Early Onset Bipolar Disorder-how does a typical cycle last?

I have probably had BP all my life but wasn't diagnosed until 15 because first everyone thought it was just hormones and behavior problems and then it was just depression. Personally when I was younger I was a lot worse. I would have episodes where I would stay up for 5 days straight and have absolutely no problems. My brain would be running at this tremendous rate but it wasn't a problem because it just helped get everything done faster. I'd do all the homework and projects for about a month in advance and then start reading 4-5 books a day with the "extra" time. I didn't get depressed when I was younger, I just had super high and normal. As I've gotten older I've switched to slightly high and super low. But I've always had "slight" changes in mood on hourly basis even. If you're really worried about it get a second opinion. It can't hurt. But I did have longer cycles (even the manic ones) when I was younger. They've gotten a lot shorter and a lot less frantic as I got older and as I've stayed on my medication. Another thing you could think about is trying to find a doctor who's more worried about treating the symptoms than defining the illness. Once I found a doctor like that everything started getting better for me. He wasn't obsessed with the fact that the medicine for the illness he's labeled me with wasn't working so he was more open to trying medicines that might have generally be given for a different illness but would still help with the problems I was having. I hope this helps and that you child feels better. You didn't mention the actual age so I just tried to throw in all the info I remembered. Good luck and don't blame your child please.

The only way to be certain it is Bipolar is a EKG scan. It measures the brain waves to see if their is an imbalance. If they have already done one and it has already came back positive for a chemical imbalance then there is really nothing you can do but counseling and complex medications and maybe within time it might get better anymay good enough where it is not longer a medicated condition. In my case I've been bipolor since i was 12 and I'm now 20 and I still have a couseler 1X a month and 1 time a day low dose meds. But that took me years to be where I am. I used to see doctors all over the US for EKG scans and I used to go to couseling 3X a week for years. Including family counseling. to help my father deal with what i was going through. Their are online tests you can take as well as going to doctors. Check out the site below to learn some more! Good luck and understand its not your childs fault bipolor is not something we can help and it makes us actually worse when we try to control on our own.!

Question everything. Get a second diagnosis. Review all the information you can about the medications being prescribed. You don't mention the child's age, or if there is a family history of BP--both factors to be considered.

Good luck. I've been this route, and my child is NOT BP--wrong meds, wrong advice. A lot of behaviors look like BP when kids are young.

It is very hard to set a time for a "typical" cycle. Some folks literally go for years on a "depressive" or "manic" cycle, before changes occur. There are many good meds out there now that help to "level out" the cycles, however, and I wish you good luck with your child.

For your help - - my daughter has this disorder, is 24, has graduated from a good college, works every day, and lives a good life, with help from her doctor and medications.

Manic Depression diagnosis is rarely ceratain in a child. Cycles usually last several days.

Everyone is different.Some people have maniac attacks that last weeks. You can also have depression that last just as long. Some people cycle every day. Must work with your Dr. very closely until you two can figure out what your cycle is.

as a layman i have seen drs wrong all the time. with that said my 48 year old brother is bi-polar and it varies good luck

well mine usually last for no more than 20 minutes than I get sad or something like now....