Significance

• According to a study by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), approximately 1 percent of adolescents between ages 14 and 18 have bipolar disorder.
  
  

Considerations

• Bipolar disorder in teens and children is often more severe than in adults. Early onset of the disorder suggests increased symptoms and greater resistance to treatment.
  
  

Warning

• Teens with bipolar disorder are more susceptible to self-injury, impulsive or aggressive acts and substance abuse. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among this group according to the Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation.
  
  

Treatment

• Both psychotherapy and medication can be effective in treating adolescents with bipolar disorder. NIMH suggests that a "daily life chart" could be useful in tracking a teenager's mood, behavior and sleep patterns.
  
  

Trends

• A 2007 study by the National Institutes of Health suggests that the rate at which adolescents are being diagnosed with bipolar disorder is climbing rapidly.