How Do You Get Bipolar Disorder??

Question

This guy I'm talking to is bipolar. I didn't know that until yesterday because his friend told me. That explained a lot of the mood swings, like one minute he was REALLY nice and the next he would just snap outta no where. Anyways could someone please tell me how you get bipolar disease in the first place? and it is a specific age gruop or can younger people get it too?

Answer 1

You don't get it, you always have it. It just develops slowly. Some people's symptoms show up stronger and sooner so they KNOW they have it, but for others it doesn't appear until their hormones start pumping in teenage years to early twenties. For some, it's even later. It all depends on what your body does with it.

Answer 2

Nobody really knows the cause of bipolar depression. There is a definate genetic link. But it can be detected in most any age group. It may be because it was developed at different times..or it just wasn't diagnosed until later. It can be lived with and people can function well and live successful lives if the right medications are taken on a regular basis. There are 2 types of bipolar depression. People can have various levels of severity of either types. As a healthcare provider I feel especially empathetic for the mental illnesses. They are misunderstood and not given the same help as the physical illnesses. It can destroy lives and cause as much pain as any cancer. Yet, people who suffer are laughed at, and abandoned by family and society. It makes people who suffer relunctant to admit thier problem, seek help, and continue to get help on a regular basis. A horrible revolving circle. Can anybody get mental illness....absolutely. But we treat those who have it as if it is some kind of personal failure. Trully, when you see those suffering with mental illness, tell yourself, 'There but for the grace of God go I'. Because you don't know if it won't be a path you will walk.

Answer 3

I think that bipolar people are born with it and it usually shows up between the ages of 17-23. With medication people with this disease can usually function quite normally. It is usually genetic and parents have a 1 in 5 chance of passing it to thier offspring.

Answer 4

It is a chemical imbalance you are born with. It becomes more noticeable when one reaches late teens early 20's. If this young man is having mood swings like you say, its best he see a doctor. He doesn't have to go thru this. He may do or say things he will feel sorry for later. He's not crazy, just needs some medicine to help him cope. Some therapy could help too, where he learns coping skills.

Answer 5

usually develops around age 20 can be in childhood i had it by the time i was 12. it is an inherited chemical imbalance

Answer 6

YES younger people can to

Answer 7

How do you "GET" it?
I think it used to be mostly through mail order, but I hear you can also order it on line now.