| Are you involved in a close relationship | | | | they are finding themselves in a |
| with someone whose occasional outbursts | | | | difficult and uncomfortable transition |
| of temper at times shock and surprise | | | | period in their lives. It's natural for |
| you? Do you find yourself sometimes | | | | a teenager to be angry. It can be |
| looking at your teenage son and | | | | difficult to tell the difference between |
| wondering where all of this sudden rage | | | | bipolar disorder and the natural |
| could have come from, when you have | | | | discomfort of teenagers until they've |
| provided him a happy home? Is your | | | | aged a little, and have begun to exhibit |
| relationship with your wife one you | | | | regular patterns of recurring |
| would describe as loving and happy, if | | | | depressions and manias. However, if you |
| only it wasn't interrupted by her | | | | are concerned that your teenager's anger |
| recurring bouts of irritability and | | | | is an ongoing and uncontrollable |
| anger over what seems to you like | | | | problem, it's best to get him checked |
| trivial things? | | | | out by a doctor, psychiatrist and/or |
| While people can and often do become | | | | therapist. |
| overwhelmed by negative emotions that | | | | While it's possible that recurring fits |
| they're unable to handle without having | | | | of inappropriate anger in your loved one |
| a major psychiatric disorder, there is | | | | may be a result of bipolar disorder, |
| also the possibility that your loved one | | | | it's important not to jump to any |
| is suffering from bipolar disorder and | | | | conclusions. Only a qualified |
| that's what is causing these angry | | | | professional can make that diagnosis, |
| eruptions. | | | | and many normal' people simply cannot |
| Bipolar disorder is characterized by | | | | handle their tempers, or do not care to. |
| shifting moods and emotional volatility. | | | | Outbursts of anger alone cannot be used |
| When a person with bipolar disorder is | | | | to make a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, |
| not well, they can be very reactive and | | | | many other signs and symptoms have to be |
| more easily provoked into sudden | | | | present. There are other psychiatric |
| outbursts of anger. Irritability and | | | | disorders that can be characterized by |
| anger is one of the usual symptoms of | | | | angry outbursts, such as major |
| bipolar episodes in both depression and | | | | depressive disorder, borderline |
| mania. What may seem like an abnormally | | | | personality disorder, schizoaffective |
| explosive reaction to you may be | | | | disorder, cyclothymic disorder, |
| something that the person with bipolar | | | | substance induced mood disorder, and |
| disorder in an episode may see as very | | | | intermittent explosive disorder. |
| natural, feeling that they had every | | | | If your loved one can be encouraged to |
| right to be angry and express themselves | | | | get help, you may both find out that |
| in that way. When in an episode, a | | | | it's a psychiatric disorder causing his |
| person with bipolar disorder usually | | | | or her angry outbursts. That |
| does not have perspective on the | | | | information will help you both gain |
| appropriateness of their reactions, and | | | | perspective and understanding. You will |
| may often see their anger as being | | | | realize that his or her anger is not an |
| justifiable. | | | | attack on you - you didn't cause the |
| The thing is, everyone gets irritated | | | | inappropriate anger, it's the result of |
| and annoyed. It's just that people in | | | | a mental illness. Knowing this will |
| the midst of a bipolar episode are | | | | help you have compassion for your loved |
| especially volatile and express their | | | | one as you support him or her in getting |
| irritability in a higher intensity than | | | | help. Realizing that your loved one's |
| someone who is normal'. | | | | anger is coming from a major psychiatric |
| Bipolar disorder can be hard to | | | | disorder can help protect you |
| recognize when it has gone undiagnosed. | | | | emotionally from taking their anger |
| One can generally expect emotional | | | | personally. When your loved one reacts |
| volatility and hostility from teenagers. | | | | inappropriately in anger, you will be |
| Their hormones are out of control, | | | | less likely to hold it against him or |
| their brains are still developing, and | | | | her, and your relationship will improve. |