The mental health condition bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression is no discriminator of age or gender and will typically have a range of impacts upon the lives of those suffering from the disorder. Children as well as adults suffering from bipolar disorder may exhibit symptoms related to psychosis.
Symptoms of Psychosis in Childhood Bipolar Disorder
A common symptom associated with psychosis in children as well as older sufferers is that of experiencing hallucinations. Symptoms relating to psychosis may be apparent in episodes of both mania (elation) and depression. Bipolar disorder is identified as being more serious and severe when symptoms associated with psychosis are also present.
Further symptoms of psychosis in children suffering from bipolar disorder may include the following: extreme paranoia, false beliefs, losing touch with one's reality and having false perceptions.
What are Hallucinations?
A person may be described as suffering from hallucinations when he or she sees, feels, hears,smells or tastes something that is not actually there. Although other people cannot see what the sufferer sees the hallucination appears very real to the individual affected by this psychosis symptom.
Hallucinations also affect those who suffer from other mental health problems such as schizophrenia, where they typically come in the form of hearing voices.
How Does Imagination Differ From Psychosis?
It is recognised by mental health professional that many parents will have significant difficulty in distinguishing between when their child is imagining things as a completely normal part of childhood or actually suffering from psychosis. This is because both begin in the child's mind, the difference is that the latter is out of the person's control whereas vivid imagery is deliberately created by the child.
A key difference between imagination and psychosis is as follows: imagination may often involve the child having an imaginary friend (perfectly normal in childhood) whereas in psychosis the child may see people that are fearful to them and also ask whether or not they are real.
Another difference is that following watching a scary film, a child experiencing psychosis may have a very strong belief that someone is trying to harm them or even kill them whereas a child who is mentally well may want to sleep with the light on because they fear a monster might be hiding in their room.
What to do Upon Identifying Possible Psychosis Symptoms
As highlighted above symptoms associated with psychosis are often very hard to distinguish between those normal to an imaginative child. Therefore, it is important to avoid panicking if symptoms appear to be present. The most practical thing to do is to talk to a mental health professional or the family doctor who will be able to either refer one's child for an assessment or be able to have an alternative explanation for such symptoms.
Sources:
Anglada, T. & Hakala, S. (2008) The Childhood Bipolar Disorder Answerbook Illinois: Sourcebooks.
Burton, N. (2009) Master Your Mind Oxford: Acheron Press.
Kate Le Page - Kate Henning-Le Page writes about eating disorders, body image and recovery issues. She specializes in anorexia recovery.
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