The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong indicated that children of patients with bipolar disorder are at a 5 times higher risk of experiencing emotional issues compared to children of non-patients. File Image
Today, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong released a study showing that children of patients with bipolar disorder are five times more likely to have emotional issues, with a 4 times higher risk of developing depressive issues. Additionally, they are 7.5 times more likely to experience social anxiety compared to non-patients of the same age.
The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong, together with 10 hospitals in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, recruited 191 children aged between 6 and 21 who are children of bipolar disorder patients, as well as 202 children of non-bipolar disorder patients, to collect data on participants’ mental health, sleep patterns, and circadian rhythms.
Dr. Lei Binbin, Honorary Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Hong Kong, stated that children of patients with bipolar disorder tend to have more behavioral issues during childhood, and during adolescence, between the ages of 12 and 18, they tend to stay up late, have social anxiety and emotional issues, making them more vulnerable to developing bipolar disorder in early adulthood. The research also points out that children of bipolar disorder patients have insufficient melatonin secretion at night.
Children of patients with bipolar disorder are advised to sleep and wake up early
Dr. Hon Yun Kwok, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Hong Kong, pointed out that the Hong Kong adolescents involved in the study go to sleep on average at 1 a.m. He emphasized that the biological clock is closely related to bipolar disorder, and staying up late can lead to more emotional problems in patients with emotional illnesses. It is recommended that children of patients with bipolar disorder should sleep and wake up early, avoid using electronic devices before bedtime, preferably engage in morning exercise, and be exposed to moderate light.
