Resources listed are for informational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose or treat a condition without the guidance of a mental health professional. If you or someone you know is having a mental health emergency, please call 911 or Colorado Crisis Services at 1.844.493.TALK.
Hey teens! Interested in mental health?
Each month the Aurora Public Library focuses on a different topic related to mental health. Swing by the Aurora Central Library's teen area to browse YA novels and nonfiction related to the monthly topic. Whether you or someone you know is facing a mental health issue, or you are just interested in the topic, APL has information, resources and reading materials for you.
Remember, your mental health matters.
This month’s Mental Health Spotlight is on Bipolar Disorder.
About Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder is a mental health condition that causes cycles of extreme mood swings. These episodes of mania or hypomania and depression can severely impact a person’s daily functioning. The highs and lows of Bipolar Disorder can occur multiple times a year or rarely.
Mania or hypomania symptoms can include:
• Abnormally upbeat, jumpy or wired
• Increased activity, energy or agitation
• Exaggerated sense of well-being and self-confidence (euphoria)
• Decreased need for sleep
• Unusual talkativeness
• Racing thoughts
• Distractibility
• Poor decision-making — for example, going on buying sprees, taking sexual risks or making foolish investments
Depression symptoms can include:
• Depressed mood, such as feeling sad, empty, hopeless or tearful (in children and teens, depressed mood can appear as irritability)
• Marked loss of interest or feeling no pleasure in all — or almost all — activities
• Significant weight loss when not dieting, weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite (in children, failure to gain weight as expected can be a sign of depression)
• Either insomnia or sleeping too much
• Either restlessness or slowed behavior
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt
• Decreased ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness
• Thinking about, planning or attempting suicide
Learn more about Bipolar Disorder here.
Relatable Articles to Explore:
- Here's What It's Actually Like To Live With Bipolar Disorder
- 15 Self-Care Tips for People Living with Bipolar Disorder
- What I Want My Loved Ones to Understand About Bipolar Depression
- 12 Celebrities That Have Opened Up About Having Bipolar Disorder
- This Is What a Mixed Bipolar Episode Feels Like
- Effects of Bipolar Disorder on the Body
- How Do I Tell New Friends About My History of Bipolar Disorder?
- 11 Ways People Cope With Bipolar Disorder Isolation
Explore Young Adult novels & nonfiction that address Bipolar Disorder
For more resources for all ages, visit the nonfiction department at your local library and look for call number 616.89. Resources are also available at Aurora Mental Health.
Check back in November for our next Mental Health Spotlight!
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