Affective Disorder : Children and Young Adults

[Guest guest]

Dearest Marl. Could you please answer this one? Thanks

and Love...

 

" vze4jcxu " <vze4jcxu

" Charlotte Anderson " <omlove

Fw: Bi-Polar Treatment

Mon, 10 Mar 2003 12:55:54 -0500

 

-

vze4jcxu

PranicHealingTeachers

Monday, March 10, 2003 12:32 PM

Bi-Polar Treatment

 

I have just had a sad email from a student who has a

son who has just been hospitalized with Bi-polar

disease.

 

I went through the Psychotherapy book and I did not

see anything on treating bi-polar disease.

 

Does anyone have any experience treating this problem,

or Pranic Healing protocols, to share?

 

Namaste,

light and love,

rob

============================================

 

Dear Rob,

 

Namaste.

 

This is a treatable disorder which is now diagnosable

as an ailment by medical science even if it can be a

heavy lesson for parents and patients. Recent

scientific as well as wholistic studies and

findings provide hope for the future of persons afflicted with

this common condition. Like all chronic ailments,

loads of Blessings of healing energy, guidance, help,

and spiritual development; compassion, diligence,

study and patience are main ingredients for healing.

 

The patient's parent, your student, is truly blessed

to have Pranic Healing background. GMCKS

teaches us through pranic healing the understanding

of the inner meaning of ailments. Using this knowledge, ailments now become

tools to heighten our awareness of the inner world; enabling us to learn more

about ourselves, while helping others to heal so they can lead productive normal

lives.

 

Medical Background:

 

Bipolar affective disorder (also known as

manic-depression) is a serious but treatable medical

illness. It is a disorder of the brain marked by

extreme changes in mood, energy, and behavior.

Symptoms may be present since infancy or early

childhood, or may suddenly emerge in adolescence or

adulthood. Until recently, a diagnosis of the disorder

was rarely made in childhood. Doctors can now

recognize and treat bipolar disorder in young

children.

 

Early intervention and treatment offer the best chance

for children with emerging bipolar disorder to achieve

stability, gain the best possible level of wellness,

and grow up to enjoy their gifts and build upon their

strengths. Proper treatment can minimize the adverse

effects of the illness on their lives and the lives of

those who love them.

 

It is not known how common this disorder occurs in

children, because studies are lacking. However,

bipolar disorder affects an estimated 1-2 percent of

adults worldwide. The more we learn about this

disorder, the more prevalent it appears to be among

children.

 

It is suspected that a significant number of children

diagnosed in the United States with attention-deficit

disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD) have early-onset

bipolar disorder instead of, or along with, ADHD.

 

According to the American Academy of Child and

Adolescent Psychiatry, up to one-third of the 3.4

million children and adolescents with depression in

the United States may actually be experiencing the

early onset of bipolar disorder.

 

Bipolar disorder involves marked changes in mood and

energy. In most adults with the illness, persistent

states of extreme elation or agitation accompanied by

high energy are called mania. Persistent states of

extreme sadness or irritability accompanied by low

energy are called depression.

 

However, the illness looks different in children than

it does in adults. Children usually have an ongoing,

continuous mood disturbance that is a mix of mania and

depression. This rapid and severe cycling between

moods produces chronic irritability and few clear

periods of wellness between episodes.

 

Symptoms may include:

 

an expansive or irritable mood

depression

rapidly changing moods lasting a few hours to a few

days

explosive, lengthy, and often destructive rages

separation anxiety

defiance of authority

hyperactivity, agitation, and distractibility

sleeping little or, alternatively, sleeping too much

bed wetting and night terrors

strong and frequent cravings, often for carbohydrates

and sweets

excessive involvement in multiple projects and

activities

impaired judgment, impulsivity, racing thoughts, and

pressure to keep talking

dare-devil behaviors

inappropriate or precocious sexual behavior

delusions and hallucinations

grandiose belief in own abilities that defy the laws

of logic (ability to fly, for example)

Symptoms of bipolar disorder can emerge as early as

infancy. Mothers often report that children later

diagnosed with the disorder were extremely difficult

to settle and slept erratically. They seemed

extraordinarily clingy, and from a very young age

often had uncontrollable, seizure-like tantrums or

rages out of proportion to any event. The word " no "

often triggered these rages.

 

In adolescents, bipolar disorder may resemble any of

the following classical adult presentations of the

illness.

 

Bipolar I. In this form of the disorder, the

adolescent experiences alternating episodes of intense

and sometimes psychotic mania and depression.

 

Symptoms of mania include:

 

elevated, expansive or irritable mood

decreased need for sleep

racing speech and pressure to keep talking

grandiose delusions

excessive involvement in pleasurable but risky

activities

increased physical and mental activity

poor judgment

in severe cases, hallucinations

 

Symptoms of depression include:

 

pervasive sadness and crying spells

sleeping too much or inability to sleep

agitation and irritability

withdrawal from activities formerly enjoyed

drop in grades and inability to concentrate

thoughts of death and suicide

low energy

significant change in appetite

Periods of relative or complete wellness occur between

the episodes.

 

 

Bipolar II. In this form of the disorder, the

adolescent experiences episodes of hypomania between

recurrent periods of depression. Hypomania is a

markedly elevated or irritable mood accompanied by

increased physical and mental energy. Hypomania can be

a time of great creativity.

 

Cyclothymia. Adolescents with this form of the

disorder experience periods of less severe, but

definite, mood swings.

 

Bipolar Disorder NOS (Not Otherwise Specified).

Doctors make this diagnosis when it is not clear which

type of bipolar disorder is emerging.

For some adolescents, a loss or other traumatic event

may trigger a first episode of depression or mania.

Later episodes may occur independently of any obvious

stresses, or may worsen with stress. Puberty is a time

of risk. In girls, the onset of menses may trigger the

illness, and symptoms often vary in severity with the

monthly cycle.

 

Once the illness starts, episodes tend to recur and

worsen without treatment. Studies show that after

symptoms first appear, typically there is a 10-year

lag until treatment begins. CABF encourages parents to

take their adolescent for an evaluation if four or

more of the above symptoms persist for more than two

weeks. Early intervention and treatment can make all

the difference in the world during this critical time

of development.

 

A majority of teens with untreated bipolar disorder

abuse alcohol and drugs. Any child or adolescent who

abuses substances should be evaluated for a mood

disorder.

 

Adolescents who seemed normal until puberty and

experience a comparatively sudden onset of symptoms

are thought to be especially vulnerable to developing

addiction to drugs or alcohol. Substances may be

readily available among their peers and teens may use

them to attempt to control their mood swings and

insomnia. If addiction develops, it is essential to

treat both the bipolar disorder and the substance

abuse at the same time.

 

The illness tends to be highly genetic, but there are

clearly environmental factors that influence whether

the illness will occur in a particular child. Bipolar

disorder can skip generations and take different forms

in different individuals.

 

The small group of studies that have been done vary in

the estimate of risk to a given individual:

 

 

For the general population, a conservative estimate of

an individual's risk of having full-blown bipolar

disorder is 1 percent. Disorders in the bipolar

spectrum may affect 4-6%.

 

When one parent has bipolar disorder, the risk to each

child is l5-30%.

 

When both parents have bipolar disorder, the risk

increases to 50-75%.

 

The risk in siblings and fraternal twins is 15-25%.

 

The risk in identical twins is approximately 70%.

In every generation since World War II, there is a

higher incidence and an earlier age of onset of

bipolar disorder and depression. On average, children

with bipolar disorder experience their first episode

of illness 10 years earlier than their parents'

generation did. The reason for this is unknown.

 

The family trees of many children who develop

early-onset bipolar disorder include individuals who

suffered from substance abuse and/or mood disorders

(often undiagnosed). Also among their relatives are

found highly-accomplished, creative, and extremely

successful individuals in business, politics, and the

arts.

 

Historical Perspective

 

Bipolar disorder has left its mark on history. Many

famous and accomplished people had symptoms of the

illness, including:

 

Abraham Lincoln

Winston Churchill

Theodore Roosevelt

Goethe

Balzac

Handel

Schumann

Berlioz

Tolstoy

Virginia Woolf

Hemingway

Robert Lowell

Anne Sexton

The biographies of Beethoven, Newton, and Dickens, in

particular, reveal severe and debilitating recurrent

mood swings beginning in childhood.

 

 

Timeline

Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder in Children

 

Healthy children often have moments when they have

difficulty staying still, controlling their impulses,

or dealing with frustration. The Diagnostic and

Statistical Manual IV (DSM-IV) still requires that,

for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, adult criteria

must be met. There are as yet no separate criteria for

diagnosing children.

 

Some behaviors by a child, however, should raise a red

flag:

 

destructive rages that continue past the age of four

talk of wanting to die or kill themselves

trying to jump out of a moving car

To illustrate how difficult it is to use the DSM-IV to

diagnose children, the manual says that a hypomanic

episode requires a " distinct period of persistently

elevated, expansive, or irritable mood lasting

throughout at least four days. " Yet upwards of 70% of

children with the illness have mood and energy shifts

several times a day.

 

How does bipolar disorder differ from other

conditions?

Bipolar disorder is often accompanied by symptoms of

other psychiatric disorders. In some children, proper

treatment for the bipolar disorder clears up the

troublesome symptoms thought to indicate another

diagnosis. In other children, bipolar disorder may

explain only part of a more complicated case that

includes neurological, developmental, and other

components.

 

Diagnoses that mask or sometimes occur along with

bipolar disorder include:

 

depression

conduct disorder (CD)

oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD)

attention-deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD)

panic disorder

generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Tourette's syndrome (TS)

intermittent explosive disorder

reactive attachment disorder (RAD)

In adolescents, bipolar disorder is often misdiagnosed

as:

 

borderline personality disorder

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

schizophrenia

The need for prompt and proper diagnosis

 

Tragically, after symptoms first appear in children,

years often pass before treatment begins, if ever.

Meanwhile, the disorder worsens and the child's

functioning at home, school, and in the community is

progressively more impaired.

 

The importance of proper diagnosis cannot be

overstated. The results of untreated or improperly

treated bipolar disorder can include:

 

 

an unnecessary increase in symptomatic behaviors

leading to removal from school, placement in a

residential treatment center, hospitalization in a

psychiatric hospital, or incarceration in the juvenile

justice system

 

the development of personality disorders such as

narcissistic, antisocial, and borderline personality

 

a worsening of the disorder due to incorrect

medications

 

drug abuse, accidents, and suicide.

 

It is important to remember that a diagnosis is not a

scientific fact. It is a considered opinion based upon

the behavior of the child over time, what is known of

the child's family history, the child's response to

medications, his or her developmental stage, the

current state of scientific knowledge and the training

and experience of the doctor making the diagnosis.

These factors (and the diagnosis) can change as more

information becomes available. Competent professionals

can disagree on which diagnosis fits an individual

best. Diagnosis is important, however, because it

guides treatment decisions and allows the family to

put a name to the condition that affects their child.

Diagnosis can provide answers to some questions but

raises others that are unanswerable given the current

state of scientific knowledge.

 

How can I help my child?

 

Parents concerned about their child's behavior,

especially suicidal talk and gestures, should have the

child immediately evaluated by a professional familiar

with the symptoms and treatment of early-onset bipolar

disorder.

 

There is no a blood test or brain scan, as yet, that

can establish a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

 

Parents who suspect that their child has bipolar

disorder (or any psychiatric illness) should take

daily notes of their child's mood, behavior, sleep

patterns, unusual events, and statements by the child

of concern to the parents. Share these notes with the

doctor making the evaluation and with the doctor who

eventually treats your child. Some parents fax or

e-mail a copy of their notes to the doctor before each

appointment.

 

Because children with bipolar disorder can be charming

and charismatic during an appointment, they initially

may appear to a professional to be functioning well.

Therefore, a good evaluation takes at least two

appointments and includes a detailed family history.

 

Finding the right doctor

 

If possible, have a board-certified child psychiatrist

diagnose and treat your child. A child psychiatrist is

a medical doctor who has completed two to three years

of an adult psychiatric residency and two additional

years of a child psychiatry fellowship program.

Unfortunately, there is a severe shortage of child

psychiatrists, and few have extensive experience

treating early-onset bipolar disorder.

 

Teaching hospitals affiliated with reputable medical

schools are often a good place to start looking for an

experienced child psychiatrist. You can also ask your

child's pediatrician for a referral. Check the CABFy of Professional Members to see the names of

doctors who practice in your area. You may also send a

note to profrelations to ask whether CABF

is aware of other doctors where you live.

 

If your community does not have a child psychiatrist

with expertise in mood disorders, then look for an

adult psychiatrist who has 1) a broad background in

mood disorders, and 2) experience in treating children

and adolescents.

 

Other specialists who may be able to help, at least

with an initial evaluation, include pediatric

neurologists. Neurologists have experience with the

anti-convulsant medications often used for treating

juvenile bipolar disorders. Pediatricians who consult

with a psychopharmacologist can also provide competent

care if a child psychiatrist is not available.

 

Some families take their child to nationally-known

doctors at teaching hospitals for diagnosis and

stabilization. They then turn to local professionals

for medical management of their child's treatment and

psychotherapy. The local professionals consult with

the expert as needed.

 

Experienced parents recommend that you look for a

doctor who:

 

 

is knowledgeable about mood disorders, has a strong

background in psychopharmacology, and stays up-to-date

on the latest research in the field

 

knows he or she does not have all the answers and

welcomes information discovered by the parents

 

explains medical matters clearly, listens well, and

returns phone calls promptly

 

offers to work closely with parents and values their

input

 

has a good rapport with the child

 

understands how traumatic a hospitalization is for

both child and parents, and keeps in touch with the

family during this period

 

advocates for the child with managed care companies

when necessary

 

advocates for the child with the school to make sure

the child receives services appropriate to the child's

educational needs.

Treatment

 

Although there is no cure for bipolar disorder, in

most cases treatment can stabilize mood and allow for

management and control of symptoms.

 

A good treatment plan includes medication, close

monitoring of symptoms, education about the illness,

counseling or psychotherapy for the individual and

family, stress reduction, good nutrition, regular

sleep and exercise, and participation in a network of

support.

 

The response to medications and treatment varies.

Factors that contribute to a better outcome are:

 

access to competent medical care

early diagnosis and treatment

adherence to medication and treatment plan

a flexible, low-stress home and school environment

a supportive network of family and friends

Factors that complicate treatment are:

 

lack of access to competent medical care

time lag between onset of illness and treatment

not taking prescribed medications

stressful and inflexible home and school environment

the co-occurrence of other diagnoses

use of substances such as illegal drugs and alcohol

The good news is that with appropriate treatment and

support at home and at school, many children with

bipolar disorder achieve a marked reduction in the

severity, frequency and duration of episodes of

illness. With education about their illness (as is

provided to children with epilepsy, diabetes, and

other chronic conditions) they learn how to manage and

monitor their symptoms as they grow older.

 

The parent's role in treatment

 

As with other chronic medical conditions such as

diabetes, epilepsy, and asthma, children and

adolescents with bipolar disorder and their families

need to work closely with their doctor and other

treatment professionals. Having the entire family

involved in the child's treatment plan can usually

reduce the frequency, duration, and severity of

episodes. It can also help improve the child's ability

to function successfully at home, in school, and in

the community.

 

Parents: Learn all you can about bipolar disorder.

Read, join support groups, and network with other

parents. There are many questions still unanswered

about early onset bipolar disorder, but early

intervention and treatment can often stabilize mood

and restore wellness. You can best manage relapses by

prompt intervention at the first re-occurrence of

symptoms.

 

Few controlled studies have been done on the use of

psychiatric medications in children. The U.S. Food and

Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only a handful

for pediatric use. Psychiatrists must adapt what they

know about treating adults to children and

adolescents.

 

Treatment should not be postponed for long, because of

the risk of suicide and school failure.

 

A symptomatic child should never be left unsupervised.

If parental disagreement makes treatment impossible,

as may happen in families undergoing divorce, a court

order regarding treatment may be necessary.

 

Other treatments, such as psychotherapy, may not be

effective until mood stabilization occurs. In fact,

stimulants and antidepressants given without a mood

stabilizer (often the result of misdiagnosis) can

cause havoc in bipolar children, potentially inducing

mania, more frequent cycling, and increases in

aggressive outbursts.

 

No one medication works in all children. The family

should expect a trial-and-error process lasting weeks,

months, or longer as doctors try several medications

alone and in combination before they find the best

treatment for your child. It is important not to

become discouraged during the initial treatment phase.

Two or more mood stabilizers, plus additional

medications for symptoms that remain, are often

necessary to achieve and maintain stability.

 

Parents often find it hard to accept that their child

has a chronic condition that may require treatment

with several medications. It is important to remember

that untreated bipolar disorder has a fatality rate of

18 percent or more (from suicide), equal to or greater

than that for many serious physical illnesses. The

untreated disorder carries the risk of drug and

alcohol addiction, damaged relationships, school

failure, and difficulty finding and holding jobs. The

risks of not treating are substantial and must be

measured against the unknown risks of using

medications whose safety and efficacy have been

established in adults, but not yet in children.

 

The following is a brief overview of medications used

to treat bipolar disorder. More information about

specific medications is available in the Drug

Database.

 

This brief overview is not intended to replace the

evaluation and treatment of any child by a physician.

Be sure to consult with a doctor who knows your child

before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.

 

 

 

 

Child and Adolescent Bipolar Disorder:[NL]An Update

from the National Institute of Mental Health

 

Therapeutic ParentingTM

 

Parents of children with bipolar disorder have

discovered numerous techniques that the CABF refers to

as therapeutic parenting. These techniques help calm

their children when they are symptomatic and can help

prevent and contain relapses. Such techniques include:

 

practicing and teaching their child relaxation

techniques

using firm restraint holds to contain rages

prioritizing battles and letting go of less important

matters

reducing stress in the home, including learning and

using good listening and communication skills

using music and sound, lighting, water, and massage to

assist the child with waking, falling asleep, and

relaxation

becoming an advocate for stress reduction and other

accommodations at school

helping the child anticipate and avoid, or prepare for

stressful situations by developing coping strategies

beforehand

engaging the child's creativity through activities

that express and channel their gifts and strengths

providing routine structure and a great deal of

freedom within limits removing objects from the home

(or locking them in a safe place) that could be used

to harm self or others during a rage, especially guns;

keeping medications in a locked cabinet or box.

 

A diagnosis of bipolar disorder means the child has a

significant health impairment (such as diabetes,

epilepsy, or leukemia) that requires ongoing medical

management. The child needs and is entitled to

accommodations in school to benefit from his or her

education. Bipolar disorder and the medications used

to treat it can affect a child's school attendance,

alertness and concentration, sensitivity to light,

noise and stress, motivation, and energy available for

learning. The child's functioning can vary greatly at

different times throughout the day, season, and school

year.

 

Learning that one's child has bipolar disorder can be

traumatic. Diagnosis usually follows months or years

of the child's mood instability, school difficulties,

and damaged relationships with family and friends.

However, diagnosis can and should be a turning point

for everyone concerned. Once the illness is

identified, energies can be directed towards

treatment, education, and developing coping

strategies.

 

Scientific studies continue for a real cure for manic

depression at present, and through the use of

monitored medication programs it is possible to smooth

out and reduce the frequency of the highs and the

lows, and in some cases episodes may be altogether

prevented. Some factors that determine the type of

treatment care the nature of the symptoms and also the

number of previous episodes, severity and duration of

the illness and previous response to treatments.

Counselling and therapy can be helpful. Self help

support groups can be very beneficial. Whatever the

recommended treatment, it is important to be informed.

If you are not certain about treatment, ask questions.

 

To read about useful reference and information -

http://www.bpkids.org/learning/about.htm

 

Pranic Healing Treatment: ( this is complementary

therapy; NOT a substitute for proper clinical

psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment)

 

Source: Pranic Psychotherapy, Pranic Crystal Healing

and Psychic Self Defense books by Grand Master Choa

Kok Sui.

 

1. Invoke and scan before, during and after treatment.

 

2. Apply general sweeping several times using LWV or

EV. Using the heart area ( front and back) as the

centre point to " comb " and untangle the health rays

from the centre outwards.

 

3. Localized thorough sweeping on the front and back

heart chakras. Energize and activate the back heart

with EV.

 

4. Localized thorough sweeping on the entire head

area and the entire brain using LV or EV. Pay

particular attention to the sides and inside centre of

the brain, pituitary gland, the crown, ajna, forehead, backhead, ears,

temple minor, throat chakras and the entire spine.

 

Check for balance between the left and right sides of the brain.

 

Take note of any part of the chakra that is bulging.

 

Intend to remove all stress, traumatic, negative

emotions , negative thoughts or thought entities from

all these chakras.

 

5. Energize chakras with EV or LV.

 

6. Form a clear intention to cleanse the chakra of

all stress energy, trauma, negative emotions, negative

thoughts,or thought entities. Hold this clear

intention and apply localized thorough sweeping on

the front and back solar plexus, liver, spleen, navel, meng

mein chakras, both kidneys, the adrenalin glands and

the sex and basic chakras, feet, legs, arms, hands,

mini chakras of arms and legs . Use EV for

cleansing.

 

After thorough cleansing, seal cracks and holes using

EV.

 

If the chakra is over activated, inhibit using LB.

 

If the patient is undergoing a manic episode, also

paint the ajna and throat chakras and the spine with

LB.

 

If the patient is undergoing depression, energize

basic, navel front solar plexus, spleen, both feet

and hands with LWR.

 

6. Apply distributive sweeping up and down and

sideways.

 

7. Create permeable shields for solar plexus, crown,

back head, ears minor, ajna and basic chakras.

 

8. Stabilize and release projected pranic energy.

 

-Repeat treatment several times per day during an

episode by first scanning every 30 minutes to check if

there is a need for repeat treatment.

Gradually decrease to once per day until stabilized;

then three times per week for as long as needed.

 

-Maintenance treatment is recommended especially

during physically, emotionally or mentally stressful

situations.

 

-Repeat treatment is most effective after medication

time and while patient is asleep.

 

Recommend:

 

1. To hasten recovery, family members to form a

meditation group and regularly meditate together the

Planetary Meditation for Peace blessing patient during

the blessing portion. Create a positive

visualization image of the patient: balanced,

integrated, harmonious, happy, bright, properly

flowing and productive. This must be done regularly.

 

When stabilized and recovered, include the patient in

the group meditation practice and especially group blessing to minimize and

prevent relapse episode.

 

2. Regular salt water bath. GMCKS' Aura Cleansing spray is

very helpful for use during the day.

 

3. Healthy balanced diet and regular daily physical

exercise.

 

4. Maintain a healthy, positive, balanced, peaceful

environment. To maintain proper balance: Avoid stress, negative thoughts,

negative emotions, negative environment and stressful

activities; during episodes, avoid exposure to unprogrammed crystals and

undetermined strong sources of pranic or psychic energy.

 

5. Regular maintenance treatments and check ups,

family moral and emotional support, character

building, spiritual development and study are all

essential ingredients for proper healing.

 

6. Use a night light in the patient's room during

sleep with a light blue bulb of low wattage.

 

Love,

 

Marilette

 

 

 

=====

" Real self-knowledge is the awakening to concsiousness

of the Divine

Nature of Man. "

 

" The eyes of wisdom are like the ocean depths; there

is neither joy nor

sorrow in them. Therefore the soul of the disciple

must become

stronger than joy, and greater than sorrow. " Helena

Blavatsky

 

 

 

 

=====

" Real self-knowledge is the awakening to concsiousness of the Divine Nature of

Man. "

 

" The eyes of wisdom are like the ocean depths; there is neither joy nor sorrow

in them. Therefore the soul of the disciple must become stronger than joy, and

greater than sorrow. " Helena Blavatsky

 

 

 

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