MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'bipolar disorder'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:47:53 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174664&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F29%2Fnutritional-supplements-to-treat-adhd-bipolar-depression-empowerplus%2F In this study, only 49 percent of the participants kept providing the researchers data at 6 months — meaning the majority of them dropped out of the study before the 6 months were up! LOCF is generally frowned upon in good research unless there’s a very good rationale for its use. Why? Because research shows that this method gives a biased estimate of the treatment effect and underestimates the variability of the estimated result. In other words, it stacks the deck to demonstrate a treatment’s effectiveness — even when it might not be. It’s a research slight of hand. The bigger problem with this study and most of the studies cited by TrueHope is that they all suffer from significant design problems. All are open-label designs with biased, self-selected samples... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174664 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:45:54 +0100 5174664 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139900&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2011%2F08%2F17%2Fonline-mood-chart%2F Buffer Life Charts or Mood Charts are used by psychiatrists and patients with bipolar disorder and unipolar disorder. Keeping track of mood fluctuations such as in depression or manic phase together with medication use and possible triggers can be of immense value to treatment plans. Optimism is a mood chart app that helps you develop strategies to manage depression, bipolar or other physical and mental health conditions. It can be customized completely to suit your specific circumstances, making it relevant to any health condition that affects (or is affected by) mood. Optimism helps you to: Monitor and develop strategies, specific to yourself, that help you remain in good health. Grow in your understanding of “triggers” that affect you, and the early warning signs or symptoms of a d... Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139900 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 06:15:13 +0100 5139900 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125806&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F13%2Fthe-idiots-guide-to-dealing-with-idiots%2F Idiots. The world is full of them. How hard it is for us, non-idiots, to put up with them. But to get our jobs done, our kids fed, and our pets groomed, we must deal with them. Idiots come in many shapes, forms, and types, but the ones that frustrate me the most are those who don’t believe in any form of mental illness. These creatures maintain that all mood disorders are cute, creative stories crafted by persons who enjoy obsessing, ruminating, and crying their eyes out… a wealthy bunch who can’t think of anything better to do than come up with a make-believe tale about a few neurons wandering around the limbic system afraid to ask for directions, just like Moses. We must tune out the idiots to achieve any kind of sanity or serenity. But how? Here are four ways that have work... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125806 Sat, 13 Aug 2011 11:07:11 +0100 5125806 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107600&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F08%2Fbipolar-disorder-missed-when-presenting-with-depression%2F Coming as a surprise to more than a few mental health professionals, a new study out today suggests that bipolar disorder is often missed in patients who present only with major depression. The study examined 5,635 adults seen at community and hospital psychiatry departments in a number of different countries. The discrepancy was reported because of the use of “bipolarity specifier criteria” that are broader than the DSM-IV criteria, the standard for diagnosis of mental disorders by mental health professionals. Using the broader bipolar criteria developed by the researchers found an additional 31 percent of patients who could have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. So what’s really going on here? Are professionals really “missing” bipolar disorder? Or have ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107600 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:49:39 +0100 5107600 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992955&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fmass-general-sanctions-joseph-biederman.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992955 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:26:00 +0100 4992955 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934338&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F13%2Fbipolar-disorder-tips-for-reducing-relapse%2F For many mental illnesses relapse is part and parcel. Bipolar disorder is one of these. What’s especially unnerving for people is that relapse can seem random, as though you go to bed feeling one way and wake up another, feeling hints of mania or depression. Why relapse occurs is largely unknown. But we do know certain facts based on research findings, according to Joseph R. Calabrese, M.D., director of the Mood Disorders Program at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, in this excellent article in bp Magazine on relapse: “Those who are diagnosed with bipolar II are more likely to relapse than those with bipolar I. Their episodes of depression, mania or hypomania are often shorter than the episodes experienced by those with bipolar I but tend to return more of... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934338 Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:34:54 +0100 4934338 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872165&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F26%2Fwhen-mental-illness-stigma-turns-inward%2F This study shows in some cases, it might even be increasing.) We see stigma everywhere. Every time violence is automatically connected to mental illness in an article or news report, we see it.* We see it in movies and other forms of media. We see it at work where stereotypes might be perpetuated, where employees are afraid to “come out” with their diagnosis. We see it with our families or friends, who might say versions of “just snap out of it” or “get over it already” or offer “advice” like sleep more, eat less, look on the bright side and try harder. There’s also just pure ignorance, especially when it comes to serious mental illness such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. As E. Fuller Torrey, M.D., wrote in Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families, ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872165 Thu, 26 May 2011 12:00:16 +0100 4872165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4829164&cid=t_92597_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FplF9O_o_GRw%2F I probably shouldn’t ever do online tests that claim to be reliable indicators of my health or personality, but that doesn’t stop me from frittering away my time every once in awhile. Who doesn’t want to know how their IQ stacks up with their friend’s, whether their personality type is compatible with their partner’s, or if they could be considered a “fitness junkie”?  I know I do. So when Alternative Depression Therapy’s online bi-polar test showed up in my Twitter stream, I was too curious not to see my results. I’ve never been diagnosed with any mental illness, but hey, this could save me the trip to the psychologist, and an excuse to get my hands on some good pills! (Kidding, of course.) But all the test really taught me is that I&... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4829164 Mon, 09 May 2011 20:18:32 +0100 4829164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803387&cid=t_92597_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FplF9O_o_GRw%2F I probably shouldn’t ever do online tests that claim to be reliable indicators of my health or personality, but that doesn’t stop me from frittering away my time every once in awhile. Who doesn’t want to know how their IQ stacks up with their friend’s, whether their personality type is compatible with their partner’s, or if they could be considered a “fitness junkie”?  I know I do. So when Alternative Depression Therapy’s online bi-polar test showed up in my Twitter stream, I was too curious not to see my results. I’ve never been diagnosed with any mental illness, but hey, this could save me the trip to the psychologist, and an excuse to get my hands on some good pills! (Kidding, of course.) But all the test really taught me is that I&... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803387 Mon, 09 May 2011 20:18:32 +0100 4803387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789639&cid=t_92597_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F0g87fDI2KB0%2F Was the evidence used for prescribing Abilify to combat bipolar disorder skimply? That’s the contention in a new paper, which argues the justification for using the Bristol-Myers Squibb drug as maintenance treatment was based on one long-term, controlled trial that had numerous limitations. Moreover, the paper maintains these limitations were not identified in many of 104 subsequent review articles and treatment guidelines. For its part, Bristol-Myers disagrees (keep reading). The original trial was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in 2003 and compared the safety and efficacy of Abilify with placebo for treating bipolar patients. The study concluded that the pill had “significantly greater efficacy than placebo for the treatment of bipolar disorder patients in ac... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789639 Wed, 04 May 2011 15:04:41 +0100 4789639 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4780432&cid=t_92597_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F7PCdFHF6dWQ%2F We know it’s unsafe to drive after two or three glasses of wine, but what about after 1,050 milligrams of Lithium? Sure, my impulse response is good. My cognitive functions are fine. I know when I have to stop, where to look, and how to flip the bird if I have to. But my hands do tremor. And although most of the time no one notices, there are times when the shakes are quite visible, and embarrassing. Like on the morning of my first day at my new consulting job, where 300 consultants waited in one single file line to submit proper paperwork. I couldn’t get my Styrofoam coffee cup to stop shaking as I held copies of my birth certificate, driver’s license, and proof that I was not an alien. The man behind me noticed my shaking hands and said, “Oh, you poor thing. Your blood sugar is l... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4780432 Tue, 03 May 2011 14:00:42 +0100 4780432 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753886&cid=t_92597_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F9Wk_mdxjoSg%2F The Lithium Chronicles is a Blisstree series focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder. Last time in The Lithium Chronicles, we heard Ross McKenzie’s story of how he got fired by his psychiatrist when he decided to go off of lithium, a drug he took daily for 15 years. Bipolar patients going off of lithium is already a pretty controversial topic. But there’s an extra twist in Ross’ story that isn’t exactly in the mainstream. Ross attributes the process of chelation with much of his mental health today. Ross has been off of lithium and symptom free for over a year. But when he was in his early 20s, Ross had all of his metal dental fillings replaced. It wasn’t until a few years ago that he was tested for metals in his blood stream and found his resu... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753886 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:47:51 +0100 4753886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4723946&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F16%2Fcan-drug-rehabs-treat-mood-disorders%2F Awhile back the Washington Post ran an excellent article by Maia Szalavitz entited, “So, What Made Me an Addict? Experts Debate Whether Disease or Defect Is to Blame.” This question is so crucial to how we treat persons suffering from both addiction and mental disorders, and especially how we deal with those with dual-diagnoses. Just after I was discharged from Johns Hopkins Hospital, a friend of mine strongly encouraged me to go away to a halfway house of sorts for three or more months … where they treat addicts primarily, and some persons battling mental illness … in order to allow time to heal. I ran it by my doctor. Did she think three months of AA meetings and yoga and group therapy would pull me out of my depression? Her response was interesting, and one I re... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4723946 Sat, 16 Apr 2011 12:10:54 +0100 4723946 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4720028&cid=t_92597_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FEogBLn8v39g%2F Catherine Zeta-Jones released a statement yesterday, announcing that she not only has Bipolar II Disorder, but that she also recently sought treatment at a mental health care facility in the wake of hubby Michael Douglas’ cancer scare. Good on her for being so forthcoming – usually, celebrities go to exorbitant lengths to hide their illnesses from the public which, in most cases, is a recipe for disaster. Hollywood just can’t keep secrets today like it could 20 years ago. TMZ, Perez Hilton, and the 24-hour AP newswire all have insiders and whistleblowers informing them of every celebrity hang-nail, papercut, bunion and sniffle. But Zeta-Jones has effectively issued a preemptive strike against speculation by just owning up to the truth of her situation. Here’s a list of ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4720028 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 16:06:48 +0100 4720028 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684630&cid=t_92597_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F269tqQJo1ik%2F The Lithium Chronicles is a Blisstree series focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder. Ross McKenzie was diagnosed as bipolar at the age of 21. After 15 years of daily lithium doses, he went off his meds last February. He’s been drug free ever since. This is the continuing story of how he made his way back to a life without psychotropic medication, after he ended up walking naked down a highway on one ill-fated night. At the end of my first year on lithium, I almost died. For an entire year I had been taking 1200 milligrams of lithium a day. At the end of the year my psychiatrist called me in a panic telling me to drop my dosage immediately: “Your test results were in the extreme toxic range. Which can cause death.” All psychotropic drugs are highly toxic. ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684630 Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:32:52 +0100 4684630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658413&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F30%2Fgrowing-up-bipolar%2F “Were you bipolar growing up?” a magazine editor asked me the other day. “I don’t know,” I said. “Do you think you were misdiagnosed back then as depressed?” “I don’t know,” I said. I wasn’t annoyed. I wasn’t rushed. I just really don’t know. I can clearly say that something was wrong with me, but I’m very careful to throw the “bipolar” word around when it pertains to kids given all the debate today on the topic. Friends of mine rant on another friend for medicating their daughter for bipolar disorder, who, according to the friends’ eyes, is perfectly fine. And then I hear the sadness and utter frustration of another friend whose bipolar daughter was just expelled from school. While I tend to be pretty conservative about meds myself (you’d never guess t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4658413 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:30:32 +0100 4658413 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642590&cid=t_92597_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrlindagalloway.files.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F03%2F1156714_perscription_drug_case.jpg Periodically, the FDA publishes drug warnings that should be shared with the public, especially if it affects pregnant women. Each year, over 4 million babies are born in the US and 43% will continue to be breast fed at 6 months. All of these moms will invariably use meds at some point after birth, so which meds are helpful and which are potentially harmful? These questions may now be answered by the Infant Risk Center, at the Texas Tech University Health Center, in Amarillo, Texas. This center provides up-to-date information regarding the safety of medications that are taken both during pregnancy and after birth. Most drugs enter breast milk immediately after birth and during the first 4 to 10 days of life at a fairly fast rate based on the physiology of breast cells. New moms must theref... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642590 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:00:37 +0100 4642590 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4580955&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F14%2Fdiet-coke-and-depression%2F When you are a recovering drunk, you don’t have a ton of options at parties. I used to be an avid Diet Coke drinker. But last summer my sister scared the well you know out of me when she started talking about what aspartame can do to your system. I am chemically sensitive as it is, and many of you are, too, probably — which is why I don’t drink alcohol and gave up smoking. But I was curious if Diet Coke was really that dangerous. I did some research, and as you well know, every paranoia will be confirmed eventually by some article on the web. I found an article about Diet Coke on John McManamy’s website about Diet Coke . What was particularly interesting to me was the relationship between aspartame and depression and bipolar disorder. Says John: In 1993, Dr Walt... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4580955 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:15:06 +0100 4580955 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570757&cid=t_92597_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FPmtKJqwRTaY%2F AstraZeneca agreed to pay $68.5 million to 36 states and the District of Columbia to resolve a lawsuit charging the drugmaker with illegal marketing of its Seroquel antipsychotic, failing to sufficiently disclose potential side effects to health care providers and withholding negative info in studies about safety and effectiveness. The drugmaker allegedly marketed Seroquel, which was approved only for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, for several off-label uses to treat both children and the elderly, specifically in nursing homes. Among the unapproved uses: Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and post traumatic stress disorder, according to the lawsuit (read here). “This case sends a message that we take seriously the duty pharmaceutical companies have... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570757 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:37:14 +0100 4570757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570692&cid=t_92597_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FV4C8Pa1qQGs%2F photo: WENN.com via "Daybreak" Dear Charlie Sheen: We read an excerpt from your new exclusive interview with Life&Style magazine in which you make the following claims: “I’m really starting to lose my mind,” and “I’m ready to call anyone to help.” Well, Chuckles, look no further. Blisstree, your friendly health and wellness website (for men, too, not just for goddesses!) is here for you. We are anyone. To prove it, we’d like to offer you some health advice based on the stuff you spouted in that Life&Style article. Now, we’re not medical doctors or psychiatrists or bitchin’ rock stars, but you don’t seem to hold the former two in very high regard anyway, so this relationship could work out nicely for both of us. N... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570692 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 13:45:28 +0100 4570692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4460006&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F10%2Fintroducing-adventures-of-a-bipolar-mom%2F I’m pleased to welcome you to Adventures of a Bipolar Mom with Beth Vandagriff. Beth is a 30-year-old wife and mother of 4 beautiful children. She was recently diagnosed with Ultra-Rapid Cycling Bipolar, Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, Anxiety and Paranoia. She joins us here to share her experiences with bipolar disorder and parenting — how it is to juggle all the demands of motherhood along with the demands of living with a combination of mental health concerns. Bipolar disorder, also known by its older name “manic depression,” is a mental disorder that is characterized by constantly changing moods. A person with bipolar disorder experiences alternating highs (what clinicians call “mania“) and lows (also known as depression). Both the manic and depressive periods can be... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4460006 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:11:04 +0100 4460006 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4411563&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F28%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-january-28-2011%2F There is a ton of things that can touch us in a week. In one day alone, I can easily get lost in every day activities and not only in what happens to us and around us, but what happens within us. One of my greatest fears is that I will allow too much outside noise to silence the most important one. My own. As I reflect on another week past, I recall the President’s State of the Union address, a conversation with a friend, a dream I had beckoning me in the morning, an episode of The View where Michael Jackson’s sister Rebbie Jackson talks about her daughter’s bipolar disorder diagnosis. It’s so much to digest that I can easily lose sight of the way I’m feeling right now. I can too easily forget what I’m doing, how I’m interacting with those around m... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4411563 Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:05:27 +0100 4411563 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4361069&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F17%2Fi-too-have-a-dream-about-mental-health%2F Some of you may recognize my dream, but I like to repost it every now and then to keep it alive and give it legs. In celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.: I have a dream that one day I won’t hold my breath every time I tell a person that I suffer from bipolar disorder, that I won’t feel shameful in confessing my mental illness. I have a dream that people won’t feel the need to applaud me for my courage on writing and speaking publicly about my disease, because the diagnosis of depression and bipolar disorder would be understood no differently than that of diabetes, arthritis, or dementia. I have a dream that the research into genetics of mood disorders will continue to pinpoint specific genes that may predispose individuals and families to depression and bipolar disord... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4361069 Mon, 17 Jan 2011 14:15:06 +0100 4361069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4258921&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F14%2Fhelp-the-child-and-adolescent-bipolar-foundation-win-a-pepsi-grant%2F The Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF) is competing for a $250,000 grant from The Pepsi Refresh Project during the month of December. The winners will be decided by popular vote so CABF needs your vote every day this month! They are currently Number 2 in voting, so every vote counts. There are over 5 million U.S. youth who live with depression or bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, only a small percentage receive treatment. CABF will use the grant from Pepsi to raise public awareness and help more youth who suffer from depression or bipolar disorder. They also intend to use the money for greater outreach and to expand their website to include more mental health concerns — not just bipolar disorder — that children and teens deal with. Less than a minute of your day f... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4258921 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:30:30 +0100 4258921 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4249057&cid=t_92597_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftreatment-resistant-depression-new-insights%2F2010.12.10 Only one-third of people with major depression achieve remission after trying one antidepressant. When the first medication doesn’t adequately relieve symptoms, next step options include taking a new drug along with the first, or switching to another drug. With time and persistence, nearly seven in 10 adults with major depression eventually find a treatment that works. Of course, that also means that the remaining one-third of people with major depression cannot achieve remission even after trying multiple options. Experts are hunting for ways to understand the cause of persistent symptoms. In recent years, one theory in particular has gained traction: that many people with hard-to-treat major depression actually suffer from bipolar disorder. However, a paper published online this week i... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4249057 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 21:00:24 +0100 4249057 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4230189&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F05%2Fspirituality-and-bipolar-disorder%2F According to Kevin Culligan, O.C.D, manic depression can mimic the behavior of someone growing in her spiritual life. Hey, that’s great news for me! The next time I get manic and tell an inappropriate joke to a colleague, I can say that I’m just getting closer to God, that’s all. Here’s what he has to say, Keith Egan’s book, Carmelite Prayer: A Tradition for the 21st Century… The spiritual life can also easily mask a bipolar disorder or what has traditionally been called a manic-depressive condition. As a mood disorder, depression has usually been linked in systems of classifications of mental disorders with mania, an agitated mood that is at the other end of the affective continuum opposite a depressed or dysphoric mood. Manic symptoms are many: inappr... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4230189 Sun, 05 Dec 2010 12:57:18 +0100 4230189 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172058&cid=t_92597_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbook-review-just-like-someone-without-mental-illness-only-more-so%2F2010.11.16 I’ll cut to the chase: I loved this book. Five stars. Two thumbs up. When I read books, especially psychiatry books that I write about on Shrink Rap, I often read more carefully and sometimes more critically. I was so immersed in reading “Just Like Someone Without Mental Illness Only More So” that I didn’t stop to think, I just went on the journey. Mark Vonnegut is a pediatrician and the son of my favorite author when I was in junior high school. His memoir is a poignant and candid account of his struggles with, well, life in general, and life with a psychotic illness in particular. Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder — who knows? (I’ll vote for bipolar disorder.) Some illness where he had three episodes in his twenties, then another episode 14 years later. ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172058 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 21:00:00 +0100 4172058 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4151877&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F11%2F09%2Fhelp-the-child-adolescent-bipolar-foundation-win-a-grant%2F The Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF) is competing for a $250,000 grant from The Pepsi Refresh Project during the month of November. The winners will be decided by popular vote. CABF needs your votes every day this month! There are over 5 million U.S. youth who live with depression or bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, only a very small percentage receive treatment. CABF will use the grant from Pepsi to raise public awareness and help more youth who suffer from depression or bipolar disorder. Less than a minute of your day can have amazing long-term benefits for children and teens. Learn more by going to www.bpkids.org/pepsi and a chance to win 1 of 3 iPads (if they win!). Click through to vote now! Or vote through one of the links below… Vote on the Pepsi Site Vo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4151877 Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:14:29 +0100 4151877 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4121920&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F30%2Flaugh-when-youre-afraid%2F “If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane,” sings Jimmy Buffett. “Time spent laughing is time spent with the gods,” says a Japanese proverb. A sense of humor, for me, is by far the most useful weapon in my depression arsenal. Which is why Eric is panicked when I stop laughing, when my funny bone is split in 43 places. For two nights in the psych ward, our group therapy session was to watch a comedy act by an actress (I forget her name, sorry … I was on too many sedatives to take notes) who pokes fun at depression and mood disorders, the way I try to do on Beyond Blue. Our psychiatric nurses were well aware of the studies showing that laughter can be a powerful tool for recovery and healing. In between meals and meds, they did their best to evoke a fe... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4121920 Sat, 30 Oct 2010 10:11:56 +0100 4121920 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4098053&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F24%2Fdr-ken-duckworth-on-living-with-bipolar-disorder%2F Aside from my own psychiatrist, Dr. Smith, there are few doctors that can explain a confusing and complex condition like Bipolar Disorder with such clarity as the medical director of NAMI, Dr. Ken Duckworth. Three years ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing him when I was the Patient Advocate for the Bipolar Center of Revolution Health. At the NAMI National Convention in DC last month I attended his talk on treating bipolar disorder. This is what he had to say about some simple steps that those of us living with bipolar disorder can take to stay well. 1. Start with the four basics: sleep, stress, exercise, and cognitive therapy. One of the reasons I respect Dr. Duckworth so much is that he insists that we participate in our own recovery. Medication will only help us to a certain extent... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4098053 Sun, 24 Oct 2010 12:36:19 +0100 4098053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4061078&cid=t_92597_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FJm5q94WjWFs%2F Rise and shine, everyone. Another day has arrived. We have gotten off to a reasonable start by hustling one of the short people to the schoolhouse on time. Of course, there is still much to do. So join us as we peruse the news of the world and celebrate the passing of another year with a cup of stimulation. Hope your day goes well and do stay in touch… Lundbeck Buys Rights To Merck’s Bipolar Disorder Drug (Bloomberg News) Halozyme Cuts Workforce By 25 Percent (InPharma-Technologist) Sara Bloom Fights Health Care Fraud (The Washington Post) Four Big Drugmakers Bid For Paras Pharma (The Business Standard) Pfizer Reports Promising Data On NSCLC Drug (PharmaTimes) Turkey’s Biofarma May Be For Sale (Reuters) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4061078 Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:05:00 +0100 4061078 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4036647&cid=t_92597_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fokay-to-be-a-doctor-and-bipolar%2F2010.10.06 “I have bipolar disorder. Can I be a doctor?” One of our readers asked this. It’s one of those questions to which there is no real answer. Being a doctor takes a long time, it requires reliability, diligence, and a willingness to learn things you may not want to learn (organic chem anyone?) and do things you may not want to do. It requires endurance and passion. You need to be tolerant of many things: Arrogant supervisors, irritable colleagues, sick people who may not be charming and who may, in their distress, be downright nasty. You have to tolerate a militaristic order and be willing to work with a system that may be very difficult, wrong, and demand your obedience in ways that may be uncomfortable. (Oh, I am so happy to no longer be a medical student or a resident in ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4036647 Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:00:00 +0100 4036647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3980992&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fjoseph-biederman-and-friends-defend.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3980992 Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:13:00 +0100 3980992 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3902859&cid=t_92597_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fbumps-down-under-daily-health-quiz%2F We know it’s summer, but our school is cool. Let our Daily Health Quiz test your know-how. Answer our question, below, and check back tomorrow for the answer and your next pop quiz. photo: Thinkstock Today’s Question: If you find a bump on your va-jay-jay, does that automatically mean you have herpes? What’s another possible reason you might find a lump down under? #MicroPollDiv_272559 { width: 250px; margin: 0px auto; } Answer to Yesterday’s Question: We bet you didn’t even know that there were two types of bipolar disorder. What is the difference between them? People who have bipolar I disorder have manic or mixed episodes with depressive episodes, which conforms more to the definition of bipolar disorder. Bipolar II disorder is characterized by more sever... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3902859 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:06:09 +0100 3902859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899350&cid=t_92597_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fbipolar-problems-daily-health-quiz%2F We know it’s summer, but our school is cool. Let our Daily Health Quiz test your know-how. Answer our question, below, and check back tomorrow for the answer and your next pop quiz. photo: Thinkstock Today’s Question: Bipolar disorder affects more than 2% of American adults. But do you know the difference between bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder? True or false: Bipolar I disorder involves more major depressive episodes and less severe mania than bipolar II disorder. (Explaining this whole thing is making us crazy!) #MicroPollDiv_272421 { width: 250px; margin: 0px auto; } Answer to Yesterday’s Question: Man, how great is sex? Boatloads of fun (hopefully), with some hidden perks. Sex boots the hormone oxytocin, which increases endorphins, which will reduce pai... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899350 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:30:45 +0100 3899350 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3786159&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F24%2Fgenetic-testing-for-mental-disorders-avoid-23andme-navigenics-others-for-now%2F Genetic testing allows individuals to submit a genetic sample to a company, which then analyzes the genes for known anomalies or other problems. The idea is that by having that information, you may be able to be more aware of potential health problems down the road. Or even stave them off before they become a problem by changing your behaviors, diet, and exercise regimen. Companies like 23andme and Navigenics provide genetic DNA testing reports that purportedly tell you your risk factors for getting not only certain medical conditions, but also mental disorders, like bipolar or attention deficit disorder. This may work fine for some very well-defined health issues, like heart disease (although a recent government investigation into these companies’ abilities to provide even this info... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3786159 Sat, 24 Jul 2010 13:35:23 +0100 3786159 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3776378&cid=t_92597_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Flife-without-a-mental-disorder-is-it-possible%2F2010.07.21 There’s a noteworthy column in Psychiatric Times, “Normality Is an Endangered Species: Psychiatric Fads and Overdiagnosis,” by Allen Frances, M.D. He was chair of the task force that worked on the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual — DSM-IV — one edition of the “bible of psychiatry.” He is professor emeritus of psychiatry at Duke University School of Medicine. There’s a lot of common ground between what Dr. Frances writes and what Dr. Daniel Carlat (the subject of an earlier blog posting) writes about. Dr. Frances is concerned about the directions that might be taken in the authoring of DSM-V, now underway. Excerpts: “Fads in psychiatric diagnosis come and go and have been with us as long as there has been psychiatry. The fads meet a d... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3776378 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:00:01 +0100 3776378 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3776382&cid=t_92597_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-doctors-letter-to-patients-with-chronic-disease%2F2010.07.21 Dear Patients: You have it very hard — much harder than most people understand. Having sat for 16 years listening to the stories, seeing the tiredness in your eyes, hearing you try to describe the indescribable, I have come to understand that I, too, can’t understand what your lives are like. How do you answer the question, “How do you feel?” when you’ve forgotten what “normal” feels like? How do you deal with all of the people who think you are exaggerating your pain, your emotions, your fatigue? How do you decide when to believe them or when to trust your own body? How do you cope with living a life that won’t let you forget about your frailty, your limits, your mortality? I can’t imagine. But I do bring something to the table that you may not know. I do have ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3776382 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:00:02 +0100 3776382 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3702982&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F27%2Fstrong-at-the-broken-places-on-living-bravely-with-chronic-illness%2F I love this man. Richard Cohen. I love him. His mantra is mine. His hope I cling to. He inspires me. He tells the story of coping with his multiple sclerosis and colon cancer in his New York Times bestseller, “Blindsided: Lifting a Life Above Illness.” Awhile back, he came out with a fascinating book, “Strong at the Broken Places: Voices of Illness, a Chorus of Hope,” profiling five brave persons battling illness. Writes Richard, “These are the faces of illness in America. Do not look away. The characters may surprise you, even shatter a stereotype or two. They are people, not cases, survivors, not victims. Quite simply, they are us. they carry shared resolve, a determination to survive. To flourish.” I read parts of the book two years ago. I was especi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3702982 Sun, 27 Jun 2010 19:27:10 +0100 3702982 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3629691&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F04%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-june-4-2010%2F I was out on break for a bit, but now I’m back. I’m just wondering one thing: Did you miss me? Well the start of summer means lots of you are also on summer break — break from work, school, your favorite television show or maybe it’s more time with the kids. One thing you can count on is another week of top posts to read. Don’t worry if you were too busy barbecuing, partying or hanging out at the beach! There’s plenty of time to catch up. In fact, you can start with these. Here’s another quick round-up of our best posts for this week: Mental Health Hashtag List (World of Psychology) – One of the best things about Twitter is that you get the chance to chat with people all over the world. Twitter hashtags are one of the ways you can do so. But ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3629691 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 11:57:46 +0100 3629691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3607557&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F28%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-may-28-2010%2F There are just a handful of days left until Memorial Day. How are you celebrating this three day weekend? For me, the holiday signifies the start of summer and all that the warm season brings. Superficially, I’m reminded of the things I love like barbecues, tank tops and flip flops and the things I could do without such as termites, cockroaches and hot weather. But on a deeper level, the summertime brings me back to new beginnings and a fresh start. The hope of facing old fears, the courage of tackling new inner battles and the ever present possibility of a better me, one that’s closer to loving and accepting who I am warts and all. It’s something about the season, more than at the beginning of a new year (maybe it’s the shedding of our outer coats) that brings me c... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3607557 Fri, 28 May 2010 11:34:35 +0100 3607557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3603652&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F26%2Femail-not-that-effective-with-college-depression%2F I’m always on the lookout for how technology can better help people with mental health issues. But some uses of technology leave me scratching my head. Take, for instance, this one: If you email a depression assessment quiz to college students, some will take it. Some of those who take it will have depression. Those are the astounding findings from a research study presented the other day at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. But few of the students who received the email at four different colleges bothered taking the quiz — only 691 students — suggesting that it remains an ineffective way of reaching students (except those who may already believe they have or may be at risk for depression). Worse yet, the email quiz did nothing to encourage stude... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3603652 Wed, 26 May 2010 16:35:24 +0100 3603652 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3566612&cid=t_92597_87_f&fid=36710&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.organizedwisdom.com%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F05%2Ffollow-friday-featuring-5-patient-experts.html Meet these patient experts who rise above when it comes to inspiring and providing support to others. These individuals not only share their experiences and expertise, but they raise awareness and offer insights so that others can identify and be better informed. @breathinstephen Marathons and severe asthma—no way? Think again. Stephen Gaudet has lived with severe refractory asthma since birth. Beating most odds, he has walked his way into the record books by becoming the first person with documented severe lung disease to finish the Boston marathon. Just this past April, he finished it again to raise awareness about current asthma research. His Breathin' Stephen blog is simply inspiring. He chronicles his fitness routine and shares tips for the benefit of others. His message is cle... The Health Wisdom Blog™ (by OrganizedWisdom) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3566612 Sat, 15 May 2010 00:59:10 +0100 3566612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3524309&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F02%2Fto-tell-or-not-to-tell-your-boss-bipolar-and-depression-in-the-workplace%2F Daniel Lukasik, creator of the site Lawyers With Depression asked me awhile ago to write a guest post on work and depression. You can click here to read the original post. Just when I think our world has moved a baby step in the right direction regarding our understanding of mental illness, I get another blow that tells me otherwise. For example, I awhile back I quoted an intelligent woman who wrote an article in a popular women’s magazine about dating a bipolar guy when she was bipolar herself. She recently discovered that she had jeopardized a job prospect because the article came up –as well as all those who referenced it, like Beyond Blue — when you Googled her name. So she requested everyone who picked up that article to go back and change her real name to a pseudony... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3524309 Sun, 02 May 2010 11:22:38 +0100 3524309 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3460213&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F11%2Fhow-long-is-a-typical-bipolar-episode%2F Bipolar disorder is characterized by a cycling from depression to mania, and back again over time (hence the reason it used to be called manic depression, because it includes both mania and depression). One of the commonly asked questions we get here is, “How long does a typical bipolar episode last?” The answer has traditionally been, “Well, it varies considerably from person to person. Some may have rapid cycling bipolar disorder where that person can cycle back and forth between depression and mania in the course of a day or multiple times a week. Others may be stuck in one mood or the other for weeks or months at a time.” New research (Solomon et al., 2010) published in The Archives of General Psychiatry sheds a little more empirical light onto this question. I... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3460213 Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:15:02 +0100 3460213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3441044&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fgrace-at-all-times.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3441044 Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:02:00 +0100 3441044 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3433140&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPWBlogs-Trouble%2F%7E3%2F7G840pfuORU%2F An incredibly eloquent submission by Joe Gutstein. Let’s imagine for a moment that you are long into the public mental health system. You have been in the hospital multiple times, in a couple of partial hospitalization programs, and have spent years in sheltered workshops and day programs. You’ve received the Prophecy of Doom, “Too sick for too long to get any better.” You’ve heard plenty of statements beginning with “You can’t, You won’t, and You will never.” You’ve been told endlessly that something is intrinsically (genetically) wrong with you and the only thing that will truly save you is a medication yet to be discovered. You’ve also been told that the most important thing you can do is get on SSI or SSDI in light of th... The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3433140 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:42:05 +0100 3433140 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3429227&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F01%2Fmental-illness-cured%2F After working on these issues for the past 150 years, Psych Central is pleased to announce a final, simple cure for mental illness. “Yes, it’s been a long-time in the making, but we finally figured out how to cure mental illness,” said Founder and CEO of Psych Central, Dr. John Grohol. “The final push came 6 months ago, when we realized we had not only discovered the single mental illness gene, but how to deactivate it with simple products found in most people’s homes.” The cure comes on the heels of over 150 years of mental illness being recognized as something needing treatment. Serious mental disorders — things such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety and panic, ADHD — have long had a significant, negative impact in peo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3429227 Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:55:36 +0100 3429227 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3408613&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPWBlogs-Trouble%2F%7E3%2FbJnhqrbnpik%2F In the recovery movement, which is the zeitgeist in the delivery of mental health services at this time, we are supposed to look past someone’s diagnosis. I am not “a bipolar” or “depressive” or “schizophrenic.” I have been diagnosed with such, but the relevance of that diagnosis is highly suspect. Because aren’t I just Liz? Liz who is addicted to Dunkin Donuts hazelnut coffee, Liz who likes chihuahuas in sweaters, Liz who tries to do gluteal exercises to increase her butt’s circumference — without success. So many things make up my Liz-ness, right? So who cares what some doctor said? Generally speaking, I agree with this approach. For many years we have been labelling people in an attempt to treat them, and the results aren&#8217... The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3408613 Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:50:58 +0100 3408613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3366261&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F14%2Fwhat-works-for-you-in-bipolar%2F Bipolar disorder is a serious mental health condition, and while not as common as depression or anxiety disorders, it remains one of the most challenging to treat. That’s largely because it’s characterized by its wide mood swings. When a lot of people first hear about bipolar disorder, it doesn’t sound like it should be such a problem. For instance, mania can be characterized by intense creative spurts and periods of productivity. But those periods are often followed by a crash into depression. After having reached such “highs,” the lows may feel especially dark and lonely. Indeed, there are some who believe that bipolar disorder should be viewed in a different light, with an understanding and appreciation for the positive side. Bipolar Advantage is our blog t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3366261 Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:00:58 +0100 3366261 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3362422&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F13%2Ffive-things-a-loved-one-should-know-about-bipolar-disorder%2F Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Bruce Cohen, M.D., Ph.D, who is Director of the Harvard University McLean Psychiatric Hospital and Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is also the coauthor, with Chelsea Lowe, of the recently released book Living with Someone Who’s Living With Bipolar Disorder: A Practical Guide for Family, Friends, and Coworkers. Cohen lives in the Boston area. Question: I have always maintained that the best thing a person can do to support a bipolar loved one is get educated. But if you could offer folks a crash course, what are the five most important things you think a loved one should know about bipolar disorder? Dr. Cohen: Getting educated is good advice. Here are five important things everyone dealing with bipolar disorder should kno... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3362422 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:30:11 +0100 3362422 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338253&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F05%2Fof-genetics-and-lemons%2F Eyes brimming with tears, twisting my hair intensely, I blurted out “Daddy, was I a mistake?” Slowly, he put the newspaper down on his lap (to stall for time, I’m sure). “No, darling. You were a, uh, delightful surprise.” Hmmm. Even at the tender age of 6 my olfactory system was developed enough to smell a fish. There is a 10-year age difference between my sister and me and 7 years between my brother and me. Because of that, I’m fairly confident the conversation the night of my conception did not go like this: “Ken! Send the kids to the neighbors, light the candles and hurry — I’m ovulating!” God has a sense of humor. Out of all the ovaries in the world kickin’ it at that moment, he picked hers. Since she already had two perfectly healthy, perfectly normal kid... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338253 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:46:16 +0100 3338253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3280036&cid=t_92597_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2FEK2QSrSoD9g%2F We’ve been a bit behind the curve in making any comment on the recently-released draft of the DSM-5. Some very good critiques and analyses have already been posted on the blogowebs, notably by Neuroskeptic and Mindhacks. See also Abysmal Musings and Confessions of a Serial Insomniac for their thoughts on what this will mean for their respective diagnoses of bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. Neuroskeptic acerbically comments that, “If, as everyone says, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual is the Bible of Psychiatry, I’m not sure why it gets heavily edited once every ten years or so.” Kind of like the Gospels being rewritten regularly to give a clearer idea of what they think Jesus meant to say. Though some people seem to think that’s not s... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3280036 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:07:34 +0100 3280036 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3259220&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fpediatric-bipolar-disorder-dsm-5-temper.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3259220 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:38:00 +0100 3259220 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3259215&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2Frebecca_rileys_mother_guilty_of_murder.html I wouldn't know what to add to this news: "BROCKTON – A South Shore mother was found guilty today of second-degree murder in the death of her 4-year-old daughter who never woke up one night in December 2006 after ingesting toxic levels of psychotropic drugs. "Carolyn Riley, 35, remained impassive as the jury, which had deliberated 19 hours at the end of a three-week trial, announced the verdict in the death of her daughter, Rebecca. Plymouth Superior Court Judge Charles Hely immediately sentenced Carolyn Riley to the mandatory term of life in prison with parole eligibility in 15 years." Either way, it certainly isn't good news for child psychiatry either. (Source: Furious Seasons) Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3259215 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3259215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3231596&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F02%2Fhow-do-i-find-a-good-psychiatrist%2F This month Guideposts magazine published my story about the morning I met Dr. Smith at the Johns Hopkins Mood Disorders Center. It read a little bit like a fairy tale … as soon as I met the right psychiatrist, I was fixed for good! And I never, ever cried again. I didn’t have room to give all the details … like that it took a few months to feel good again … and there was a lot of work being done on my end … and that even today I have plenty of bad days. I suspect that because the story was so simplistic and ended with glass slippers fitting perfectly on my dainty feet that it has been generating a lot of mail for me, most of the notes asking this question: “How do I get myself one of those good doctors who can fix me?” Dr. Smith told me during one ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3231596 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:21:40 +0100 3231596 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3231598&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F01%2Fkids-and-depression-parents-call-to-action-part-1%2F As a child psychiatrist, I help teenagers struggling with depression, bipolar disorder, and suicide. It’s also my job to communicate with parents during what is often a very difficult and scary time. More than anything, parents want their children to be okay, and I often encourage them by stressing that mental illness is highly treatable, and adolescents are capable of extraordinary growth. With treatment and proactive parents, hope does persist and, with some time and commitment, life can and will go on for children and parents alike. When I do interviews or public readings parents often ask me about warning signs in children for depression and even suicidality. They may be worried about a daughter who is withdrawing, or a son who sleeps for hours on end and is failing in school. These ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3231598 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:45:11 +0100 3231598 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3208658&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2Fdoctor_diagnosed_2yearold_with_bipolar_for_seeing_monsters_ghosts.html Some interesting news from this morning's session of the murder trial of Rebecca Riley's mother back in Massachusetts. The testimony is from child psychiatrist Kayoko Kifiju and concerns Rebecca's older sibling, Kaitlynne. "At the time, Kaitlynne Riley was 2 years old, and Carolyn Riley had turned to doctors because the girl was being aggressive toward her older brother, Kifuji testified. "The psychiatrist said she met with the little girl for an hour, during which the girl talked about seeing 'monsters' and 'ghosts'--but did not display any sign of excessive aggressive behavior. Yet, Kifuji testified, she diagnosed Kaitlynne Riley as having bipolar disorder and prescribed Depakote for treatment. "'I made a diagnosis of bipolar disorder on Kaitllynne Riley based on information I got and... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3208658 Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3208658 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3201889&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fbeginning-of-misdiagnosis-discussion-it.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3201889 Sun, 24 Jan 2010 16:41:00 +0100 3201889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3176116&cid=t_92597_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FR_gl2uLH-cQ%2F The number of children aged 2 to 5 who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and prescribed antipsychotics has doubled over the past decade, suggesting the practice is becoming more prevalent, according to a study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Reuters reports. The data could play a role at the upcoming murder trials of the parents of 4-year-old Rebecca Riley, who died of an overdose of mood-stabilizing meds in 2006, Reuters writes. A child psychiatrist, Kayoko Kifuji, diagnosed Riley with bipolar disorder and ADHD when she was 30 months old, and placed her on Depakote, an antiseizure med also used for bipolar disorder, and clonidine, a blood pressure med. Prosecutors claim the parents deliberately overmedicated their daughter to subdue he... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3176116 Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:19:46 +0100 3176116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3171949&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F14%2Fintroducing-a-new-blog-bipolar-advantage%2F Bipolar disorder can be devastating… but it doesn’t have to be. I’m pleased to announce the introduction of Bipolar Advantage, hosted by Tom Wootton and his colleagues. I’m pleased to present this alternative view of bipolar disorder and depression, focused on how it can be used to achieve rather than simply endure. Tom said it best: The mental health field is plagued with the bigotry of low expectations. Far too many people are talking about “changing the stigma,” while creating the worst stigma of all — the idea that we are not capable of achieving greatness. While their intentions are good, they are doing terrible harm to everyone with a mental condition and those who love and support them. This “can’t do” attitude is rampant in professionals, consum... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3171949 Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:11:15 +0100 3171949 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3172182&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2Frebecca_rileys_parents_to_be_tried_separately.html The murder case against the parents of Rebecca Riley--the 4-year-old with alleged child bipolar disorder who died from an overdose of psych meds in December 2006--has become two murder cases because a Massachusetts court has decided to try the parents separately. Carolyn Riley's case--she's hte mother of course--will begin on Tuesday. There's no date set right now for the trial of Rebecca's father Michael Riley. I still have a hard time buying murder charges against either parent, but for them to have been jailed pre-trial does tell me a judge thought the evidence against them was compelling. That said, I still don't see a jury conviction for murder and given the dicey nature of medication use in small children and how imprecise and unresearched such psych med use is, if the jury has any ... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3172182 Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3172182 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3082991&cid=t_92597_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fbipolar-disorder-in-children-may-be.html A new study found that the circadian clock gene RORB may be involved in bipolar disorder in children.The study analyzed the genetic make-up of 305 children with bipolar disorder. They were compared with 140 controls.Results show a positive association between bipolar disorder and four variants of the RORB gene. The authors suggest that this gene may be an important target in the search for the molecular basis of bipolar disorder.The study also notes that bipolar disorder often involves a decreased need for sleep. This symptom helps discriminate children with bipolar disorder from those with ADHD.The NIMH reports that bipolar disorder is a brain disorder. It is also known as manic-depressive illness.It causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels and the ability to carry out daily... Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3082991 Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:05:00 +0100 3082991 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3035876&cid=t_92597_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fmore-evidence-for-suppression-of.html We recently discussed the severe challenges to evidence-based medicine presented by manipulation and suppression of clinical research to serve vested interests.  I recently (and unfortunately belatedly) came upon yet another example of suppression of research that was unfavorable to a research sponsor's vested interests, suggesting that such suppression may be more prevalent than heretofore believed.  This example appeared in the journal Evidence-Based Mental Health [Gahemi SN. The failure to know what isn't known: negative publication bias with lamotrigine and a glimpse inside peer review.  Evidence Based Mental Health 2009; 12: 65-68.  Link here.]The author was able to use the database of clinical trials provided by GlaxoSmithKline as part of a settlement of a suit by... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3035876 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:08:00 +0100 3035876 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2996012&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2Fresearchers_new_pediatric_bipolar_disorder_symptoms_include_bed_wetting_nightmares.html The folks at the Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation--that's the Papaloses of "The Bipolar Child" book fame's organization--have really gone an done it now. They've fully crossed the Rubicon and now claim that kids having nightmares, wetting the bed and who are interruptive have so-called pediatric bipolar disorder. This is all from a JBRF "news flash," which I cannot locate on the group's website yet, but which I have in email form (if you want it, send me an email and I'll pass it along). The news flash, which is also a solicitation for contributions to JBRF, is entitled "Characteristics of Juvenile Bipolar Disorder: A New Phenotype." "What do the following have in common? * suffers horrendous nightmares * antagonizes siblings * excessively craves sweets and carbohydrates * we... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2996012 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2996012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2967340&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F06%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-november-6-2009%2F I’m attending the 25th Annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy today, and I’ll write more about the inspirational work this organization has been doing for 25 years shortly (not just in Georgia, but throughout the entire country). The people who are attending this symposium — as well as the Carter Center itself — have done much to improve mental health care in the U.S., but it’s not something you hear enough about. It’s heartening so many great minds coming together to share best practices and ideas for improvement (especially at this unique time in healthcare history). Not just policy wonks, but also physicians, mental health practitioners, administrators, consumers, CEOs, you name it — they’re all here. All talking about wa... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2967340 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:06:23 +0100 2967340 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2959061&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2Fstudy_researchers_shoot_down_preadolescent_mania_1.html A study out in this month's British Journal of Psychiatry examined the course of bipolar disorder for as long as 15 years in the offspring of bipolar parents and found no evidence of pre-adolescent mania: "We studied the course of major mood disorders in the offspring of parents with well-characterised bipolar disorder prospectively for up to 15 years. All consenting offspring were assessed annually or anytime symptomatic. The participants began to develop major mood episodes in adolescence and not before. The index major mood episode was almost always depressive, as were the first few recurrences. Onsets and recurrences continued throughout the observation period into adulthood. We did not find evidence of pre-pubertal mania. In summary, adolescence marks the beginning of the high-risk p... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2959061 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2959061 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2954554&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F11%2F02%2Fresearch-backed-online-mental-health-interventions%2F So the other week I attended and presented at the First International e-Mental Health Summit 2009 in Amsterdam and already discussed some great online interventions for depression. I’m still planning on talking about additional online interventions for other mental disorders, but am waiting for the conference folks to publish the presentations on their website because the abstract book doesn’t always contain the valuable bits of information I need to properly summarize a topic area. In the meantime, I thought I’d mention Beacon. Beacon is a website that has gone to the trouble of indexing and rating over 70 different online interventions in the following categories: Alcohol (3/3) Bipolar disorder (3/0) Depression (24/11) Eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia) (6/... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2954554 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:58:42 +0100 2954554 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2944099&cid=t_92597_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F3qox1wxAjx8%2F The admission came from Matt Thompson, a sales rep for Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen unit, who testified in a trial over claims by a former co-worker. In 2002, he said he pushed docs to consider prescribing Risperdal in combination with other drugs, even though this wasn’t approved by the FDA, and he noted that Jannsen’s training didn’t include any specific prohibitions against such promotions. “I’m not saying the company tried to hide it, but we didn’t think about augmentation in the realm of on-label or off- label at that time,” Thompson said. He said he was “probably” aware that promotion of such sales was illegal, Bloomberg News reports. The lawsuit was brought by Lynn Powell, 36, who claims she was fired in 2004 for complaining inside Jannsen about ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2944099 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:04:50 +0100 2944099 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2934767&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F28%2Ftop-ten-bipolar-blogs-2009%2F Every year the entrants for the Best of the Web awards multiply. In 2009, veterans stood tough as new kids dazzled. It was difficult to narrow the list to just ten (and some more faves we want to mention), but here are our picks for the top blogs written by people who have been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder. 1. The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive Do’s and Don’ts for the Mentally Interesting was a BBC Radio play based on Seaneen’s blog produced last May and just nominated for a Mind Mental Health Media Award. Always a compelling and honest read, it was no fluke or sympathy vote that caused us to place this blog near the top of our list last year - it deserves many accolades. Well done. 2. The Trouble With Spikol Another great year for Liz Spikol, a stellar writer an... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2934767 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:58:05 +0100 2934767 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2934768&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F27%2Fpatient-stabs-doctor-shot-dead-at-bipolar-clinic%2F A patient being seen at the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Bipolar Clinic and Research Program attacked his physician today, stabbing her with a knife during a treatment session according to Boston Police. The incident occurred in an office building nearby the main Mass. General building, where the hospital leases space for the Bipolar Clinic: After at least one gunshot echoed on the fifth floor, two nurses from [a neighboring] office went to treat the patient, who had apparently been shot in the head by the security guard [...] “During the course of the stabbing incident, an off-duty security officer who was armed interceded,” [Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis] said. “He produced a weapon and ordered the suspect to drop the knife. When the suspect did not co... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2934768 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:38:36 +0100 2934768 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2931275&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPWBlogs-Trouble%2F%7E3%2FykztLfAq-h4%2F Not because she’s a phenomenal actor, which she is, but because she’s just initiated a new project to banish stigma. The project is highly personal, as she explains on Huffington Post: As I’ve written and spoken about before, my sister suffers from a bipolar disorder and my nephew from schizoaffective disorder. There has, in fact, been a lot of depression and alcoholism in my family and, traditionally, no one ever spoke about it. It just wasn’t done. The stigma is toxic. And, like millions of others who live with mental illness in their families, I’ve seen what they endure: the struggle of just getting through the day, and the hurt caused every time someone casually describes someone as “crazy,” “nuts,” or “psycho”. What&#8... The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2931275 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:34:30 +0100 2931275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2927364&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F26%2Fare-the-media-becoming-addicted-to-internet-addiction%2F As Dr. John Grohol has cogently argued, there are many reasons to be skeptical of “Internet Addiction” as a discrete and specific “disorder” or diagnosis. Yet I am impressed, and a bit dismayed, by all the attention this issue seems to garner in the popular media. I don’t intend any disrespect to the reporters and journalists who are trying to cover the topic, several of whom have graciously interviewed me. Some reporters are as skeptical as many of us in the mental health field, and a number have asked pertinent questions as to how real so-called Internet addiction is. I simply wish that devastating illnesses like schizophrenia, major depression, and bipolar disorder created such a buzz in the media and in the awareness of the general public. Over the last 30... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2927364 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:01:59 +0100 2927364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2916420&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2Fchild_psychiatrist_says_kids_overmedicated_wrongly_diagnosed.html This study argues from an individual clinician’s experience that the overwhelming majority of children do no worse and most do considerably better entirely off or at doses of psychotropic medication significantly lower than that prescribed in the mainstream of contemporary child psychiatric care. It seems reasonable to attribute the clinical improvement of these children to diminished efforts to control thinking, affect, and behavior by pharmacologic interventions, while simultaneously increasing the amount and quality of analytically informed treatment. Success in effecting dramatic reductions in prescribed medications suggests that in mainstream child psychiatric care there is excessive overdiagnosing and overmedicating of affectively labile and rageful, aggressive children. Very like... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2916420 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2916420 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2904926&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F19%2Fwhat-is-a-nervous-breakdown%2F A nervous breakdown refers to a mainstream and often-used term to generically describe someone who experiences a bout of mental illness that is so severe, it directly impacts their ability to function in everyday life. The specific mental illness can be anything — depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or something else. But the reference to a “nervous breakdown” usually refers to the fact that the person has basically stopped their daily routines — going to work, interacting with loved ones or friends, even just getting out of bed to eat or shower. A nervous breakdown can be seen as a sign that one’s ability to cope with life or a mental illness has been overwhelmed by stress, life events, work or relationship issues. By disconnecting from the... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2904926 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:55:47 +0100 2904926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2899178&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2Fmcmanamy_tries_criticizing_me_again.html Can I just say that John McManamy, author the Knowledge Is Necessity blog and the book "Living Well with Depression and Bipolar Disorder," is an out-of-touch fool? Back in February, he alleged that I engaged in "dumb anti-psychiatry" for daring to criticize the possibility of a new type 3 of bipolar disorder and now he's gone and re-posted that entry for reasons that escape me, but establish once again that he's a malicious toad. Here's my response to him earlier this year, wherein I noted that he's a huge defender of the child bipolar paradigm, Fred Goodwin and pretty much anything mainstream psychiatry tells him is true. Meanwhile, he's completely missed writing about how bipolar disorder is wrongly diagnosed almost 50 percent of the time, how there's evidence that the disorder resolves... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2899178 Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2899178 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2872008&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2Fstudy_large_percentage_of_bipolar_disorder_cases_resolve_spontaneously_by_mid30s.html This study is not proof that bipolar disorder fades with time. The authors call for more studies and longitudinal analyses and so on. It's a study just begging for replication and I hope NIH and others in psychiatry get serious about its finding and undertake other research into the natural course of bipolar disorder (or disorders). Maybe Eli Lilly and AstraZeneca would like to help! Um, probably not. 5. That said, the Sher study is an important piece of evidence. Coupled with a study last year by Mark Zimmerman, a Brown University psychiatry professor, asserting that almost 50 percent of diagnoses of bipolar disorder are wrong (they are commonly cases of depression), it argues for some skepticism both within psychiatry and the media on what we think we know about bipolar disorder and wha... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2872008 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2872008 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2796763&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2Fhospital_security_beat_handcuffed_psych_patient_in_oregon.html This incident has my blood boiling: according to documents leaked to KATU-TV in Portland, Ore., hospital security staff at Oregon Health & Science University beat a handcuffed woman after she stormed out of the ER. Here's how the station describes the incident: "Anna Marie Hartwick said she is bipolar, has post traumatic stress disorder, and a personality disorder. She said she has been in and out of the state mental hospital and on heavy medications since she was 12 years old. "She said she’s on a cocktail of three medications: Geodon, Zoloft, and Trazodone, which led to infections and severe pain. "On Sept. 1 the pain became intolerable while she was at the Central Library in downtown Portland. Someone called an ambulance to take her to OHSU. After waiting a long time to see a docto... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2796763 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2796763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2782303&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fconflicted-researcher-joan-luby-barbara.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2782303 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:19:00 +0100 2782303 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2737991&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F08%2F26%2Fa-message-to-patrick-kennedy%2F First of all: Ted Kennedy’s Health Care Legacy The Cause of Ted Kennedy’s Life Patrick, my condolences on your father’s passing. When your dad’s brothers died, he had to get himself together and stop being an irresponsible, drunken frat boy. He had to become a leader who espoused what they did: social justice, pacifism, equal rights, etc. You [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2737991 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:20:16 +0100 2737991 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734244&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F08%2F25%2Fliveblogging-primetime-outsiders%2F All the below is about this show. Madigan: They didn’t flatter you with that lighting. David Oaks: You’re looking so handsome! I had no idea. Your eyebrows are very sexy. (I’m completely sincere.) “But critics worry …” That’s journalism-speak for “We don’t have any specific sources who say this, but we’ll generalize it so we have reason to [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734244 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:08:27 +0100 2734244 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2719953&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2Fthe_onion_pres_obama_has_bipolar_disorder.html Among other things, America's most trusted news network reports that the signs were there in President Barack Obama's campaign last year--the euphoric emails to supporters, his unflinching belief in the airy concept of "hope." And so on. (Source: Furious Seasons) Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2719953 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2719953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2709371&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2Fso_much_for_bipolar_disorder_being_underdiagnosed.html I imagine two or three of you remember a study that came out last year asserting that bipolar disorder was being overdiagnosed--or wrongly diagnosed--in almost 50 percent of patients. The study was authored by Mark Zimmerman, a psychiatry professor at Brown University, and colleagues and was quite controversial, although some researchers supported his findings. After all, bipolar disorder is supposed to be underdiagnosed and most of the leading lights in psychiatry consider bipolar to be a fixed diagnosis. Once you're diagnosed with it, there is no escape. Shut up and take your meds or you're living in denial and will die and so on. I wrote a lengthy rant about Zimmerman's findings last year. I spoke with Zimmerman last year and asked him if such a large chunk of patients didn't have bipo... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2709371 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2709371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2637861&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F24%2Ffriday-flashback-for-july-24-2009%2F While visiting family over the weekend, I thought you might enjoy these classic entries from our past. 10 Years Ago on Psych Central When Tragedy Provides My essay about the Columbine tragedy, which also just celebrated its 10 year anniversary a few months ago. Tragedy reminds us that we’re human and gives us a chance to reconnect with one another. But nothing can make sense of tragedies such as Columbine. 5 Years Ago on Psych Central Drug Maker Acknowledges Misleading Claims In case you thought that some pharmaceutical companies’ recent problems with telling the whole truth about their drugs is something new, I noted 5 years ago when Janssen admitted that it minimized some of the potential side effects of its drug, Risperdal. According to the story, “the FDA determine... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2637861 Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:06:10 +0100 2637861 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2616842&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2Fsecond_anniversary_offmeds.html As I did last year, I wanted to publicly note my anniversary--this year is the second--of being off-meds. Yes, that's right: I've made it two years, despite the naysayers who told me I'd wind up dead or in the hospital, medicated to the gills. Looks like they were wrong. I'm in pretty good shape and haven't had a lick of anything that would register on any clinical scale in a long time. So two years after my psychiatrist talked me into going off the last of 18 years of psych meds, my case establishes one of four things: that I was a bad diagnosis back in 1989 and was never bipolar at all; that bipolar disorder burns out over time; that I'm a medical miracle of some kind; or, that I am a sick, delusional man, soon to be hospitalized. I lean towards the bad diagnosis and burns-out-over-time... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2616842 Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2616842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2598462&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F07%2F13%2Flost-to-illness%2F This film came out in 2007, but I haven’t heard much about how the subject of the film is faring. The filmmaker can still be found, but where is Sam? (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2598462 Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:03:03 +0100 2598462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2570607&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F02%2Fbreakthrough-for-schizophrenia-and-bipolar%2F Earlier today, we reported that NIMH-funded researchers at three different genetic research institutes from around the world collaborated and published three new studies yesterday in the journal, Nature, that suggested a true breakthrough in our understanding of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. And to think that just earlier this week, I was dismissing the largely inconclusive findings of genetics research in mental illness. One of the researchers commented on the findings: “There was substantial overlap in the genetic risk for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder that was specific to mental disorders. We saw no association between the suspect gene variants and half a dozen common non-psychiatric disorders.” This is an important discovery — that some of the roots of schi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2570607 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:00:34 +0100 2570607 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2571183&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2Fno_charges_against_psychiatrist_in_rebecca_riley_case.html A grand jury in Massachusetts has not returned a criminal indictment against Kayoko Kifuji, a Tufts Medical Center psychiatrist, in connection with the doctor's role in the death of Rebecca Riley, a 4-year-old girl who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD at 2-years-old. The case has gotten a ton of national attention due to the fact that the girl was actually killed in December 2006 by some of the aggressive medication she was on. Meds prescribed to her included Seroquel, Depakote and clonidine. Her parents have been charged with first-degree murder and are in jail awaiting trial. A medical malpractice case brought by the girl's estate against Kifuji continues. I would've been surprised by any criminal charges against the psychiatrist, but the civil case ought to be a tougher g... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2571183 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2571183 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2561545&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F06%2F30%2Fpeople-first-language%2F One of the biggest challenges I’ve had in the 10 years I’ve been writing on the subject of mental illness is the evolving use of language around disabilities. Sometimes I’ve been relieved by change; other times I’ve been frustrated. I recently had the opportunity to start thinking about this again because I accidentally let a [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2561545 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:45:55 +0100 2561545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2553088&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F29%2Fchasing-the-genetic-ghosts-of-mental-illness%2F For decades, scientists have been making claims about the genetic roots of mental illness, ranging from schizophrenia and depression, to bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder (ADHD). And for decades, they’ve largely been chasing ghosts. Eric Kandel, writing for Newsweek, makes the at-least-annual appeal that scientists are making “certain advances in genetics” which give “us new reasons for optimism” in understanding the biological basis for mental illness. As someone who’s been tracking the progress of such genetic advances over the past two decades, I have to say, I remain squarely skeptical. It doesn’t help that Kandel’s own arguments are exercises in circular logic: One major advance has been the discovery that there is much mo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2553088 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:19:49 +0100 2553088 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2523750&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F06%2F23%2Fmental-illness-and-migraines%2F This weekend I was asked by some people how mental illness fits into my life nowadays, and I had a realization that was both reassuring and depressing: migraines are a bigger factor in my everyday existence now than bipolar disorder is. I’m glad to be so recovered (despite not exercising and eating poorly — take [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2523750 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:56:55 +0100 2523750 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2523751&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F06%2F22%2Fyesterday-was-my-birthday-i-am-next-to-normal%2F It feels really different being 25. I can’t imagine how an old person — like 41 — would feel. Ahem. This weekend I went to NYC and saw Next to Normal, a Broadway musical about a woman who’s been diagnosed with the kind of bipolar disorder I have — depressive with psychotic features. In the play, [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2523751 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:00:34 +0100 2523751 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513050&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2F1999-2009-ocdadhdpediatric-bipolar.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513050 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:46:00 +0100 2513050 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513089&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2Fquestioning_antipsychotics_in_kids_sf_chron_supports_their_use.html From time to time, I simply shake my head at the quality of health journalism in the US, particularly as regards children's mental health. Today's example comes to us from the San Francisco Chronicle in an article entitled "Antipsychotic drugs for kids raise hope, worry." While the article does get at both the hope and worry around the use of these drugs in kids, it remains uncomfortably biased toward promoting the use of antipsychotics in kids to the point where you've got to wonder who the reporter's sources were and who the hell is editing at the Chron these days. The trouble starts in the lede: "Increasingly powerful antipsychotic drugs available on the market, and growing evidence that starting these medications early can help children with conditions like bipolar disorder, is putti... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513089 Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2513089 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511160&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F19%2F6-ways-to-stay-out-of-the-psych-ward%2F It’s been three years since I’ve dined in the community room of a psych ward with some fellow depressives… Trying to slice a piece of rubber turkey with a plastic knife while wondering what I had to do to get out of there. I would like very much not to return. I came up with these steps to help me. But they are good sanity tools even if you’ve never made it to the community room. 1. Keep a consistent rhythm. I’m not talking about rap, or your tempo on the drums. I’m referring to your circadian rhythm, the internal biological clock which governs fluctuation in body temperature and the secretion of several hormones, including the evil one, cortisol. Here is how you establish good rhythm that assists you with the whole sanity thing: you live a boring life.... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511160 Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:11:37 +0100 2511160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513092&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2Ffda_staff_urge_review_of_developmental_delay_autism_linked_to_depakote.html In news just out this morning, FDA scientific staff urge the agency to undertake further review of the anti-seizure drug Depakote, commonly used for various seizure disorders as well as a so-called mood stabilizer in bipolar disorder, due to possible links to cases of developmental delay and autism in children of mothers taking the drug while pregnant. Depakote, made by Abbott Labs, is also known as divalproex in generic form. "Six cases received since its approval in 1983, including two siblings reported to have autism, 'raise concerns,' Food and Drug Administration staff wrote in a May 6 memo released on Friday. "Limitations in the reports 'make it impossible to definitively conclude' the drug played a role, and genetics or other factors may have contributed, especially in the two sibl... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513092 Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2513092 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513062&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fjoint-statement-on-atypical.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513062 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:40:00 +0100 2513062 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511166&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F15%2Fonline-mental-health-journalism-awards-2009%2F As we noted here, Mental Health America recently announced the winners of the “2009 Media Awards” that recognize excellence in mental health journalism. Sadly, despite the Internet’s popularity for the past 15 years, the Internet as a category is still missing from the awards. Apparently you can do good journalism online, you just won’t be acknowledged for it. (In Mental Health America’s defense, Pulitzer only began recognizing online journalism this year, too, so go figure.) We thought we’d acknowledge some examples of outstanding online mental health and psychiatry journalism in 2008. You might argue with our broad interpretation of “journalism,” but we believe that writers or producers who can bring new insight, analysis or understanding a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511166 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:29:36 +0100 2511166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513063&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fcabf-child-and-adolescent-bipolar.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513063 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:54:00 +0100 2513063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2463080&cid=t_92597_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FTLqXIQsjYm4%2F Bipolar disorder, frequently called manic-depression, is a mental illness that affects almost 6 million adults in the United States - up to 2.6% of the adult population. It strikes men and women equally, although it may be that men develop it earlier than women. This serious mental illness begins most often in the late teen or early adult years, but it can begin earlier or later. In fact, someone may have bipolar disorder for quite a while before it’s diagnosed because some symptoms can be mistaken for depression, for example. Although bipolar disorder is serious, it can be managed with the right treatment - usually a combination of psychotherapy and medications. The problem is that it needs to be diagnosed so it can be treated. And, according to a study presented at the annual meeti... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2463080 Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:04:36 +0100 2463080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441692&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F26%2Fupdate-dsm-v-major-changes%2F At the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting last week, a presentation covered some of the likely major changes that will be incorporated into the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, commonly referred to as the DSM by mental health professionals. The DSM provides professionals with the symptom checklists that allow for a mental disorder diagnosis to be made. The most significant change proposed has to do with the inclusion of dimensional assessments for depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment and reality distortion that span across many major mental disorders. So a clinician might diagnose schizophrenia, but then also rate these four dimensions for the patient to characterize the schizophrenia in a more detailed and descriptive m... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441692 Tue, 26 May 2009 18:41:05 +0100 2441692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441699&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F22%2Fhow-do-you-cure-mental-illness%2F One of the challenges faced by people who have a mental illness — such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or ADHD or the like — is that not too many people will talk to you about “curing” the condition. (Except snake-oil salesmen, who will claim they can cure your bipolar disorder with their amazing technique or CD.) In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a professional who talks openly about “cures” for mental illness. For instance, Pete Quily (twitter: petequily) drives the point home with a recent set of twitters: If someone on twitter saying he/she can “Cure #ADHD” with their snake oil/brain machine, donkey ride, miracle ebook etc. Realize 2 things: 1. They’re spammers. 2.They’re ignorant, liars or both. You... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441699 Fri, 22 May 2009 13:50:28 +0100 2441699 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424468&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F05%2F20%2Fcodey-will-transform-system%2F The headline at NJPoliticker.com reads: “CODEY BILLS WOULD TRANSFORM PATIENT CARE AT STATE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS” Explanation: A package of bills sponsored by Senate President Richard J. Codey that are designed to protect patient safety and improve employee training and oversight at state psychiatric hospitals was approved yesterday by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424468 Wed, 20 May 2009 18:54:05 +0100 2424468 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424479&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2Fpsychiatrist_questions_new_drugs_touts_lithium_old_antidepressants.html One of those occasional columns by psychiatrist Richard Friedman of Cornell University showed up in the New York Times today. I'm not sure what the occasion was, but Friedman questions why some docs (residents in particular) aren't prescribing Lithium to people with bipolar disorder as a first-line treatment versus the trend to give bipolars the latest in "mood stabilizers" and antipsychotics. His argument runs to the age-old claim that Lithium has decades of efficacy data (true, although how efficacious is open to interpretation), is established as a safe drug (debatable, depending on what he means by safe, but yes it's likely safer than Zyprexa) and has loads of evidence for its anti-suicide properties (true, for whatever reason), but doesn't get promoted to docs because it's not patenta... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424479 Tue, 19 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2424479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2417149&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2Fstudy_depakote_fails_as_pediatric_bipolar_disorder_treatment.html Well, here's a stunner: in a study just out in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, researchers report that Depakote ER (technically, divalproex ER in the study) had no treatment effect in a four-week, placebo-controlled clinical trial of the drug in treating pediatric bipolar disorder in kids and teens aged 10 to 17. In other words, Depakote did not beat placebo. "The results of the study do not provide support for the use of divalproex ER in the treatment of youths with bipolar I disorder, mixed or manic state. Further controlled trials are required to confirm or refute the findings from this study." Researchers included Karen Wagner of the University of Texas and Timothy Wilens of Harvard University. Both have been subjects of investigations by Sen. Ch... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2417149 Tue, 19 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2417149 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2406136&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2Faustralian_psychiatrists_to_tackle_pediatric_bipolar_disorder_at_apa_convention.html Update: I screwed up. Although I couldn't tell from the materials, Parry tells me that the colleagues who will be presenting with him are actually American child psychiatrists. I regret the error and am glad to see that more American psychiatrists are helping Parry spread the skepticism around. The American Psychiatric Association is about to have its annual convention in San Francisco. I learned yesterday that Peter Parry and a few other Australian psychiatrists will present to the APA membership on the many controversies surrounding pediatric bipolar disorder (ages 10 to 17) and alleged bipolar disorder in small children (prepubertal bipolar disorder, child bipolar disorder) and their recent findings that psychiatrists Down Under and elsewhere outside of the US find the paradigm to be l... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2406136 Tue, 12 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2406136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390372&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F05%2F05%2Fis-driving-a-civil-rights-issue%2F Thanks to Joe for sending me this article about a man who wanted a driver’s license despite being diagnosed with schizophrenia. In my experience in community mental health, getting a driver’s license was basically impossible with such a diagnosis; psychiatrists didn’t want to sign the paperwork allowing a person to apply for a license. It [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390372 Tue, 05 May 2009 14:58:01 +0100 2390372 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390379&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2Ffda_approves_new_suicidality_warning_for_epilepsy_bipolar_meds.html The FDA today announced that it has finally approved new warning language for anti-epileptic drugs (anti-seizure drugs, so called mood stabilizers) such as Depakote and Lamictal to reflect suicidality risk. The FDA first raised concerns about the such risks with the drugs in January 2008. Today's announcement also noted that the agency had required "development of a medication guide, to be issued to patients each time the product is dispensed." There are 11 drugs in the anti-seizure class, some of them multi-billion sellers (Lamictal, Depakote, etc.) due to their twin uses in epilepsy and bipolar disorder. Some pharma companies had apparently pushed back against the FDA and said, in effect, "Not with our drug." The agency now claims: "The increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior w... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390379 Tue, 05 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2390379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2387215&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fcribbing-from-craigslist%2F I get a lot of emails from people asking me for advice. Much of the time I don’t have good advice. The main thing I want to say is, Find a doctor you’re comfortable with. That’s the best thing you can do for yourself. But there is power in numbers. So I’m going to suggest [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2387215 Mon, 04 May 2009 17:20:11 +0100 2387215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2387216&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fupdate-on-rebecca-riley%2F Rebecca Riley’s doctor now the target of a grand jury (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2387216 Mon, 04 May 2009 15:33:19 +0100 2387216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382555&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F02%2Fvideo-on-courage%2F “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’” –Mary Anne Radmacher That’s the gist of this video. Click through to watch. (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382555 Sat, 02 May 2009 10:12:04 +0100 2382555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2381130&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F04%2F30%2Fa-manic-high%2F Sometimes I really get a kick out of the comments on my YouTube channel. The latest is from a person who thinks my most recent video is evidence of my having a “manic high.” How nice it must be to be able to diagnose someone without knowing them! I haven’t had a true manic high [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2381130 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:14:15 +0100 2381130 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2367527&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F25%2F90210%25e2%2580%2599s-portrayal-of-bipolar-disorder%2F Whenever TV and movies portray a person with mental illness, it’s usually a “crazy schizophrenic,” an ax-wielding sociopath, a violent, drug-addicted mental patient or an insane asylum escapee — or a combo of all four. Either way, that person is almost always hopeless, dangerous and deranged. When the news media tries to tackle mental illness, it’s typically after a horrific tragedy has occurred. A writer for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Daily Cardinal explains: “The script usually goes as follows: tragic event occurs, media pounces, the feeding frenzy begins, the public is inundated with endless graphic and heart-wrenching details, pundits and analysts play the blame game until the next media firestorm occurs.” Stigma in mainstream media is nothing new, and ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2367527 Sat, 25 Apr 2009 16:32:46 +0100 2367527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2358872&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fstephen-sheller-helps-government.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2358872 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:05:00 +0100 2358872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2354086&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fmedicated-child-pediatric-bipolar.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2354086 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 02:41:00 +0100 2354086 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2353883&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F21%2Fpostpartum-depression-is-real-but-still-stigmatized%2F For decades, thousands of people in dozens of organizations have fought tirelessly to reduce the stigmatization and ignorance associated with mental health issues and mental disorders. Mental illness is not something you can just “get over,” nor is it an invention of the pharmaceutical companies (although I’m sure there are some who believe that). Even within this dedicated group of people who are all fighting for the same things — recognition that mental illness is just as real as physical illness — they is within-group stigmatization. Some mental disorders get the short shrift, or are thought to be less “real” or serious than other disorders. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), for instance, only lobbies and advocates for what it con... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2353883 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:14:14 +0100 2353883 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2354090&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fprotocol-breach-reported-in-biederman.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2354090 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:30:00 +0100 2354090 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2354096&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2Fpatient_advocacy_group_calls_on_harvard_for_independent_review_of_harvard_child_psychiatrist.html I learned yesterday that the Alliance for Human Research Protection last week sent a letter to the president of Harvard University, calling for the school to order a broad-based, independent review of the work of controversial Harvard child psychiatrist Joseph Biederman, who is one of the prime movers behind the rush to diagnose America's kids with ADHD and is the chief developer of the bipolar child paradigm. Biederman is already being investigated by the Harvard-owned Massachusetts General Hospital, where he works, over various questions surrounding his financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies. Biederman is also being investigated by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa). While I've not seen researchers raise questions about the validity of Biederman's research (they've raised que... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2354096 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2354096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2326852&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2Fim_living_with_selfhatred_and_denial.html I knew I would catch some heat when Christopher Lane's interview with me went live on Psychology Today's website yesterday, but have mostly been gratified by the response so far (thanks, Liz Spikol). That said, someone decided to slaughter me in comments on the PT website: "PsychTodayReader "This interview was a disgrace. The interviewer, who is a Literature Professor, did not ask anything but softball questions, and let Dawdy viciously attack the work of some of the leading clinicians in the world with nothing to back it up except his opinion. This anti-psychiatry parade, which started with Scientologists and continues with people like Dawdy is destructive to all who are concerned about people with mental illness. 20 years ago they told people with depression to 'pull themselves up by t... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2326852 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2326852 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2320507&cid=t_92597_122_f&fid=35065&url=http%3A%2F%2Feideneurolearningblog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fadhd-drugs-no-long-term-benefits.html The 8 year follow-up data from the ADHD MTA Study (Multisite Multimodal Treatment Study of Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)are out and the results argue against the use of ADHD drugs longer than 2 years. Most families tended to stopped the drugs by two years anyway, but some vocal medication-proponents had suggested this was endangering children's health. In fact, besides medications having less symptomatic benefit with chronic use, the latest study also comments on observation that long-term medication may also impair growth (children who took medication for 36 months or longer were 6 lbs lighter and one inch shorter)Excerpt NIMH summary:"A majority (61.5 percent) of the children who were medicated at the end of the 14-month trial had stopped taking medication by th... Eide Neurolearning Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2320507 Mon, 06 Apr 2009 07:03:00 +0100 2320507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300340&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Fonion_98_percent_of_infants_have_bipolar_disorder.html This little brief was out recently in The Onion and I thought I'd pass it along for whomever might get a chuckle out of it. "A new study published in The Journal Of Pediatric Medicine found that a shocking 98 percent of all infants suffer from bipolar disorder. 'The majority of our subjects, regardless of size, sex, or race, exhibited extreme mood swings, often crying one minute and then giggling playfully the next,' the study's author Dr. Steven Gregory told reporters. 'Additionally we found that most babies had trouble concentrating during the day, often struggled to sleep at night, and could not be counted on to take care of themselves—all classic symptoms of manic depression.' Gregory added that nearly 100 percent of infants appear to suffer from the poor motor skills and impaired s... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300340 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2300340 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300285&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Ffurious-seasonsharvard-child.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300285 Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:18:00 +0100 2300285 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306660&cid=t_92597_87_f&fid=36710&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.organizedwisdom.com%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F03%2Fsometimes-youre-itching-to-read-and-research-sometimes-you-just-want-to-flip-through-pictures-and-captions-we-know-were-li.html Sometimes you're itching to read and research, sometimes you just want to flip through pictures and captions. We know. We're like that, too. That's why the OrganizedWisdom team is so happy to announce the arrival of our latest project -- slideshows. Here are our first three installments. Happy browsing: Famous Fictional ShrinksThey can make you laugh, they can make you cry, but they can't actually write you a prescription. From Dr. Melfi to Frasier Crane, you're sure to find your favorite on-screen psychiatrist on our list.Celebrities with Mental IllnessEveryone has their ups and downs. It's reassuring to know that even the biggest stars are no exception. Find out which conditions celebs like Mel Gibson, Axl Rose, and rapper DMX deal with daily. The Best Foods to B... The Health Wisdom Blog™ (by OrganizedWisdom) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306660 Fri, 27 Mar 2009 07:38:50 +0100 2306660 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300269&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2009%2F03%2F26%2Ftell-alfred%2F tags: mental health, Obama is a scary man, Obama’s minions, volunteering for drug research, Dar-fur, genocide, charity giving, scared of US government, mental health drugs, orphans, ranting, my opinion by trailerparkbarbie I’ve been running around like a Madoff with it’s head cut off lately. Too much to do. Too much going on. But, I’m gonna try to [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300269 Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:57:54 +0100 2300269 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306665&cid=t_92597_87_f&fid=36710&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.organizedwisdom.com%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F03%2Fhave-you-had-these-questions-now-weve-got-answers.html  Have you ever wondered: How will bipolar disorder affect my relationship? Is gaining weight part of bipolar disorder? Why do I have trouble sleeping? If you're one of the 5.7 adult Americans with bipolar disorder, these are likely the same questions you asked when you were first diagnosed. And how do we know that? They're some of the questions we see coming up in the search queries we look at every day, and we thought it was time they got answered! You see, OrganizedWisdom is taking our focus -- helping people find the health information they're seeking -- to the next level. Our new Frequently Asked Questions section (see our first installment, Bipolar 101) invites doctors and other qualified medical professionals to help answer these hot questions while directing user... The Health Wisdom Blog™ (by OrganizedWisdom) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306665 Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:59:28 +0100 2306665 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2287232&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F23%2Fmentally-ill-violent-in-nursing-homes%2F In yet another example of sensationalism posing as legitimate journalism, the Associated Press’s Carla K. Johnson penned an article over the weekend calling people with mental illness who live in nursing homes a “threat.” What kind of threat? Well, according to the article, it appears to be the usual one, drawing an unscientific and unsupported link between mental illness and violence: Over the past several years, nursing homes have become dumping grounds for young and middle-age people with mental illness, according to Associated Press interviews and an analysis of data from all 50 states. And that has proved a prescription for violence, as Jackson’s case and others across the country illustrate. Younger, stronger residents with schizophrenia, depression or bipola... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2287232 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:31:17 +0100 2287232 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300294&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fprotocol-breach-reported-in-biederman.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300294 Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:58:00 +0100 2300294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300295&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fstanley-medical-research-institute.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300295 Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:46:00 +0100 2300295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2277973&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fdrjoseph-biederman-i-am-advocate-for.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2277973 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:21:00 +0100 2277973 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2277975&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fdr-jospeh-biederman-harvard-professor.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2277975 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 10:04:00 +0100 2277975 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2278011&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Fseroquel_user_testimony.html As many of you know the FDA's psychopharmacology advisory committee is holding hearings on AstraZeneca's request to have the agency approve Seroquel for three depression indications and generalized anxiety disorder. The committee wants to hear from the public and here's some written testimony submitted to the committee that was passed along to me. "I was prescribed 300 mg.seroquel in 2000 for sleep problems. I gained 75 pounds in 6 months. I developed diabetes. I went through profound withdrawals when I inadvertently missed a dose and had to be hospitalized. The withdrawal caused psychosis which was attributed to a new diagnosis rather than to the drug. I lost all my teeth due to dry mouth. I developed cataracts. I had constant intrusive suicidal ideation. I had akathisia, difficulty swal... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2278011 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2278011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2278014&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Fseroquel_documents_sex_for_positive_seroquel_studies_included_bondage_corporate_espionage.html Late last week, Jim Edwards at BNET.com had a fine piece detailing some of the sex-for-Seroquel-studies emails which I first reported on last month. It appears, as I reported back then, that Wayne Macfadden, AstraZeneca's former US Seroquel medical director, used sex (and bondage even) to get competitive intell on Abilify and, yes indeed, even suggested prescribing Vicodin, a narcotic pain killer, to a ghostwriter with Parexel MMS. I simply love how Big Pharma does business and I love the fact that the FDA continues to blow off my questions as to whether it has any qualms about its approval of Seroquel for bipolar depression (in 2006) since Macfadden was in charge of the studies, authored some of them, and clearly was putting out questionable research. You'd think the FDA would want to giv... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2278014 Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2278014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2268302&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Fdefending_seroquel_astrazeneca_plays_race_card.html Yes, you read that right: AstraZeneca, maker of Seroquel, is tossing everything it has at legal cases claiming the company's drug gave people who took it diabetes. Back when Eli Lilly was initially defending itself against similar claims involving Zyprexa, Lilly claimed that mental illness caused diabetes, but that bogus claim only landed the company with billions in settlements. Now, AZ's lawyers are claiming that one patient's ethnicity caused her diabetes, not Seroquel: "In the case of [Nina] Scaife, for instance, lawyers argued that factors including her obesity and African-American ethnicity had already elevated her risk of diabetes before she took Seroquel. "'I can't see how the plaintiffs can win,' said Michael Kelly, a Wilmington-based partner in the law firm McCarter & English, ... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2268302 Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2268302 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260701&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34849&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftrouble.pwblogs.com%2F2009%2F03%2F12%2Fdepression-confession-matthew-good%2F The Canadian bandleader describes dysphoric mania like this: “Imagine being put in a coffin with the things you fear the most, being buried underground and feeling it start to shrink, and multiply that feeling by 1,000. You think, ‘If I die now, that’d be cool.’” Isn’t that a superb evocation? Good is speaking at a mental health [...] (Source: The Trouble With Spikol) The Trouble With Spikol blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260701 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:32:38 +0100 2260701