have many side-effects which could harm the child.
In summary, the article talked about the effects that antidepressant pills have on children. Immense publicity about antidepressants causing suicidal behavior in children is prompting more parents to hesitate to take their kids to psychiatrists. More doctors are hesitating to put their patients on antidepressant prescriptions. Last October, the Food and Drug Administration ordered black box labels, the most severe warning, on all anti-depressants. Some doctors think that these medicines are "speed bumps" and might end in more suicides. Other doctors think, "For children who really need treatment, a wait and see' approach could be dangerous." The percentage rate of children's antidepressant prescriptions has dropped within the last couple months. Psychiatrist Bruce Black says, "Kids are unhappy for a lot of reasons, and antidepressants often aren't the solution."
Psychotropic medications, also referred to as psychiatric or psychotherapeutic medications, are used to treat psychiatric disorders, such as: depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They have been used for many years and oftentimes come with dangerous side effects. The side effects that often occur in children taking these medications can include: fainting, blurred vision, vomiting, extreme weight gain, and even death ("Seroquel information,” n.d.). The use of psychotropic medication to treat mental disorders in children and adolescents is highly controversial because of ethical viewpoints (i.e. parents “drugging” their children to calm them down) and potentially harmful side effects, but one has to take into consideration whether the risks outweigh the benefits when deciding whether or not to give this type of medication to children.
Bipolar in children and adults differ in a few ways. Children with bipolar is called early onset bipolar. This is often more severe than adults with bipolar. Also children with bipolar disorder have more mood swings and symptoms and more frequentl...
Even though supporters state antipsychotic drugs can help treat children with schizophrenia and bipolar disorders, some doctors prescribe these drugs to children that do not meet the requirements from the FDA. Critics of modern Psychiatry state “the profession has invested too heavily in technologies such as brain imaging and psychotropic drugs, leading many psychiatrists to the false conclusion” of diagnosing a mental illness in a child. (Psychiatry) Children are most likely to be prescribed with antipsychotic drug for aggression and disruptive behavior rather than for hallucinations and hearing voices. Torsten Weisel, a neurologists, states they need many years to accurately diagnose a mental illness. (Children and Antipsychotic Drugs). Often children enrolled in Medicaid have a greater chance to be prescribed with an antipsychotic drug than private insured children because it would be less expensive than
The film, Of Two Minds, is based on real life accounts of individuals living with bipolar disorder. Before watching this film, I had an idea of what bipolar disorder is , but after viewing this film I was completely mistaken. Previously, I thought being bipolar was going from a “normal” mood to an angry or sad mood in a matter of seconds and could be simply fixed by taking medicine. But my previous thoughts were completely wrong and bipolar disorder is very serious and complicated. I didn’t know the severity of this disease and I think a lot of the general public is uneducated about bipolar disorder as well as mental illness. Terri Cheney describes having bipolar disorder as, “Take the best day you ever had and multiply it by a million, it 's like a flu but one hundred times worse. It 's having flu in your mind."
The causes of bipolar disease vary between individuals. Available research indicates that genetic courses account for up to 90% of the reported cases (Fagiolini et al., 2013). It indicates there is a strong connection to hereditary components. Studies interested in genetics reveal the cause of this medical condition manifests in the candidate and chromosomal regions. The connection has currency because the regions are the main areas where the disease occurs. The disease tends to manifest in families, and research shows some people are likely to develop the disease more than others. For instance, children with a sibling or parent who suffers from bipolar disorder are likely to contract the disease more than those who from a family without a history of the disease. However, this does not mean that children from a family with the disease must develop it.
Bipolar disorder may cause patients to become depressed, lose sleep and or their appetite. It may also cause them to feel worthless, guilt and, hopeless which may even lead to suicide if not treated correctly. “Over 121 million people worldwide are affected by BD. By the year 2020, depression is projected to reach second place ranking of the g...
Childhood depression has only been recognized as a real clinical problem for about twenty-two years. Before that time, children that exhibited signs that are now recognized as depression were thought to be behavioral problems that the child would grow out of. Psychiatrists believed that children were too emotionally and cognitively immature to suffer from true depression. Childhood was thought to be a carefree, happy time, void of worry and concerns and therefore it was thought that their problems were not serious enough to merit depression. Traumas such as divorce, incest and abuse were not clearly understood how they could effect children in the long range. Childhood depression differs in many aspects from adult depression and widely went unrecognized academic performance, withdrawal and rejection of friends and favorite activities. Some exhibit hyperactivity, while others complain of fatigue and illness often. Many times these symptoms are thought to ‘be just a phase’ in their children, and overlooked as signs of depression.
Children, like any other age group, have their numbers steadily increasing with time. They too face the same issues as adults and need an intervention to help them recover. Children have the right to be prevented from mental health complications and the families and health systems should work together to enhance that. Enhanced systems should be able to detect such conditions early enough and provide interventions that solve the problem in the long run. Efficient detection systems can also help establish causes of mental issues among children and provide an opportunity for preventive health approaches.