It is extremely important to have a supportive person in the environment. If these conditions are met and the child or adolescent can make a commitment to working with the family and mental health care providers towards these goals, he or she may be safely managed in a less restrictive outpatient setting. To summarize, the most effective intervention for the prevention of suicide in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder is early recognition, accurate diagnosis, and aggressive treatment. Depressed and suicidal children and adolescents with bipolar disorder should be started on a mood stabilizer prior to antidepressant treatment. Adjunctive psychopharmacological treatment for associated symptoms with benzodiazepines and neuroleptics, however, may exacerbate suicidal ideation and do not appear to reduce the risk of suicidal ideation or behavior.
Bipolar illness is treatable.
Suicidal talk by children and adolescents should not be ignored. Actions that can be construed as suicidal behavior must be recognized as such and should prompt a thorough evaluation by a mental health professional. While researchers continue to describe the nature of bipolar illness in youth, it is clear that early identification and intervention can prevent the needless loss of young lives. Ongoing research should provide new information on juvenile onset bipolar illness that will further enhance its recognition and treatment. This article originally appeared in Lifesavers, AFSP's quarterly newsletter.