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