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Bipolar Disorder (Children and Adolescents)

ODD vs Bipolar

06/24/2008

Question:

Is ODD more difficult to treat than bipolar disorder?

Answer:

Hello and thank you for your excellent question. All things being equal, uncomplicated ODD (i.e., Oppositional Defiant Disorder) is much easier to treat than bipolar disorder in youth because ODD is usually very responsive to a 12-week course of parent-skills training-behavior therapy. On the other hand, bipolar disorder often requires medication and therapy. In addition, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are usually more severe/impairing, long-lasting, associated with other disorders (e.g., ADHD) and not "cured" but managed by medication and therapy. I hope that answer helps.

Best wishes,

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Response by:

The Ohio State University Nicholas Lofthouse, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Department of Psychiatry
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University
Nicholas   Lofthouse, PhD