Bipolar Disorder Treatment Often Delayed

Delayed treatment of childhood-onset bipolar disorder results in negative outcomes in U.S. adults, says a study by the National Institute of Mental Health.

The study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, tracked almost 500 patients who were diagnosed with bipolar disorder and were untreated on average more than 16 years. Researchers found that childhood-onset bipolar disorder is more common than believed and often goes unrecognized and untreated for long periods of time — leading to lower quality of life and greater difficulty in treatment.

The adults in the study, who were diagnosed with bipolar disorder, were studied at an average age of 42 and had been ill for an average time of more than 20 years.

The study subjects with childhood-onset bipolar disorder experienced more days depressed, more days in which both mania and depression occurred within a 24-hour period and greater number of manic and depressive episodes throughout their lives –as well as greater risk of substance abuse, suicide attempts, lifetime anxiety disorders and greater resistance to treatment.