CEN is all kinds of damaging. I know. I don't think it presents bipolar as a factor to the children. I was obviously bipolar before I knew anything in my family was wrong. I had the behaviours of bipolar at 3. I do remember that far, and then some. I was probably in CEN situations at that point too, but I don't think it caused bipolar. I posit that those in other ideal and non-ideal situations are bipolar just the same. I know someone from a very loving and very attentive family that has 3 bipolar generations married into it. That's off the topic a bit.