What Causes Bipolar Disorder?

“Our son is in his mid-20s and was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. How did this happen? Was it due to our parenting? Is there something that we could have done as parents that could have prevented this from happening?”

You ask an important question. Parents of young people diagnosed with bipolar disorder are often filled with a sense of fear and frustration about their “contribution” to the disease. Bipolar disorder is caused by a variety of factors. In some people prone to the disorder it is as if their brain harbors the elements that can trigger a manic episode. An outside stress can activate those elements, creating that first instance of symptoms, hopefully leading to a proper diagnosis. This can happen at any age, but usually not until adolescence or young adulthood.

Adolescence is a time of many changes, both physiologically and psychologically. It is possible that these major changes can also precipitate symptoms of bipolar disorder. Attending college is another stressful time in one’s life, again accompanied by a possible sense of isolation from family as well as other stressors. Graduation from college, involving another major transition can also be a trigger for an episode.

So, there are a number of environmental factors, all of which can trigger the dormant bipolar elements at rest in one’s brain. In addition, there are physiological and genetic factors at work. It is possible that one’s family is prone to mood disorders. Tracing back one’s family tree can help identify family history that relates to the development of mood disorders in family members.

The cause of bipolar disorder is not entirely known. Genetic, neurochemical and environmental factors probably interact at many levels to play a role in the onset and progression of bipolar disorder.

With appropriate treatment, the outlook for a young person with bipolar disorder is favorable; eighty percent respond to medication and psychotherapy. Ten to 20 percent will have chronic, unresolved mood symptoms despite treatment. Approximately 10 percent of bipolar patients will be very difficult to treat and will have frequent episodes with little response to treatment.

In relation to your specific questions, let me assure you that you are not to blame for your son’s diagnosis. There is little you could have done in your parenting to cause his disorder. It has little to do with your parenting. There is nothing you could have done to prevent it from happening.

The most important factor in your son’s recovery is that you are concerned parents who are actively involved in his treatment. This definitely facilitates his potential for a successful recovery.

~Dr. Manuel S. Silverman, PhD