Bipolar disorder is a kind of illness that affects anyone without any specific reasons or history. There are greater chances for children to develop this disorder if either or both the parents have this bipolar disorder. Alcohol, drugs or family history all these are associated with greater risks of bipolar disorders. This affects lots of growing teenagers. According to a study 20% of the kids suffer from depression before attaining their adulthood.

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder:
• Teenagers suffering from bipolar disorders have symptoms like being unusually happy, silly, sometimes very irritable, agitated, angry and sometimes they even get aggressive.
• While some of them experience a sudden and unrealistic highs in their self-esteem and they can to a extent develop high energy levels at times. They can even stay for two continuous days without sleeping.
• They may talk too much on a topic and talk too fast. They tend to change the topics very frequently without any interruption and this is caused because of the depression.
• They get distracted very easily and can take up alcohol, drugs and reckless driving.

How to Overcome Bipolar Disorder:
• Bipolar diseases in teens can be treated with the help of proper resources.
• Maniac depression is also known as the bipolar disease.
• Teenagers can communicate with somebody they can trust completely. They can even attend some counseling sessions.
• Psychotherapy taken from a trained therapist can be of great help to the teenagers suffering from bipolar disorder.

The major cause is the breakup of a boyfriend and girlfriend relationship. It becomes very difficult for teens to forgive people who hurt them knowing or unknowingly. It becomes hard for the teens to make peace with the feelings of revenge overcoming their mind.

How Trauma is Caused:
• Trauma is an experience of sudden shock to the mind and body and is caused due to stress. The situations that cause trauma are accidents, abuse, sudden attacks and unexpected staggering.
• Some teens experience an out-of-body experience which is caused due to shock.
• Many of the teens experience trauma in some point in their lives.

How to Teach Teens to Overcome:
• One of the hardest things for teens is to say “I am sorry”. Teens do not have the tendency to end up a tiff that they create by using smooth words.
• Teens have terrible time in admitting their mistakes. It is important to teach the teens the importance of forgiveness.
• Parents should teach their teens to apologize every time they make mistakes.
• Make sure that children do not give away a vague acknowledgement. Acknowledging the mistakes can really help in not repeating them again.
• Another best way for the parents to teach their teens to forgive, is by asking them to forgive you for the small things you could not make it up for them instead.
• Parents should teach their teens to be patient and calm towards any kind of situations that can cause trauma. They should teach them to situations as they come instead of getting shocked, this will help them overcome trauma.

The normal blood pressure for a teenager is not as same as that in an adult. The normal blood pressure for an infant is usually low that is 80/45, which is considered to be very low for an adult. The blood pressure slowly increases as we grow old and the normal blood pressure in a teenager may be 110/70. The blood pressure is considered ‘normal’ according to the age.

What is High Blood Pressure:
One to three percent of the teens in the United States suffer from high blood pressure. Blood pressure is usually considered as the pressure that the blood exerts against the blood vessels as the heart pumps. During this process as the heart pumps the blood pressure rises and it is known as the Systolic pressure and is known as Distolic pressure when the heart relaxes.

The blood pressure can be monitored or noted with the help of a device known as the Sphygmomanometer and the readings are calculated in millimeters. The normal blood pressure for an adult will be less than 120 over 80mm Hg and the high blood pressure reading is considered to be 140 over 90mm Hg. There are different parameters which are to be considered in order to know whether a teen is suffering from high blood pressure.

Factors that Influence Blood Pressure:
There are many factors that influence blood pressure. Temperature, physical activity, emotions, posture, medications and diet are among the factors that cause blood pressure. In order to maintain overall state of health, it is very important to maintain normal blood pressure. Teenagers suffer three times more than the adults due to the high blood pressure.

Tips to Overcome High Blood Pressure:
• Parents should take steps to help their teens to lead a healthy life by reducing their chances of suffering from hypertension.
• Teens should try and maintain a healthy weight and height ratio.
• Regular exercise have lots of benefits and every teenager should try and adopt regular exercise routine. It helps teens from putting on extra weight and also keeps the heart and the blood vessels in condition.
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Try to reduce the intake of salt, because it is scientifically proven that a person suffering from high blood pressure should consumes less amount of salt and this helps in lowering the blood pressure levels.
• Avoid smoking because it increases the chances of blood pressure and may even lead to heart attack.
• Alcohol should be avoided because it leads to the development of hypertension. Have a check of your blood pressure regularly.

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Uncontrollable and rebellious youth are considered as the troubled teens. Teens who are troubled do not show any progress in their academics and do not attend the school regularly. They even tend to abuse alcohol, drugs and tobacco.

Some teens get caught in small crimes, and are always psychologically troubled, depressed. They suffer from anxiety and mood swings. They find it very difficult to interact with their family, friends and the society. They get obsessed with their bodies, and develop very bad eating disorders.

How to Identify a Troubled Teen:
• It is very easy to know if the teen is troubled. Parents should have a check over their teens from time to time to know the factors that trouble them.
• Teens who are troubled always stay away from a company and will have no friends. They withdraw themselves from the company of their families.
• The behavior of the teens changes towards their parents, making them more argumentative and defiant. They always feel that their parents have become more strict and are always dictating something or the other to them.
• They do not communicate with their parents properly and always tend to hide things from their parents.
• Some teens even show suicidal tendencies and parents should seek the help of a professional help.

How to Help Teens:
• Finding a help for the troubled teens is a very easy and fast process.
• The hormonal imbalances can be treated by simple diagnosis.
• Psychological problems can be treated with the help of trained therapists.
• Proper attention should be given to the teenagers and parents should spend time with their teens.
• Parents should try and change their attitude and rules towards their teens.
• Teenagers will not tolerate if they are treated as children.
• Parents should help them develop positive skills, self esteem and a healthy interaction with others.

According a survey in the year 2005, suicide was the third leading cause of death among teens aged between 13 and 19. It is shocking that there were 1,809 suicide cases in the age group of 13 and 19 in that particular year. Men were the ones who has high rated suicide cases and they are at risk.

Men often choose violent ways or methods of attempting suicide and they are successful, while women may attempt at least 3 to 5 times more than men. Teens who feel low about their life and think of ending it most of the time, should consult a doctor. They should seek medical help in order to reduce the suicide risks.

Teens Suicide Risk Factors:
Risk factors can be habits that can put someone at a greater chance of having a problem. Suicidal tendency can be inherited from family’s history. Some other facts including the situations where one looses self control and physical illness is another fact that leads to suicide.

Risks of Suicide:
Some of the factors that cause the risk of suicidal intentions are mental disorders, depression, history of family and abuse. Another most important factor is the feeling of hopelessness and loneliness. Physical illness, aggressive tendencies, financial loses and exposure to others who have already committed suicide are few more factors of suicidal risks.

How to Restrict Access to Suicide:
To avoid the thought of suicide one should restrict the person from the access to the methods of committing it. People or the family members carrying firearms should take measures to ensure that the weapon is out of the reach from a person who has a suicidal tendency.

Family and friends should take all the necessary precautions to restrict a person from other methods of suicide like drowning, cutting arteries, overdosing of medications and drugs.

How to Help Teens:
Teens having suicidal tendencies can be helped by their friends, family and teachers by providing the moral support and comfort. Teens suffering with this tendency should approach someone whom they are comfortable with and should express their feelings. They should take the assistance from community organizations and religious groups and should try to overcome the feeling.

What is Anxiety:
• Anxiety is a normal reaction which leads to stress and this is common in teens or anyone else. Common things like going on a date, tests, public speaking and situations where you have to show your ability may make you feel very apprehensive.
• Teens sometimes may react more strongly to situations where the stress levels increase. In such situations thinking about the incident may cause lot of distress. While dealing a tense situation anxiety sometimes can be a good thing.
• Sometimes anxiety can be harmful when it gets excessive and irritative. Situations like these makes you anxious and you cannot focus on anything.
• Teens sometimes feel anxiety even among their friends, misunderstandings may cause situations where you get tensed.

How to Cope Up:
• There are many ways to cope with high anxiety that teens can follow.
• It is very important for every teen to recognize their own emotions.
• One should be able to figure what the problem is and how to deal with the situation.
• Try recognizing what kind of situations cause anxiety, this will help you overcome anxiety.
• Teens can also try this by admitting that a particular situation is stressful and being prepared to deal with it, will reduce anxiety.
• Following these small and simple measures anxiety can be reduced and if the problem still exists then consult a therapist or a health care professional.

How Much is Too Much:
• Anxiety gets too much if you get worried or afraid for no reason at all. Normally teens feel anxious for certain reasons and if you feel anxious for no reason then your anxiety levels may get too high.
• Anxiety gets too much if you worry about everyday events and activities. If you constantly worry about the daily activities, your anxiety levels get high.
• It is quite normal to check something you did is right or wrong but if you keep doing it again and again then this is the sign that you have too much anxiety.

Treatments:
The most important step for treating anxiety is to find the right treatment for it. Right treatment can improve many areas of your life.

Medication:
• There are many kinds of medications depending upon the kind of anxiety one is suffering from. Anxiety in general and social situations are usually treated with same kind of medication that is used to treat depression.
• Certain anti- anxiety drugs Benzodiazepines can be used depending on the circumstances. A single dose of a medication called beta-blocker before the feared event can be used for anxieties like panic and public speaking.

Relaxation Techniques:
There are many relaxation techniques a person suffering from anxiety can follow . These relaxation techniques help you to reduce anxiety, negative thinking and manages stress. These technique needs deep abdominal breathing, listening to calm and pleasant music. Meditation and yoga are the best ways of reducing anxiety.

When I was a teenager, I sweat heavily and make test-taking errors. I have also seen my friends chewing pencils vigorously. And feeling butterflies in stomach is a very common symptom when teacher hands out the test question paper. Most teens get freaked out when it is time to give test. Stress during test times are quite obvious. It is the action of the hormone adrenaline secreted by our body during stress and excitement. Here are a few tips to help you overcome and manage your exam stress -

1. Preparation And Study -
   Study properly. The more prepared you are, the less will be the reasons to get worried.
2. Sleep -
   You must have proper sleep for enough time the night before your exam. This will make your memory polished and clear.
3. Be Attentive -
   Always listen to all instructions given by your teacher and go through all guidelines in the hand-out thoroughly. This would avoid your confusions referring to the exam and the test paper.
4. Go through the question paper first -
   Read over the entire paper of test first and plan how to start and from where to start. Divide your time to complete each question. Do not panic in case of any confusion. Talk to your teacher about anything unclear.
5. Stay Calm -
   If any answer is unknown to you or you are unable to recollect the answer; do not panic. Try to answer in the best way possible without wasting much of your time on it as you will have to answer the other questions as well. If it demands more time than you have planned, leave it and get back to it after completing the whole set of questions.
6. Relax -
   If you have a tendency of getting blank out in nervousness, then it’s time for you to take a mini break. Of course I am not asking you to get up in the middle of the examination and move; but take 4-5 deep breaths or wiggle your fingers and toes. Because if you get tensed, your situation will deteriorate and you will tend to forget more things and feel difficult to remember.
7. Completing Exam Before Time -
   At few times, I have finished answering my test papers much before the examination time. But it is a very good habit to complete your test before and devote the rest of the time checking and re-checking over your work. This is a great way to avoid test-taking errors. Though most teachers will allow you to hand over the papers to them. But re-checking will help you in adding some missed details, correcting some silly mistakes and completing your paper without panicking. Even if you are unable to finish your paper on time, try to wind up everything 5 minutes before the final bell rings. So that you have enough time to know what all you have completed and what all you have missed. This will keep you release stress.

All the above tips are very helpful in getting over any serious test-taking errors. Try to use them in your upcoming test to feel the result. Talk to a teacher, counselor or consult parents about more help.

The most difficult question – How to tell the child?

It’s best if both parents tell the child about the divorce together. Make sure the children understand that you both still love them and will take care of them. Speak honestly and simply.

Many children have miconceptions about having to choose a parent or even having to go to court. So it is important that you both educate your children together about what to expect in the coming months and reassure them that you will always be a family, although not living together.

Listen to you children’s concerns. Encourage your children to talk so you can remove mis-perceptions.
What you as a parent must do to help your child?

Listen and Talk. Just listening to your children’s concerns and feelings is enough to provide them great relief – you don’t have to be a solver of all problems. Sometimes just listening is enough.

Good communication with your children is important. Explain as much as possible about the situation and provide them information about:

• Where they will stay.
• Where they will go to school.
• When they may see the other parent.

Parents must:

• Make sure that children know they still have two parents who love them, and will continue to care for them protect their children from adult responsibilities
• Make it clear that the responsibility for what is happening is the parents’. Children need to be reassured that the divorce was not their fault.
• Don’t speak negatively to your child about the other parent or extended family, or friends. Support the child’s love and relationship with the other parent. Children need continuous contact with both parents to increase their adjustment.
• Do not advocate, either with words or actions, that your child is disloyal if he enjoys time with the other parent.
• Children often feel “stuck in the middle” when they are expected to carry messages, make phone calls, or spy on the other parent. Don’t make children carry out these roles.
• Keep the routine the same in both homes regarding bedtimes, meals, visits with friends or relatives, and discipline. This reassures children they are being well cared for. Children need consistency and stability. This will help your child feel that, in spite of the difficulties, loved ones still care about them and that life can be reasonably normal.

If you and your spouse live happily separately, your children are also more likely to be happy. Be optimistic about a happy future for everyone – optimism is contagious. If you cope well with the changes, your children will likely follow your lead.

Children’s bodies do not absorb drugs and eliminate toxins similarly as adult bodies, and their brains may get affected also. Depression and other conditions for which the drugs are prescribed may have long-lasting deadly effects on the psychological and social development of a kid.

Children with depression are more likely to have other health problems and engage in risky behaviour, such as promiscuity, smoking, drugs and alcohol. Risks of medicating and the risks of not medicating are greatest in the early years of life.

The thumb rule is caution in prescribing antidepressants to children. They should be neither a first nor a last resort. If given, anti-depressants should not be stopped abruptly, because it may lead to a withdrawal syndrome that includes dizziness, nausea, seizures and anxiety.

Side effects of anti-depressants:

Children can continue to take the drug if it seems to be helping, but they should be watched closely for side effects.

The side effects vary depending on the drug, but can include:

• Insomnia
• Sleepiness
• Increased anxiety
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrohea
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Weight gain or loss

Beware! Anti depressants can trigger off suicidal behaviour!

Signs that a child is at risk of suicidal behaviour while taking an antidepressant

The highest risk of suicidal thinking occurs during the first few months of treatment or when a medication dosage is increased or decreased.

Possible signs of worsening depression include:

• Agitation
• Anxiety
• Insomnia or other sleeping problems
• Hostility
• Unexplained declines in academic performance
• Withdrawing from relationships
• Spending more time alone

Suicide due to depression is the third leading cause of death among children between ages 10 to 19.

If your child is on anti-depressants, when should he discontinue?

This decision should be made on an individual basis with advise from doctor. Suddenly stopping medication can leave them without appropriate treatment and increases the risk of withdrawal-like symptoms. A doctor can help your child taper off medication to minimize withdrawal.

What is the alternative to antidepressant?

Warnings on anti-depressants don’t prohibit their use in children, nor are they meant to frighten people away from treating their children.

But if you’re not comfortable with antidepressants, counselling is an option. However, counselling (individual as well as family) alone may not be sufficient to effectively treat depression, especially in more severe cases. A combination of medication and psychotherapy offers the best treatment approach for youngsters down with depression.

Do you know?

Currently, Prozac (fluoxetine) is the only approved medicine to treat major depression in children and adolescents, while Prozac, Zoloft and Anafranil are approved for obsessive-compulsive disorder in paediatric patients. No other antidepressant drug is FDA approved for treatment of any psychiatric condition in children.

What causes depression in kids?

Causes are still unknown, however it can be triggered by:

• Stressful life events, such as a loss of a family member or relative.
• Having a parent or immediate family member who is depressed.
• Having a long-term medical illness such as diabetes or epilepsy.
• Having another mental disorder, such as anxiety disorder.
• Being physically or sexually abused.
• Having problems with alcohol or drugs.
• Genetic (inherited). Children with a family history of depression are much more likely to become depressed, especially if they have a parent who is presently depressed.
• Being a girl in early puberty. After puberty and as adults, females are twice as likely as males to become depressed.
• Family conflicts, especially between parents.

How to diagnose depression in kids:

• Always tired, plays sick
• Drops out of favourite activities – social withdrawal
• Has more arguments with parents, friends and teachers
• Refuses to do homework or loses interest in school
• Engages in harmful behaviour, such as cutting himself or herself
• Has suicidal thoughts.
• Physical symptoms e.g., stomach aches and headaches, hallucinations, and extreme fears.

What happens, if left untreated?

Depression in children, if untreated, can affect:

• school performance and learning,
• social interactions and development of normal peer relationships,
• self-esteem and a child’s sense of bonding and trust,
• can lead to drug abuse, disruptive behaviours, violence and aggression,
• even lead to suicide

Childhood depression is a serious problem that demands a serious medical approach. However, you need to first recognize what is causing it.

How to treat depression in kids?

Treatment for childhood and teen depression includes a combination of professional counselling, medications, and family co-operation.

Home treatment and family involvement:

Do everything possible to provide a supportive and understanding family environment to your child. Love, understanding, and regular communication are some of the most important things you should provide to help your child cope with depression. Make him feel that you are there for him always.

Good lifestyle habits can help reduce your child’s symptoms of depression. Encourage your child to:

• * Get regular exercise, such as swimming, walking.
• * Avoid alcohol and illegal drugs.
• * Get enough sleep
• * Eat a balanced diet.
• * Be optimistic about feeling better. Positive thinking is very important in recovering from depression.

Some symptoms of depression in children and teens may remain, even with medication and other treatment. Early treatment of depression may bring about the best results for your child. Think positive, recovery will happen, but gradually.