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UNDERSTANDING BIPOLAR DISORDER

Young Adult: Get the Facts

What does it mean 

when a health care 

professional says 

“bipolar disorder”?

Hearing a health care professional say you have bipolar 

disorder can be confusing. The good news is that the 

emotions and behaviors you have been concerned about 

are actually symptoms of a treatable disorder. By getting 

treatment and entering recovery, people with bipolar 

disorder can manage their symptoms, feel better, and lead 

productive and meaningful lives. Recovery does not 

necessarily mean a cure. It does mean that people are 

actively moving toward wellness.

It is important to talk with a health care provider about 

treatment options and additional information. Your provider 

may be a child and adolescent psychiatrist, general 

psychiatrist, psychologist, pediatrician, social worker, or 

other health care provider. If you are concerned that you 

may have bipolar disorder, it is important to seek a thorough 

evaluation. The evaluation includes talking about your 

symptoms, blood and urine tests, and perhaps other tests to 

ensure that there is no underlying medical condition that 

could be causing the symptoms. It is also important to 

ensure that you can tolerate medication, if recommended as 

part of the treatment plan.

What do we mean by recovery?

Recovery is a process of change through 

which individuals improve their health 

and wellness, live a 

self-directed life, and strive to reach 

their full potential.1

Recovery focuses on wellness and 

resilience, encouraging [people] to 

participate actively in their own care.2

“ At first, it was quite scary—

 I didn't know what to expect, 

and I didn't know where to go 

for support or even if support 

existed. It felt like a roller coaster 

that I didn't sign up to ride. 

At the same time, it was liberating 

as I finally had an answer 

regarding what I had 

been experiencing.

 —Hayden, Youth

“
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What is 

bipolar 

disorder?

Bipolar disorder refers to a variety of disorders that 

involve unusual changes in mood, activity, and energy. 

These changes in mood or behavior are different than 

the typical “highs” and “lows” that all youth and young 

adults experience.

In bipolar disorder, the “highs” (also called manic episodes or, in less severe cases, hypomanic 

episodes) are marked by a combination of symptoms. This may include:

• decreased need for sleep,

• restlessness,

• irritability,

• grandiosity,

• excessive energy and activity,

• rapid, pressured talking and racing thoughts,

• poor judgment and risky behavior,

• and a feeling that nothing can go wrong.

The “lows” (also called depressive episodes) may involve feelings of: 

• constant sadness or anxiety,

• changes in appetite or sleep patterns,

• low energy,

• restlessness,

• irritability,

• thoughts about death,

• and loss of interest in favorite or pleasurable activities.

Changes in mood or behavior due to bipolar disorder may be out of character for you and 

may later be regretted. A diagnosis of bipolar disorder means that the manic episode lasts for 

one week, but may be shorter. A diagnosis of a hypomanic episode only requires four days of 

symptoms, and a diagnosis of depression requires two weeks of symptoms. 

You may feel these symptoms most of the time, and they may seriously interfere with your 

regular activities with your family, in school, at work, or in other social situations. In between 

these episodes, you return to your usual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Bipolar disorder is typically an ongoing and recurrent disorder. However, youth and young 

adults are resilient. Treatment that involves medications, behavioral therapy, and other 

elements of an individualized treatment program can help you improve your coping skills, 

manage your symptoms, improve daily functioning, and help you lead a full, meaningful life. 

An individualized treatment program can include positive family and peer support.
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What is 

bipolar 

disorder? What caused this?

Researchers and health care 

professionals do not completely 

understand the causes of bipolar 

disorder. It is unlikely that a single 

factor causes bipolar disorder. It is most 

likely caused by a combination of things 

such as genetics, chemical or other changes in the brain, 

and/or environmental factors. Bipolar disorder often runs 

in families. Traumatic experiences can also contribute to 

the development of psychiatric disorders. If you have 

experienced a traumatic incident, it is critical to share 

that information with your health care provider. 

How common is this disorder? 

Data from the National Comorbidity Survey show that the 

rate of bipolar disorder among 15- to 29-year-olds is in 

the range of 3.1 percent to 7.0 percent.4,5

What do we mean by resilience?

Resilience is the ability to respond to stress, anxiety, trauma, crisis, or 

disaster. It is critical in recovery [from mental disorders].3

Hope lives; remember, 

sometimes "hope" 

can mean 

Hold On, Pain Ends. 

You are NOT alone 

despite how lonely 

and isolated 

you may feel.

—Haley, Youth

“

“
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What are the 

treatment 

approaches?

Bipolar disorder can be managed in many ways. This 

includes medication and various types of psychotherapy. 

Support from family or friends may be very helpful for 

some people. If you are of consenting age, you may need 

to provide written consent for parents or caregivers to 

participate on the treatment team. It is important to talk to 

your health care providers about other types of treatment, 

such as complementary medicine, as well as programs that 

can provide additional support related to education, 

employment, housing, and vocation and career 

development. It is also important to have good self-care, 

such as a healthy diet, exercise, sleep, and abstinence from 

illicit drugs. You should collaborate with your family and 

health care provider to consider treatment options. 

Decisions shouls be made that fit your own priorities and 

goals.

Medications

Medications can help to manage many of the 

symptoms of bipolar disorder. Each person reacts 

differently to these medications. For that reason, 

the prescribing health care professional may try 

different doses and different kinds of medication 

before finding the most effective approach for you. Be 

candid with your prescriber and be patient. Finding 

the best medication and the most effective dose may 

take time. Most youth with bipolar disorder will require 

ongoing medication therapy to prevent relapse. 

Although medications help with the main symptoms of 

bipolar disorder, they do not necessarily address the 

needs you may have for support and building skills. 

Therapy 

Behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, 

or other forms of psychotherapy, (e.g., dialectical 

behavioral therapy, or DBT, has shown evidence of 

being effective for some of the symptoms associated 

with bipolar disorder) may be used alone or in 

combination with medications. These types of 

treatments help you understand, identify, and choose 

behaviors in situations that could trigger manic or 

depressive episodes. Learning information about 

bipolar disorder and lifestyle modification, such as 

sticking to a sleep schedule or reducing caffeine/

energy drinks, can also be tools to support the 

treatment process. 

Support

Your family or peers that have managed similar 

challenges can be an important part of your 

treatment team for bipolar disorder. Talking with 

peers lets you learn from others who have bipolar 

disorder and are further along in recovery. As part of 

your treatment team, these individuals can help you 

recognize mood changes before they become a 

greater problem. These partners can be an 

important source of support and encouragement, 

helping you to stay focused on your recovery and 

life goals. 

It is important to tell your health care provider(s) 

about all of your symptoms, such as any particular 

fears, your feelings in social situations, or persistent/

worsening low mood that may be bothering you. Be 

sure to report any problems or lifestyle changes to 

your prescriber, including any use of drugs or 

medications, smoking, excessive caffeine (energy 

drinks), or alcohol. Self-medicating yourself with 

alcohol or drugs can complicate your treatment and 

make your symptoms worse. If you have thoughts or 

plans of harming yourself or others, contact your 

prescriber or the National Suicide Prevention 

Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or via the 

web chat function at http://

www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org immediately.
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Where can I learn more 

and get support?

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Centers/Bipolar_Disorder_

Resource_Center/Home.aspx

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

http://www.dbsalliance.org

Find Youth Info

http://www.findyouthinfo.gov

Mental Health America

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net

National Alliance on Mental Illness

http://www2.nami.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Mental_Illnesses/Bipolar1/Home_-_

What_is_Bipolar_Disorder_.htm

National Center for Complementary & Integrative Health

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/integrative-health

National Institute of Mental Health

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Ok2Talk

http://ok2talk.org

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 

http://www.samhsa.gov/disorders/mental

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline

http://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

Teen Mental Health 

http://teenmentalhealth.org/learn/mental-disorders/bipolar-disorder-2

The Storm in My Brain

http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/storm.pdf

Youth Motivating Others through Voices of Experience

http://www.youthmovenational.org

SAMHSA would like to thank the 

American Academy of Child and 

Adolescent Psychiatry, the American 

Psychological Association, the 

American Psychiatric Association, and 

the Caring for Every Child’s Mental 

Health Campaign Family and Young 

Adult Councils for their collaboration in 

developing and disseminating this fact 

sheet. This report was prepared for the 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

under contract number 

HHSS280201500007C, with SAMHSA, 

U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services. Lisa Rubenstein served as the 

Project Manager and Eric Lulow served 

as the Government Project Officer. 

REFERENCES:

1 (2012). SAMHSA's Working 

 Definition of Recovery. SAMHSA.

2 American Psychiatric Association. 

 (2005). Position Statement on Use 

 of the Concept of Recovery. 

3 (2013). SAMHSA Annotated 

 Bibliography.

4 Kessler, R.C., Berglund, P., Demler, 

 O., Jin, R., Merikangas, K. R., & 

 Walters, E. E. (2005). Lifetime 

 Prevalence and Age-of-Onset 

 Distributions of DSM-IV Disorders 

 in the National Comorbidity 

 Survey Replication. Archives of 

 General Psychiatry, 62(6), 593-602.

5 Merikangas, K. R., He, J. P., 

 Burstein, M., Swanson, S. A., 

 Avenevoli, S., Cui, L., Benjet, C., 

 Georgiades, K., & Swendsen, J. 

 (2010). Lifetime Prevalence of 

 Mental Disorders in US 

 Adolescents: Results from the 

 National Comorbidity Study - 

 Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A).

 Journal of the American Academy 

 of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 

 49(10), 980-989.

Disclaimer

The views, opinions, and content of this publication are those of 

the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of 

SAMHSA or HHS. The information presented in this document 

should not be considered medical advice and is not a substitute 

for individualized patient or client care and treatment decisions.

EDUCATION + TREATMENT + SUPPORT =

RECOVERY

AND

RESILIENCE

HHS Publication No. (SMA) 16-5008