“In children, the symptom may manifest as a fascination with private parts and an increase in self-stimulatory behaviors, a precocious interest in things of a sexual nature, and language laced with highly sexual words or phrases.
In the same way that children with bipolar disorder have difficulty modulating aggressive impulses, so do they sometimes have problems reigning in sexual impulses that may overtake them and cause them to overreach the boundaries of what is appropriate in a social context –particularly in hypomanic or manic states where all systems rev up. They seem on a different time clock than other children, as though certain behaviors set to go off in the adolescent years happen well before. Yet doctors, nurses and social workers in this country are taught routinely that any sign of increased sexual behavior in children is a result of overstimulation in the home environment.
But is this so? When Dr. Barbara Geller and her colleagues at Washington University in St. Louis looked at a group of 93 children and adolescents diagnosed with bipolar disorder as a part of an ongoing NIMH-supported phenomenology study, they found that 43% of this group who were manic were also hypersexual. In order to rule out any overstimulation or sexual abuse in the environment, each child and family was examined first with the Psychosocial Schedule for School-age Children Revised (PSS-R).
Dr. Geller explained:
This is a comprehensive semi-structured interview that was given by the research nurses separately to mothers about their children and to children about themselves. It has a section with items on sexual abuse. In addition, pediatric and other medical records were obtained and examined for any possible clues to abuse (e.g., multiple visits for accidents, unusual urinary problems etc.). Teachers and after school caretakers also supplied information.
Dr. Geller and her colleagues found that less than 1% of these hypersexual bipolar children had evidence of overstimulation or sexual abuse in the home environment. The conclusion of one of the journal articles published about this on-going study of children and adolescents with bipolar disorder was that “the 43.0% rate of hypersexuality in the prepubertal and early adolescent subjects strongly supports hypersexuality as a symptom of mania.” ”
Kids are body curious, that’s no shocker, but it’s a more than a little jarring when a three year old is asking his mother to “rub his penis”, or your son/daughter is watching TV with their hands down their pants for hours, and another toddler is running around talking about how great it feels to stick his finger up his butt. It’s disturbing. Take the example of the following two children:
“Hypersexuality is the most disturbing symptom for Matthew after the aggression and rages are gone, and it’s one of the last behaviors to go away as treatment is effective for him. For instance, today, despite a lithium increase, he’s had his hand on his penis all night. I told him over and over again to put his hands somewhere else, but to no avail. Now, granted this is minor compared to two nights ago when he threatened to hit our privates so hard it hurt (as revenge for a simple “no”). If this lithium increase works as others have, tomorrow night or the next, Matthew should not exhibit hypersexuality unless he needs a higher lithium level for the umpteenth time. Sometimes, we see minor signs of the hypersexuality right before the needed lithium dose.
Here is another description of a very hypomanic, hypersexual seven-year-old boy:
He got very silly after dinner — very affectionate with me, and hypersexual at bath time. He said: “I love you Mommy,” trying to kiss me. “Will you lay on top of me. I’m going to rub my penis, can you do it?” After his bath he jumped on top of me trying to give me “long kisses” and telling my husband he knows a girl who would rub his penis.” ”
Ew. Now I understand why parents don’t want to talk about it…
I can only imagine how frustrating and scary actually hypersexuality can be when present in an untreated teenager; another reason why proper diagnosis is critical. Teens are particular susceptible to being preyed on predators. The tipolar hypersexuality may lead to participation in sex crimes such as web porn or prostitution. The manic depression increases their sexual awareness; their moods make them venerable, and combine that with the poor impulse control, high libido and compulsions, you get the idea.
This behavior by bipolar children, teens and adults, is not necessarily fueled by overexposure to sexual material or content. Without proper assistance, it is an unfortunate incontrollable part of this mental disorder. The impaired judgment, increased need for sexual gratification, poor impulse control, and obsessive sexual behavior can be stabilized if the mania is stabilized. But the same way my favorite red dress looks great on me; nothing is a perfect fit for the masses.
Bipolar infidelity is a common consequence of mania and hypersexuality and can be a troublesome issue for sufferers of Bipolar Type I and Type II.
“A 1975 study that looked at lifetime sexual experience found extramarital sexual experiences to be more frequent amongst bipolar people – 29% had had 10 or more experiences.
According to figures quoted by Goodwin and Jamison, hypersexuality was reported in 57% of manic individuals, based on averages across seven studies, with a range of values from 25% to 80%!
And remember, “sexual indiscretions” is such a significant marker of bipolar illness that it is included in the DSM-IV’s diagnostic criteria.”
Not every bipolar person is a cheater, but experiences such as the following are not uncommon.
“A forum member in our community described her experiences as follows: “I have a very low sex drive unless I’m manic, in which case I’m willing to do it with anyone or anything, male or female, married or unmarried – all my morals go right out the window. I have gotten myself in serious trouble this way. Aaaagggh!!”
Another wrote: “I’ll go a few weeks and have to be with my husband every night, sometimes waking him up in the middle of the night if I wake up.” “
Don’t you wish all cheaters could have the option of being fixed with a pill?? “Honey I was off my meds when I cheated”
“Of course sweetie, but why didn’t you take your meds if you knew that was going to happen? It still doesn’t fly…”
These are some facts. Use ‘em wisely.
–posted by Eliza Barnett
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Filed under: Eliza Barnett, bi-polar
