Bipolar disorder affects roughly 3% of teens in the United States. A teen with bipolar disorder crisis can be dangerous to themselves or others if parents aren’t prepared. Handling a teen’s bipolar crisis requires careful, compassionate, and immediate action.
If the situation is severe, immediately contact your teen psychiatrist, therapist, or mental health crisis team.
If the teen is in immediate danger to themselves or others,
Call the Arizona Crisis Intervention Service Line at 1-844-534-HOPE (4673).
Dial 988 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Call Tribal Warm Line 1-855-728-8630.
Call 911 Local Emergency Services
If a crisis plan (developed with your teen’s healthcare provider) is in place, follow the steps outlined in the plan.
At Nexus Teen Academy, we understand the benefits of preparedness for a bipolar crisis. We help parents with safety plans and management techniques needed to manage extreme mood swings and self-harm behaviors. If the teen’s bipolar symptoms are severe, it may be best to seek out the help of our inpatient teen mental health treatment center in Arizona. Our clinical staff and intake specialists can walk you through the facts, tests, and treatment process.
A bipolar disorder crisis refers to a severe episode of mania, hypomania, or depression experienced by an individual with bipolar disorder. A bipolar crisis can disrupt daily life, relationships, and overall well-being.
Some of the common signs of teen bipolar are:
Mania, hypomania, and depression
Inflated ego
Reckless behavior like speeding or drug abuse
Emotional dysregulation, like increased irritability or aggression
Insomnia
Racing speech and thought
Hyperactivity
Difficulty focusing or concentrating
Importance of Early Identification of Bipolar Crisis Signs
Early identification of warning signs is crucial in managing and preventing the escalation of a bipolar crisis.
If caught, early treatment interventions can prevent the worsening of trauma symptoms. It also enables healthcare providers to adjust treatment to manage the situation better and reduces the risks of impulsive behaviors associated with a bipolar episode. Lastly, timely interventions can lead to better outcomes and reduced long-term impact on a teenager’s overall mental health and quality of life.
Safety Plans To Handle Teen Bipolar Crisis
Handling a bipolar teen requires subtlety, especially when they are going through a crisis. Some of the strategies to handle teen bipolar crisis include:
Recognizing Warning Signs
Recognizing warning signs of teen bipolar helps parents embrace early intervention, preventing the impacts of bipolar disorder from having adverse effects on a teenager’s mental well-being. Signs like intense mood swings or insomnia may indicate a looming bipolar crisis. While the symptoms of teen bipolar disorder are universal, there are some specific gender indicators. For instance, boys may show reckless behaviors like speeding or drug abuse, while girls may have intense mood swings.
Communication Dos and Don'ts During a Bipolar Crisis
Effective communication is key during a bipolar crisis. What you say to your teen can either escalate or de-escalate the situation.
Dos
Stay calm and composed during the ordeal.
Give your teenager a chance to talk about their feelings, thoughts, and emotions.
Listen to them actively.
Use a soothing tone of voice to calm them down.
Reassure your teenager that everything will be okay.
Don'ts
Avoid showing frustration like shouting or raising your voice
Do not dismiss your teenagers’ feelings
Avoid judging their sentiments and opinions
Avoid belittling your teenager’s emotions.
Avoid words like “stop overreacting” or “it‘s not a big deal.”
Boys may respond better to direct and solution-focused communication, whereas girls might appreciate empathetic and emotionally validating responses.
Creating a Calm Environment
A calm environment helps minimize stress and sensory overload in bipolar teens. There are several ways in which you can create a quiet and peaceful environment for your bipolar teen.
Opt for soft lighting: Instead of bright overhead lights, consider using warm lights and lamps with adjustable brightness.
Minimize noise: Try using background-absorbing materials like curtains or wall hangings. Consider white noise or calm music to drown out distracting sounds.
Maintain clutter-free spaces: Keep the teenagers’ space organized and free from clutter. Use storage bins or shelves to create an organized look.
Opt for neutral colors: Neutral colors are calming. Colors like soft blue or earth undertones can create a tranquil atmosphere.
Comfortable furniture: Comfortable furniture like cozy armchairs and cushions can help your teenagers relax.
For best results, consider personalizing your teenager’s environment based on their gender and preferences. You know your teens better than most, so use this knowledge or ask them what they prefer. They may also appreciate personalized spaces with their favorite photos that reflect their personality.
Emergency Contact Lists
Having an emergency contact list can come in handy during a teen bipolar crisis. Some of the most important things to include are your psychiatrist, therapist, or close family members. It is also important to have a crisis emergency helpline for emergency services you can call in case of a bipolar crisis. You should also ensure that all family members know where and how to access all these contacts.
Medication Management During a Bipolar Crisis
To manage teen bipolar disorder effectively, parents need to know when their teenager needs medication for teen bipolar disorder. A medication schedule chart can help you keep track of medication times and know each medication’s side effects. It’s crucial to promptly monitor and report any gender-specific side effects to the healthcare provider.
A record of drug side effects also helps health providers prescribe better drugs with little to no side effects.
Proactive Management Techniques For Parents To Manage Teen Bipolar
Managing a teenager with bipolar disorder requires proactive strategies. These strategies help ensure safety, stability, and well-being. Here are some of the techniques parents with bipolar teens can employ:
Routine Checks and Balances
Routine checks and balances are a perfect way to stay abreast of your teenager’s health. Schedule regular check-ins with mental health professionals. Such visits enable counselors to monitor your teenager’s health and adjust medication as needed.
You can also monitor your teenagers’ mood patterns and behaviors. Keeping a daily journal or using a mood tracker is a perfect way to monitor your teenagers’ behaviors, sleep patterns, and changes in their daily routines. Understanding the warning signs enables parents to recognize a potential bipolar crisis.
Mindfulness Techniques for Immediate Response
There are several crisis de-escalation techniques that you can employ during a teen bipolar crisis. Mindfulness techniques like breathing or grounding exercises may help teenagers manage intense and overwhelming emotions.
It is important to tailor the de-escalation techniques according to gender. Boys and girls may react differently to behavioral techniques. Girls may embrace them, but boys may appreciate physical activities as a channel for anger, stress, or emotions.
Using Technology to Monitor Symptoms
You can also use tracking apps like Moodpath to monitor your teenager’s mood fluctuations. This can help you identify the potential for bipolar episodes.
You can customize technology tools to suit your teenagers’ specific needs. Set reminders for medication, exercises, or meals to help you keep up with your teen’s daily routines.
Developing a Bipolar Crisis Intervention Plan
Parents can develop tailored bipolar crisis intervention plans for their teenagers. Collaborate with mental health professionals in Arizona to build a plan that addresses your teen’s specific symptoms, triggers, and coping strategies.
Involving Peers and Siblings in Safety Plans
Involving siblings and peers in a bipolar crisis intervention is beneficial. It ensures that your teenager gets help in your absence. Educate close friends, peers, and siblings about bipolar disorder and its symptoms. Teach them the strategies to facilitate an intervention during a crisis.
You can also conduct sensitivity training sessions to ensure they understand the seriousness of bipolar disorder.
Bipolar Crisis Management
When facing a teen bipolar crisis, immediate and thoughtful action is essential to ensure safety and stability. Immediate response actions and tailored de-escalation techniques can be crucial in managing the situation effectively.
Here’s a guide on how to manage a bipolar disorder crisis.
Immediate Response Actions
First, ensure the safety of your teenager and anybody around them. Remove any potential hazards or dangerous objects from their vicinity. Then, you can focus on the following:
Stay calm: Maintain a calm and composed demeanor. This will ensure your teenager’s safety and promote a sense of stability.
Limit stimulation: Reduce any stimuli that may escalate the crisis. Switch off bright lights, minimize distractions, and reduce noise to help calm the teen.
Communicate clearly: Use clear and concise language to communicate with your teen. Avoid arguing to pressure them into communication.
Validation: Validate your teenagers’ feelings. Reassure them and offer support where necessary.
Seek professional help: If the crisis is beyond your control, seek professional help. Have emergency contact numbers readily available and accessible.
Document the crisis: Note any triggers, behaviors, or symptoms you observed before and during the crisis. The information may be useful in future discussions and crisis prevention control plans.
Use of De-escalation Techniques
De-escalation techniques can be personalized according to gender. For boys, encourage physical activity. Physical activity like jogging or simple exercises may help channel and manage energy spikes safely. For girls, encourage emotional expression outlets. This can be through creative activities such as drawing, painting, writing, or journaling. These activities can help girls process their emotions and express themselves safely and constructively.
You can also encourage your teenager to connect with close friends, family members, or support groups that reduce feelings of isolation. Social connections offer emotional support and help teens feel less alone during challenging times.
Post-Crisis Management and Recovery
Post-crisis management ensures a smooth recovery and stability for bipolar teens. Here is how to navigate post-bipolar crisis management.
Debriefing After an Incident
After the crisis has been managed, discuss the events with your teenager. The discussion can shed more insights on the triggers, responses, and new symptoms and provide an avenue to improve future teen bipolar crisis responses.
Long-Term Therapy and Adjustment of Treatment Plans
After a crisis, evaluating and adjusting ongoing treatment plans is essential. Discuss with your healthcare provider to make effective adjustments to your teenagers’ medication. The healthcare provider can also provide coping strategies aligning with your teenagers’ needs.
It’s important to adjust therapeutic approaches based on gender-specific needs and responses. For example, boys might benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy focusing on practical coping skills. Girls may find support in expressive therapies like art therapy, narrative therapy, or group therapy.
Rebuilding and Strengthening Support Systems
Engage in family therapy or support groups to strengthen communication and coping strategies within the family dynamic. Encourage your teen to maintain supportive relationships with friends and peers. This can help foster a sense of community and belonging.
You can also encourage your teenager to practice self-care, regular exercise, healthy eating, and adequate sleep. Mindfulness techniques can also help manage stress and enhance overall well-being.
Bipolar Crisis Training and Preparedness for Parents
Parents must be prepared for their teen’s bipolar crises to manage these situations effectively when they happen. Here are some of the ways parents can stay prepared to handle bipolar disorder in teens:
Crisis Simulation Training
Engage in workshops and training that teach the basic skills to handle bipolar disorder in teens. These simulations can provide hands-on experience and valuable insights in handling real-life crises.
First Aid and Emergency Response
Acquire knowledge of basic first aid and crisis intervention techniques tailored for teen bipolar crises. This includes understanding the signs and symptoms of a bipolar crisis, de-escalation strategies, and safety protocols.
Building a Community Support Network
Foster relationships with mental health professionals and other parents experiencing similar challenges. A community can provide guidance, resources, and the emotional support needed.
Professional and Emergency Contact
Have a list of immediate contacts for crisis intervention. This can include mental health professionals, crisis hotlines, emergency services, and trusted families who can be contacted in urgent situations.
Bipolar Treatment at Teen Nexus Academy
Navigating teen bipolar disorder requires proactive strategies that focus on teenage safety. An effective plan should include early recognition of warning signs, de-escalation strategies, and post-crisis management and recovery. It is also essential to recognize the unique emotional and behavioral differences between boys and girls to adapt gender-specific bipolar management techniques.
At Nexus Teen Academy, we understand the challenges parents face in handling bipolar disorder in teens. We also know the importance of having the right tools and support. Our clinical team, led by Hannah Carr, has decades of experience with teen mental health disorders, and our treatment programs reflect this, offering both evidence-based and holistic support options.
Contact us for personalised crisis management training and teen bipolar disorder treatment. Together, we can empower you on how to navigate bipolar disorder and foster resilience in teenagers. Call today to learn more.
To promote a safe environment, create a calm and clutter-free space, minimize noise and distractions, ensure proper lighting, and remove potential hazards.
Tips to Handling Teen Bipolar Crises in Arizona
Published On May 11, 2024
Table of Contents
Bipolar disorder affects roughly 3% of teens in the United States. A teen with bipolar disorder crisis can be dangerous to themselves or others if parents aren’t prepared. Handling a teen’s bipolar crisis requires careful, compassionate, and immediate action.
If the situation is severe, immediately contact your teen psychiatrist, therapist, or mental health crisis team.
If the teen is in immediate danger to themselves or others,
If a crisis plan (developed with your teen’s healthcare provider) is in place, follow the steps outlined in the plan.
At Nexus Teen Academy, we understand the benefits of preparedness for a bipolar crisis. We help parents with safety plans and management techniques needed to manage extreme mood swings and self-harm behaviors. If the teen’s bipolar symptoms are severe, it may be best to seek out the help of our inpatient teen mental health treatment center in Arizona. Our clinical staff and intake specialists can walk you through the facts, tests, and treatment process.
Call our team today for help.
Understanding Bipolar Crises in Teens
A bipolar disorder crisis refers to a severe episode of mania, hypomania, or depression experienced by an individual with bipolar disorder. A bipolar crisis can disrupt daily life, relationships, and overall well-being.
Some of the common signs of teen bipolar are:
Importance of Early Identification of Bipolar Crisis Signs
Early identification of warning signs is crucial in managing and preventing the escalation of a bipolar crisis.
If caught, early treatment interventions can prevent the worsening of trauma symptoms. It also enables healthcare providers to adjust treatment to manage the situation better and reduces the risks of impulsive behaviors associated with a bipolar episode. Lastly, timely interventions can lead to better outcomes and reduced long-term impact on a teenager’s overall mental health and quality of life.
Safety Plans To Handle Teen Bipolar Crisis
Handling a bipolar teen requires subtlety, especially when they are going through a crisis. Some of the strategies to handle teen bipolar crisis include:
Recognizing Warning Signs
Recognizing warning signs of teen bipolar helps parents embrace early intervention, preventing the impacts of bipolar disorder from having adverse effects on a teenager’s mental well-being. Signs like intense mood swings or insomnia may indicate a looming bipolar crisis. While the symptoms of teen bipolar disorder are universal, there are some specific gender indicators. For instance, boys may show reckless behaviors like speeding or drug abuse, while girls may have intense mood swings.
Communication Dos and Don'ts During a Bipolar Crisis
Effective communication is key during a bipolar crisis. What you say to your teen can either escalate or de-escalate the situation.
Dos
Don'ts
Boys may respond better to direct and solution-focused communication, whereas girls might appreciate empathetic and emotionally validating responses.
Creating a Calm Environment
A calm environment helps minimize stress and sensory overload in bipolar teens. There are several ways in which you can create a quiet and peaceful environment for your bipolar teen.
For best results, consider personalizing your teenager’s environment based on their gender and preferences. You know your teens better than most, so use this knowledge or ask them what they prefer. They may also appreciate personalized spaces with their favorite photos that reflect their personality.
Emergency Contact Lists
Having an emergency contact list can come in handy during a teen bipolar crisis. Some of the most important things to include are your psychiatrist, therapist, or close family members. It is also important to have a crisis emergency helpline for emergency services you can call in case of a bipolar crisis. You should also ensure that all family members know where and how to access all these contacts.
Medication Management During a Bipolar Crisis
To manage teen bipolar disorder effectively, parents need to know when their teenager needs medication for teen bipolar disorder. A medication schedule chart can help you keep track of medication times and know each medication’s side effects. It’s crucial to promptly monitor and report any gender-specific side effects to the healthcare provider.
A record of drug side effects also helps health providers prescribe better drugs with little to no side effects.
Proactive Management Techniques For Parents To Manage Teen Bipolar
Managing a teenager with bipolar disorder requires proactive strategies. These strategies help ensure safety, stability, and well-being. Here are some of the techniques parents with bipolar teens can employ:
Routine Checks and Balances
Routine checks and balances are a perfect way to stay abreast of your teenager’s health. Schedule regular check-ins with mental health professionals. Such visits enable counselors to monitor your teenager’s health and adjust medication as needed.
You can also monitor your teenagers’ mood patterns and behaviors. Keeping a daily journal or using a mood tracker is a perfect way to monitor your teenagers’ behaviors, sleep patterns, and changes in their daily routines. Understanding the warning signs enables parents to recognize a potential bipolar crisis.
Mindfulness Techniques for Immediate Response
There are several crisis de-escalation techniques that you can employ during a teen bipolar crisis. Mindfulness techniques like breathing or grounding exercises may help teenagers manage intense and overwhelming emotions.
It is important to tailor the de-escalation techniques according to gender. Boys and girls may react differently to behavioral techniques. Girls may embrace them, but boys may appreciate physical activities as a channel for anger, stress, or emotions.
Using Technology to Monitor Symptoms
You can also use tracking apps like Moodpath to monitor your teenager’s mood fluctuations. This can help you identify the potential for bipolar episodes.
You can customize technology tools to suit your teenagers’ specific needs. Set reminders for medication, exercises, or meals to help you keep up with your teen’s daily routines.
Developing a Bipolar Crisis Intervention Plan
Parents can develop tailored bipolar crisis intervention plans for their teenagers. Collaborate with mental health professionals in Arizona to build a plan that addresses your teen’s specific symptoms, triggers, and coping strategies.
Involving Peers and Siblings in Safety Plans
Involving siblings and peers in a bipolar crisis intervention is beneficial. It ensures that your teenager gets help in your absence. Educate close friends, peers, and siblings about bipolar disorder and its symptoms. Teach them the strategies to facilitate an intervention during a crisis.
You can also conduct sensitivity training sessions to ensure they understand the seriousness of bipolar disorder.
Bipolar Crisis Management
When facing a teen bipolar crisis, immediate and thoughtful action is essential to ensure safety and stability. Immediate response actions and tailored de-escalation techniques can be crucial in managing the situation effectively.
Here’s a guide on how to manage a bipolar disorder crisis.
Immediate Response Actions
First, ensure the safety of your teenager and anybody around them. Remove any potential hazards or dangerous objects from their vicinity. Then, you can focus on the following:
Use of De-escalation Techniques
De-escalation techniques can be personalized according to gender. For boys, encourage physical activity. Physical activity like jogging or simple exercises may help channel and manage energy spikes safely. For girls, encourage emotional expression outlets. This can be through creative activities such as drawing, painting, writing, or journaling. These activities can help girls process their emotions and express themselves safely and constructively.
You can also encourage your teenager to connect with close friends, family members, or support groups that reduce feelings of isolation. Social connections offer emotional support and help teens feel less alone during challenging times.
Post-Crisis Management and Recovery
Post-crisis management ensures a smooth recovery and stability for bipolar teens. Here is how to navigate post-bipolar crisis management.
Debriefing After an Incident
After the crisis has been managed, discuss the events with your teenager. The discussion can shed more insights on the triggers, responses, and new symptoms and provide an avenue to improve future teen bipolar crisis responses.
Long-Term Therapy and Adjustment of Treatment Plans
After a crisis, evaluating and adjusting ongoing treatment plans is essential. Discuss with your healthcare provider to make effective adjustments to your teenagers’ medication. The healthcare provider can also provide coping strategies aligning with your teenagers’ needs.
It’s important to adjust therapeutic approaches based on gender-specific needs and responses. For example, boys might benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy focusing on practical coping skills. Girls may find support in expressive therapies like art therapy, narrative therapy, or group therapy.
Rebuilding and Strengthening Support Systems
Engage in family therapy or support groups to strengthen communication and coping strategies within the family dynamic. Encourage your teen to maintain supportive relationships with friends and peers. This can help foster a sense of community and belonging.
You can also encourage your teenager to practice self-care, regular exercise, healthy eating, and adequate sleep. Mindfulness techniques can also help manage stress and enhance overall well-being.
Bipolar Crisis Training and Preparedness for Parents
Parents must be prepared for their teen’s bipolar crises to manage these situations effectively when they happen. Here are some of the ways parents can stay prepared to handle bipolar disorder in teens:
Crisis Simulation Training
Engage in workshops and training that teach the basic skills to handle bipolar disorder in teens. These simulations can provide hands-on experience and valuable insights in handling real-life crises.
First Aid and Emergency Response
Acquire knowledge of basic first aid and crisis intervention techniques tailored for teen bipolar crises. This includes understanding the signs and symptoms of a bipolar crisis, de-escalation strategies, and safety protocols.
Building a Community Support Network
Foster relationships with mental health professionals and other parents experiencing similar challenges. A community can provide guidance, resources, and the emotional support needed.
Professional and Emergency Contact
Have a list of immediate contacts for crisis intervention. This can include mental health professionals, crisis hotlines, emergency services, and trusted families who can be contacted in urgent situations.
Bipolar Treatment at Teen Nexus Academy
Navigating teen bipolar disorder requires proactive strategies that focus on teenage safety. An effective plan should include early recognition of warning signs, de-escalation strategies, and post-crisis management and recovery. It is also essential to recognize the unique emotional and behavioral differences between boys and girls to adapt gender-specific bipolar management techniques.
At Nexus Teen Academy, we understand the challenges parents face in handling bipolar disorder in teens. We also know the importance of having the right tools and support. Our clinical team, led by Hannah Carr, has decades of experience with teen mental health disorders, and our treatment programs reflect this, offering both evidence-based and holistic support options.
Contact us for personalised crisis management training and teen bipolar disorder treatment. Together, we can empower you on how to navigate bipolar disorder and foster resilience in teenagers. Call today to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Early warning signs may include extreme mood swings, changes in sleep patterns, increased irritability, reckless behavior, and energy levels.
Maintain a calm and reassuring tone. Listen to them actively without judgment and validate their feelings to foster understanding.
To promote a safe environment, create a calm and clutter-free space, minimize noise and distractions, ensure proper lighting, and remove potential hazards.
Include mental health professionals, crisis hotlines, emergency services, and trusted family or friends.
Establish a structured daily routine, maintain consistent meal times and sleep schedules, and incorporate relaxation and self-care practices.
Be informed about consent laws, medical rights, guardianship, and potential legal scenarios related to involuntary hospitalization or treatment.