Comments on: The Story Behind the Rise in Bipolar Diagnoses http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/09/04/the-story-behind-the-rise-in-bipolar-diagnoses/ Dr. John Grohol's daily update on all things in psychology and mental health. Since 1999. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:30:17 +0000 hourly 1 By: Notes & News | Bowden McElroy http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/09/04/the-story-behind-the-rise-in-bipolar-diagnoses/comment-page-1/#comment-559025 Notes & News | Bowden McElroy Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:57:32 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=1607#comment-559025 [...] Last week I linked to a story about the rise of children being diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. Responding to one commenter, I wrote that I really didn’t think the study reflected a rise in the number of people with bi-polar disorder. The writer of this article reaches the same conclusion. In the study, researchers analyzed a National Center for Health Statistics survey, conducted during a one-week period of time, of office visits that focused on doctors in private or group practices. They key, to me, is that these are regular doctor’s offices. Not mental health professionals. Not professionals who are trained and experienced in diagnosing mental disorders, which often rely more on a clinician’s experience and expertise in asking the right questions to differentiate a disorder from something else. [...] [...] Last week I linked to a story about the rise of children being diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. Responding to one commenter, I wrote that I really didn’t think the study reflected a rise in the number of people with bi-polar disorder. The writer of this article reaches the same conclusion. In the study, researchers analyzed a National Center for Health Statistics survey, conducted during a one-week period of time, of office visits that focused on doctors in private or group practices. They key, to me, is that these are regular doctor’s offices. Not mental health professionals. Not professionals who are trained and experienced in diagnosing mental disorders, which often rely more on a clinician’s experience and expertise in asking the right questions to differentiate a disorder from something else. [...]

]]> By: Susan http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/09/04/the-story-behind-the-rise-in-bipolar-diagnoses/comment-page-1/#comment-303163 Susan Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:36:38 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=1607#comment-303163 Why have the bipolar diagnoses from regular doctors exploded? Why not consider the possibility that the big increase in ADHD/stimulant/antidepressant prescriptions in the last decade have actually induced, or kicked-off, manic behavior that might otherwise have lain dormant? Why have the bipolar diagnoses from regular doctors exploded? Why not consider the possibility that the big increase in ADHD/stimulant/antidepressant prescriptions in the last decade have actually induced, or kicked-off, manic behavior that might otherwise have lain dormant?

]]> By: Counseling Notes - Notes & News http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/09/04/the-story-behind-the-rise-in-bipolar-diagnoses/comment-page-1/#comment-273944 Counseling Notes - Notes & News Sat, 15 Sep 2007 12:05:04 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=1607#comment-273944 [...] Last week I linked to a story about the rise of children being diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. Responding to one commenter, I wrote that I really didn’t think the study reflected a rise in the number of people with bi-polar disorder. The writer of this article reaches the same conclusion. In the study, researchers analyzed a National Center for Health Statistics survey, conducted during a one-week period of time, of office visits that focused on doctors in private or group practices. They key, to me, is that these are regular doctor’s offices. Not mental health professionals. Not professionals who are trained and experienced in diagnosing mental disorders, which often rely more on a clinician’s experience and expertise in asking the right questions to differentiate a disorder from something else. [...] [...] Last week I linked to a story about the rise of children being diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. Responding to one commenter, I wrote that I really didn’t think the study reflected a rise in the number of people with bi-polar disorder. The writer of this article reaches the same conclusion. In the study, researchers analyzed a National Center for Health Statistics survey, conducted during a one-week period of time, of office visits that focused on doctors in private or group practices. They key, to me, is that these are regular doctor’s offices. Not mental health professionals. Not professionals who are trained and experienced in diagnosing mental disorders, which often rely more on a clinician’s experience and expertise in asking the right questions to differentiate a disorder from something else. [...]

]]> By: liza.judy http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/09/04/the-story-behind-the-rise-in-bipolar-diagnoses/comment-page-1/#comment-272191 liza.judy Wed, 12 Sep 2007 21:18:06 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=1607#comment-272191 Hello, I have been depresed since I was born. Before Kindergarten, my mother took me to the "family doctor" after explaing to him her frustration with me. This is what he said: "Your mother tells me that you're always 'mad at the world! Don't you know that if you smile, the world smiles with you? Plus, you're so much prettier when you smile more!" What a dope.I was first diagnosed properly at 42. I'm 52 now. Hello,
I have been depresed since I was born. Before Kindergarten, my mother took me to the “family doctor” after explaing to him her frustration with me. This is what he said:

“Your mother tells me that you’re always ‘mad at the world! Don’t you know that if you smile, the world smiles with you? Plus, you’re so much prettier when you smile more!”

What a dope.I was first diagnosed properly at 42. I’m 52 now.

]]> By: Alex http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/09/04/the-story-behind-the-rise-in-bipolar-diagnoses/comment-page-1/#comment-270743 Alex Mon, 10 Sep 2007 07:18:05 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=1607#comment-270743 How about a fourth explanation? Mainstream family physicians and mental health "experts" (btw, an ideological designation, but that's a topic for another time) have been trained in a certain way. It's often a part of our upbringing and education in professional schools, that certain criteria of symptoms are assigned to various "disorders", inc. the bipolar one. I'd argue that a cultural component is often missing from the analysis. The doctors have diagnosed the "bipolar depression" according to how they have been socialized (i bet, many, if not most, are not even aware of that--it's often subconscious). Similar to the classic case of IQ tests, where there was a cultural bias in design and delivering, the contemporary diagnosis criteria are too uniform for our increasingly multicultural and multi-ethnic society(ies). It may take ten, twenty or more years before we wake up from the denial. Until then, more and more people and esp. youth (our next generation!) are going to be diagnosed, labeled and drugged. How about a fourth explanation?

Mainstream family physicians and mental health “experts” (btw, an ideological designation, but that’s a topic for another time) have been trained in a certain way. It’s often a part of our upbringing and education in professional schools, that certain criteria of symptoms are assigned to various “disorders”, inc. the bipolar one. I’d argue that a cultural component is often missing from the analysis.
The doctors have diagnosed the “bipolar depression” according to how they have been socialized (i bet, many, if not most, are not even aware of that–it’s often subconscious). Similar to the classic case of IQ tests, where there was a cultural bias in design and delivering, the contemporary diagnosis criteria are too uniform for our increasingly multicultural and multi-ethnic society(ies).
It may take ten, twenty or more years before we wake up from the denial. Until then, more and more people and esp. youth (our next generation!) are going to be diagnosed, labeled and drugged.

]]> By: Friday Flashback for September 7, 2007 - World of Psychology http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/09/04/the-story-behind-the-rise-in-bipolar-diagnoses/comment-page-1/#comment-269324 Friday Flashback for September 7, 2007 - World of Psychology Fri, 07 Sep 2007 15:29:24 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=1607#comment-269324 [...] The Drugging of Our Children Back in 1997, the argument of the day wasn’t about whether children were being overdiagnosed with bipolar disorer, but rather whether they were being overdiagnosed with ADHD. In this editorial, I suggest much of the rise in diagnoses of ADHD in children in the early 1990s could at least be partly attributable to sloppy diagnosis by primary care physicians, who are not experts in mental health concerns. I believe the same is true today. [...] [...] The Drugging of Our Children Back in 1997, the argument of the day wasn’t about whether children were being overdiagnosed with bipolar disorer, but rather whether they were being overdiagnosed with ADHD. In this editorial, I suggest much of the rise in diagnoses of ADHD in children in the early 1990s could at least be partly attributable to sloppy diagnosis by primary care physicians, who are not experts in mental health concerns. I believe the same is true today. [...]

]]> By: Michelle Davis http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/09/04/the-story-behind-the-rise-in-bipolar-diagnoses/comment-page-1/#comment-268720 Michelle Davis Thu, 06 Sep 2007 18:43:27 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=1607#comment-268720 Nice analysis, John. It is written for a broad range of readers, another plus for it. Your work in translating mental health trends for the general public is outstanding! Nice analysis, John. It is written for a broad range of readers, another plus for it. Your work in translating mental health trends for the general public is outstanding!

]]> By: New Bipolar Treatments - World of Psychology http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/09/04/the-story-behind-the-rise-in-bipolar-diagnoses/comment-page-1/#comment-268507 New Bipolar Treatments - World of Psychology Thu, 06 Sep 2007 10:16:29 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=1607#comment-268507 [...] I don’t have numbers to back this up, but I would imagine that among mental disorders, bipolar disorder is one of the top 5 most researched disorders at the present time. A lot of this would be related to the dramatic increase in people being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and the potential for new profits for the next great drug therapy. This is where articles like the one John wrote about here make the picture of best practices in mental health blurry and confusing. (No Ratings Yet)  Loading ... [...] [...] I don’t have numbers to back this up, but I would imagine that among mental disorders, bipolar disorder is one of the top 5 most researched disorders at the present time. A lot of this would be related to the dramatic increase in people being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and the potential for new profits for the next great drug therapy. This is where articles like the one John wrote about here make the picture of best practices in mental health blurry and confusing. (No Ratings Yet)  Loading … [...]

]]> By: Joe Meints http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/09/04/the-story-behind-the-rise-in-bipolar-diagnoses/comment-page-1/#comment-268253 Joe Meints Thu, 06 Sep 2007 02:45:11 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=1607#comment-268253 I've got another perspective. I used to get a kick out of how many mental health professioals as well as doctors would diagnose me BiPolar or manic depressed when I was just a drug addict. It wasn't a condition of depression or BiPolar...I WAS A DRUG ADDICT. The sad part is, I work with dozens of families every week looking for help with an addicted family member. In almost every case, their loved one has been diagnosed improperly, not to mention unethically, as BiPolar or Depressed. At one point, I was always shocked to hear this. Unfortunately, now it's common place. I’ve got another perspective. I used to get a kick out of how many mental health professioals as well as doctors would diagnose me BiPolar or manic depressed when I was just a drug addict. It wasn’t a condition of depression or BiPolar…I WAS A DRUG ADDICT. The sad part is, I work with dozens of families every week looking for help with an addicted family member. In almost every case, their loved one has been diagnosed improperly, not to mention unethically, as BiPolar or Depressed. At one point, I was always shocked to hear this. Unfortunately, now it’s common place.

]]> By: University Update - ADHD - The Story Behind the Rise in Bipolar Diagnoses http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/09/04/the-story-behind-the-rise-in-bipolar-diagnoses/comment-page-1/#comment-267309 University Update - ADHD - The Story Behind the Rise in Bipolar Diagnoses Tue, 04 Sep 2007 19:52:29 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=1607#comment-267309 [...] West Nile Virus The Story Behind the Rise in Bipolar Diagnoses » This Summary is from an article posted at - World of Psychology on Tuesday, September 04, 2007 This article's contents are copywritten by the author of - World of Psychology. Please click "View Original Article..." below to view the article. Summary Provided by Technorati.comView Original Article at - World of Psychology » 10 Most Recent News Articles About ADHD [...] [...] West Nile Virus The Story Behind the Rise in Bipolar Diagnoses » This Summary is from an article posted at – World of Psychology on Tuesday, September 04, 2007 This article’s contents are copywritten by the author of – World of Psychology. Please click "View Original Article…" below to view the article. Summary Provided by Technorati.comView Original Article at – World of Psychology » 10 Most Recent News Articles About ADHD [...]

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