Bipolar Disorder in Teens Frequently Misdiagnosed

Teens with disruptive or aggressive behaviors are increasingly diagnosed with bipolar disorder and prescribed psychotropic medications. These young people, according to recent Minneapolis Star Tribune article, are frequently misdiagnosed. Medication seems like an easy answer to a complex set of behavior problems. But the easy solution is not always the best. The root cause of the behaviors needs to be understood and addressed. Aggressive outbursts could be driven by trauma, stress, or other environmental factors.

If trauma is the root of the problem for some children, psychiatrists say, they would be better served by therapy and identifying what’s wrong in their lives, rather than with powerful medications.

“Most of the time there is something that has happened in a child’s life, something that got them stuck developmentally,” said Sue Sexton, a St. Paul psychologist who treats kids with stress-related disorders. If Troubled Kids Aren’t Bipolar, What is Troubling Them?