How to Treat Bipolar Disorder in Teens
Understand what psychotherapy is., Try cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)., Take part in family-focused therapy., Learn more about interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT)., The therapist will also teach your child how to deal with problems...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Understand what psychotherapy is.
Psychotherapy is a general blanket term for different therapies that involve your child going to talk to a psychiatrist or psychologist.Psychotherapy offers your child a chance to express himself and learn about different ways that he can manage his mood swings.
Different types of psychotherapy that are generally prescribed for kids with bipolar depression include:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Family-focused therapy.
Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT). -
Step 2: Try cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
The main principle behind CBT is that your actions are influenced by your thoughts and so negative thoughts can lead to negative actions.
Depression is seen as such a negative action, even if it is a subconscious one, and it is the result of thoughts that are extremely pessimistic.
In CBT the therapist will help your child identify the thoughts that lead to depression and will therefore be able to reduce the severity of the condition.For example:
The therapist might ask your child to pick a recent situation when he or she was experiencing depression.
Then, the two of them will carefully examine that situation and will finally reach the depressive negative thoughts in the bottom.
Next, the therapist will help your child restructure those thoughts so that they are not so pessimistic.
A specific example of restructuring a thought is:
Let’s say one of your child’s negative thoughts that leads to a depressive episode is “I am doing very badly at school, so I must be stupid”.
A CBT therapist will strive to restructure that thought into something along the lines of “I might not have the best grades in school, but I am very creative and that is a big advantage of mine”.
If your child is very young, the therapist might use drawings or toys to achieve the same result. , This is a form of psychotherapy involves the entire immediate family participating in the therapy sessions.
In psychology, the child is seen as a unit of the family, so the child’s depression is influenced by the family and the family is influenced by the depression.
Remember that your child’s depression is not your fault and that there is no one to blame.
However, the interactions in the family should be understood better and worked on.A therapy session might include:
The therapist observing your family’s interactions with one another, including body language, the way you talk to each other, etc.
Each family member getting to talk freely and expressing their feelings and perceptions of the situation.
Insight into your child’s depressive episodes and how you can better help him or her. , This approach was developed specifically to deal with bipolar disorders.
It is very effective in treating children and adolescents with bipolar depression.
The approach will help your child learn about and understand his daily actions and routines.
By encouraging your child to keep close track of his moods and feelings, your child and the therapist will be able to discover which situations and everyday actions provoke depressive episodes.Once your child has pinpointed what makes him experience a depressive episode, the therapist will help your child structure those actions and behaviors into a daily routine.
People with bipolar depression have shown improvement when given a daily routine to follow.
The routine will also involve sleep patterns that will help your child get rest so that he is less likely to experience an episode. , Keep in mind that the exact procedure for doing this varies for every child, as the course of this therapy is largely determined by individual characteristics and needs. , It is essential not to decide on a medication kind and dosage for your child on your own—every child requires very specific treatment and even slight discrepancies can cause very unpleasant side effects and additional problems.
However, medication is a must when it comes to bipolar depression.
That is why you should talk over every detail with your child’s doctor.Common medications prescribed include:
Lithium.
Carbamazepine.
Divalproex.
Lamotrigine.
Valproate. , While medication is necessary to treat bipolar depression, there are still some issues you should consider when choosing a medication.
These considerations include:
How frequently your child will need to take this medication.
How this medication will interact with any other medications your child is taking.
What the side effects are of this medication. -
Step 3: Take part in family-focused therapy.
-
Step 4: Learn more about interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT).
-
Step 5: The therapist will also teach your child how to deal with problems when they occur and those routines get broken.
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Step 6: Talk to a health care specialist about medication for you child.
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Step 7: Take time to really consider the medication before you give it to your child.
Detailed Guide
Psychotherapy is a general blanket term for different therapies that involve your child going to talk to a psychiatrist or psychologist.Psychotherapy offers your child a chance to express himself and learn about different ways that he can manage his mood swings.
Different types of psychotherapy that are generally prescribed for kids with bipolar depression include:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Family-focused therapy.
Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT).
The main principle behind CBT is that your actions are influenced by your thoughts and so negative thoughts can lead to negative actions.
Depression is seen as such a negative action, even if it is a subconscious one, and it is the result of thoughts that are extremely pessimistic.
In CBT the therapist will help your child identify the thoughts that lead to depression and will therefore be able to reduce the severity of the condition.For example:
The therapist might ask your child to pick a recent situation when he or she was experiencing depression.
Then, the two of them will carefully examine that situation and will finally reach the depressive negative thoughts in the bottom.
Next, the therapist will help your child restructure those thoughts so that they are not so pessimistic.
A specific example of restructuring a thought is:
Let’s say one of your child’s negative thoughts that leads to a depressive episode is “I am doing very badly at school, so I must be stupid”.
A CBT therapist will strive to restructure that thought into something along the lines of “I might not have the best grades in school, but I am very creative and that is a big advantage of mine”.
If your child is very young, the therapist might use drawings or toys to achieve the same result. , This is a form of psychotherapy involves the entire immediate family participating in the therapy sessions.
In psychology, the child is seen as a unit of the family, so the child’s depression is influenced by the family and the family is influenced by the depression.
Remember that your child’s depression is not your fault and that there is no one to blame.
However, the interactions in the family should be understood better and worked on.A therapy session might include:
The therapist observing your family’s interactions with one another, including body language, the way you talk to each other, etc.
Each family member getting to talk freely and expressing their feelings and perceptions of the situation.
Insight into your child’s depressive episodes and how you can better help him or her. , This approach was developed specifically to deal with bipolar disorders.
It is very effective in treating children and adolescents with bipolar depression.
The approach will help your child learn about and understand his daily actions and routines.
By encouraging your child to keep close track of his moods and feelings, your child and the therapist will be able to discover which situations and everyday actions provoke depressive episodes.Once your child has pinpointed what makes him experience a depressive episode, the therapist will help your child structure those actions and behaviors into a daily routine.
People with bipolar depression have shown improvement when given a daily routine to follow.
The routine will also involve sleep patterns that will help your child get rest so that he is less likely to experience an episode. , Keep in mind that the exact procedure for doing this varies for every child, as the course of this therapy is largely determined by individual characteristics and needs. , It is essential not to decide on a medication kind and dosage for your child on your own—every child requires very specific treatment and even slight discrepancies can cause very unpleasant side effects and additional problems.
However, medication is a must when it comes to bipolar depression.
That is why you should talk over every detail with your child’s doctor.Common medications prescribed include:
Lithium.
Carbamazepine.
Divalproex.
Lamotrigine.
Valproate. , While medication is necessary to treat bipolar depression, there are still some issues you should consider when choosing a medication.
These considerations include:
How frequently your child will need to take this medication.
How this medication will interact with any other medications your child is taking.
What the side effects are of this medication.
About the Author
Stephen Butler
A seasoned expert in arts and creative design, Stephen Butler combines 5 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Stephen's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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