For years, bipolar disorder has shocked and derailed unsuspecting families, often with an intense manic episode erupting out of “nowhere.” The mental illness can set patients down a self-destructive path and families on a terrifying rollercoaster ride, sometimes made more difficult by treatment challenges.
But providers at the Helen and Arthur Johnson Depression Center at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus are breaking ground with clinical trials on new therapies and family-focused programs that can help parents identity the mental illness sooner.
“It can be tricky to tell what's typical teen behavior and what’s a sign of something more serious,” said Aimee Sullivan, PhD, referring to the hormonal ups and down of teenage years and the manic and depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder, which affects upwards of 6.6 million Americans.
Sullivan and Melissa Batt, MD, MPH, both assistant professors of psychiatry at the CU School of Medicine and providers at the center, sat down with Laura Kelley, media relations professional in the CU Anschutz Office of Communications, to discuss the condition, new research being conducted and programs CU Anschutz offers to help patients and families navigate the challenging and often misunderstood disorder.