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'. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 19:12:22 +0100 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 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2256045&cid=t_92597_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D6318 strWebsiteID = window.document.location.toString();strSplitWeb = strWebsiteID.split("/")strWebsiteID = strSplitWeb[2];document.write(”“); from the Malaysian Medical Resources VIDEO: TV Viewing Not Linked to Cognitive Development, Bipolar Parents More Likely to Have Bipolar Children, Swimming Lessons for Toddlers Reduces Drowning Risk (Source: Malaysian Medical Resources) Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2256045 Sun, 08 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2256045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2240954&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Frebecca_rileys_psychiatrist_accused_of_misdeeds.html There's no more controversial case in the mental health world than that of the 2006 death of 4-year-old Rebecca Riley, a Massachusetts girl who was diagnosed with alleged child bipolar disorder at the age of 2 and was put on a host of medications including clonidine, Seroquel and Depakote. Her parents stand charged with first-degreee murder, allegedly for purposely over-medicating her to death, while the girl's psychiatrist faces a civil lawsuit and a malpractice tribunal. This week, the tribunal heard arguments in the case: "In an initial hearing as part of a civil suit brought by Rebecca's estate against Dr. Kayoko Kifuji, the plaintiffs presented a letter yesterday from a child psychiatrist in Florida they hired to review Kifuji's care of the girl. "Dr. Howard A. Goldman stated in the... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2240954 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2240954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2232636&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Fjjjanssen_fined_45_million_over_risperdal_misleading_claims.html This just hit the press yesterday: last week, a judge in West Virginia sided with the state's Attorney General over allegations that J&J/Janssen had sent misleading mailings to doctors in the state, ones that made misleading claims about Risperdal and, separately, J&J's pain patch Duragesic. The court assessed a fine totaling $4.475 million. The Attorney General had sued J&J/Janssen in 2004. I don't know if any other states are suing the company over the same mailings. The court found: "'The wording of [the defendants’] November 2003 Risperdal letter was intentionally constructed to modify the FDA’s warning language and mislead healthcare professionals, who rely on this information when prescribing medication for their patients.'" I've not been able to find a copy of the letter, bu... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2232636 Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2232636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2232635&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Fseroquel_documents_az_issues_2002_warning_in_japan_but_insists_all_is_well_in_the_us.html Bloomberg reported yesterday that after being ordered to warn doctors in Japan about Seroquel in 2002, AstraZeneca continued to insist in the US market that there was no link to diabetes. "The London-based drugmaker issued a letter to Japanese physicians in November 2002 that said AstraZeneca had received 12 reports that Seroquel users were diagnosed with high blood-sugar levels over a 21-month period, according to company documents unsealed last week in connection with litigation over the drug. "'Since February 2001 when Seroquel started to be marketed [in Japan, US marketing began in 1997], 12 serious cases (including 1 death) of hyperglycaemia, diabetic ketoacidosis and diabetic coma where causality with the drug could not be ruled out have been reported,' AstraZeneca officials said i... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2232635 Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2232635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2227502&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fmarch-on-this-blog-is-2-years-old.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2227502 Sun, 01 Mar 2009 06:50:00 +0100 2227502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222564&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fseroquel_documents_az_buried_seroquel_studies.html This came to me too late at night for me to do much poking around. From Bloomberg: "Feb. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Unfavorable studies about the antipsychotic drug Seroquel were 'buried' by AstraZeneca Plc, according to an internal e-mail unsealed as part of litigation over the medicine. "The drugmaker failed to publicize results of at least three clinical trials of Seroquel and engaged in 'cherry picking' of data from one of those studies for use in a presentation, an AstraZeneca official said in a December 1999 e-mail unsealed yesterday under an agreement between the company and lawyers for patients...." "'The larger issue is how we face the outside world when they begin to criticize us for suppressing data,' John Tumas, an AstraZeneca publications manager, told colleagues in the e- mail." M... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222564 Fri, 27 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2222564 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2210434&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F24%2Fsuicide-when-it-hurts-too-much-to-live%2F What happens when it hurts too much to live? Can it really be too painful to live one more moment with emptiness, depression, and despair? Yes, for some people suicide seems like the only way out. Not every person who contemplates killing themselves is truly interested in ending their time on earth. For many, suicidal thoughts are about escape — musing about the idea of leaving the bonds that bind them to other people, responsibilities to burdens, and the despair of what they can’t change. If they could just escape it, maybe they still could go on somehow. Not right now, but after a while. They just need to get away from it. Suicidal thoughts and actions are also sometimes paired with strong impulses and low inhibitions. This can happen with drugs and alcohol, bipolar disorder... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2210434 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:49:45 +0100 2210434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2210499&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fgianna_kali_on_madness_radio.html "Madness Radio" is a fabulous interview program that delves into all manner of interesting and rarely-explored issues in mental health. It airs on a couple of Pacifica radio network stations and is available on the web. Back in December the show's host, Will Hall, interviewed Gianna Kali, author of Beyond Meds, and it's now available online. I listened to the first part and it's damn good. Those of you who know Kali's story will find it interesting listening, as she's really seen the horrors of psych meds and the mental health system and it's left her in very tough physical shape. Kali offers her own update on her blog: "Since December a few things have happened. I am indeed, now, completely housebound. I can no longer drive. I remain sane and stable mentally but am grossly physically di... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2210499 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2210499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2210498&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fnotes_for_psychiatrists_labels_matter.html Christopher Schneck of the University of Colorado wrote an editorial in this month's American Journal of Psychiatry, attempting to sort out the treatment implications of two studies published in the same issue of the journal. The studies report on the problem of mania induction in patients given an anti-depressant who have a baseline diagnosis of bipolar disorder--I've already written about this study--and, separately, on how fully two-thirds of the patients in the STEP-BD study had subthreshold manic symptoms mixed with depression. The big overarching question is who's having a genuine episode of depression and might warrant an anti-depressant versus who shouldn't be given an anti-depressant. Schneck's editorial mostly looks at the studies through the lenses of treatment and diagnosis, a... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2210498 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2210498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2210500&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fmurder_charges_reinstated_in_death_of_bipolar_child.html News is just out this morning that the parents of Rebecca Riley, a four-year-old diagnosed with alleged child bipolar disorder and ADHD who died in December 2006, are to have first-degree murder charges reinstated against them, after a ruling by a Massachusetts appeals court. Earlier first-degree murder charges had been reduced to second-degreee murder due to a judge's finding that no pre-meditation existed. Riley was on a host of serious medications, especially for a child, including Seroquel and clonidine. The latter is the drug that reportedly killed her in overdose. "The Rileys say they were following the orders of Rebecca's psychiatrist, who had diagnosed the girl with bipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. But prosecutors say the couple kept Rebecca and two o... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2210500 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2210500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2205006&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F22%2F8-ways-to-help-your-bipolar-loved-one-cope%2F Depression and bipolar disorder are often family diseases. Everyone sharing a kitchen and a bathroom is affected. In fact, in his book “Understanding Depression,” J. Raymond DePaulo Jr., M.D., writes that “depression … has a much greater impact on marital life than rheumatoid arthritis or cardiac illness. One study found that only severe forms of cancer affected a family as adversely as depression or bipolar disorder.” My manic depression could have easily wrecked my marriage and my relationships with my two children. Instead, we emerged as a tighter, stronger unit. How? Here are eight ways Eric, my husband, helped me cope — tips for families on how, exactly, to hang in there with a loved one who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. 1. Educate your... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2205006 Sun, 22 Feb 2009 14:40:28 +0100 2205006 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2190714&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2009%2F02%2F17%2Fhorror-story%2F Some of this may sound very familiar: (emphasis added is mine) She says lithium will stabilise my moods and make me better. But I wonder about this. Perhaps my extremes of emotion are a reaction to the events of my life. For three years I have been battling forces outside my control. Can a drug help [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2190714 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:43:55 +0100 2190714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2182572&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fbipolar_overdiagnosis_story_1.html The other day, I heard from a new reader who ran into a post from last May on a study asserting that bipolar disorder is overdiagnosed (or perhaps misdiagnosed) 43.4 percent of the time, at least according to the data in that study which appeared in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. "I have suffered from mild depression on and off throughout my life and have seen numerous doctors about it. Antidepressants have been helpful to me although they do have some unpleasant side effects. The other day I went to a new doctor who specializes in bipolar disorder and was told that I have bipolar disorder 'without the mania' part, whatever that means! I was told I had been misdiagnosed all of these years by many doctors. Needless to say, I am looking for a new doctor. Do I think bipolar is overdiagn... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2182572 Fri, 13 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2182572 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2177518&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fmotley_fool_screws_up_risperdal_injection_not_approved_for_bipolar_disorder.html J&J announced late today that its long-acting injectable Risperdal CONSTA, an atypical antipsychotic, was not approved by the FDA, but that the agency had instead sent a letter to the company requesting additional information about the drug. The company is seeking approval for the injectable for frequently-relapsing bipolar disorder (whatever the hell that is exactly) and also for bipolar disorder in general. It's not clear what information the agnecy is seeking, as it's up to J&J to release the FDA's letter and all the company is saying is that the agency didn't request extra studies. Earlier in the day, The Motley Fool investment news site had essentially predicted smooth sailing for the drug through the approval process. "Candy and Roses from the FDA" was the site's title for its repor... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2177518 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2177518 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2172929&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fstudy_antidepressants_cause_mania_in_bipolar_disorder.html Regular readers know that I've been hammering on the use of anti-depressants in bipolar disorder and how the drugs cause mania and hypomania in some patients. My view is that these drugs should go from being standard treatment in bipolar disorder to being used as rarely as possible. Some researchers such as Tufts' Nassir Ghaemi have been brave enough to write about this as well, and during the recent NIH-funded STEP-BD study, we learned that placebo outperforms anti-depressants in treating bipolar depression and that the drugs increased manic symptoms severity. All of these points run counter to what most psychiatrists and doctors think they know about anti-depressant use in bipolar disorder. Hell, as I noted yesterday, there are docs who uses drug-caused mania to diagnose bipolar disorder... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2172929 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2172929 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2169817&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fhow_not_to_diagnose_bipolar_disorder.html Over the weekend, I got an email from a reader asking what I knew about people being diagnosed with bipolar disorder after having a bad reaction to an anti-depressant and whether that was a legitimate way to diagnose someone. I told her that it wasn't and that I keep hearing of this same sort of phenomenon, especially in regards to people having awful reactions to Paxil and then being diagnosed with bipolar disorder on that basis. I actually know people who were diagnosed with bipolar this way. Crazy. In my case, my own bad reactions to Prozac certainly hardened my then-newish diagnosis of bipolar disorder in the early 1990s. Simply put, the drug made me batty and so I became convinced that I actually was bipolar and needed to be on lovely medications for the remainder of my life. I never... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2169817 Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2169817 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2169816&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Funlike_us_australia_is_skeptical_of_the_bipolar_child_paradigm.html Most of you are well aware of the controversy around child bipolar disorder and of how some of its key proponents have become enmeshed in controversy. I won't restate any of that here. What I will note, however, is that in Australia several child psychiatrists have gotten vocal on the issue, perhaps in an attempt to preempt the controversial diagnosis' invasion of their nation. Anyway, there was a good article on all of this in the Sydney Morning Herald today (actually Jan. 10 over there) and Peter Parry, who's a reader of this site, was quoted. "The British National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence rejects as theory the suggestion that children suffer bipolar disorder. It warns it could lead to overmedication. "In Australia the increase in childhood diagnosis worries Peter... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2169816 Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2169816 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2167742&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2009%2F02%2F08%2Fdefective%2F yes, this IS a mental health post -it concerns your rights & privacy. Read on… You’ll never guess who is sponsoring  this. If you answered: That race baiting congressman from the corrupt city of Chicago, Black Panther and Army deserter, Bobby Rush. You were correct. Click the link at the top and if you are pressed for time, check out these sections [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2167742 Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:00:45 +0100 2167742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2163593&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fbiederman_defender_attacks_me_fs_readers.html The other day I noted a newspaper article in Boston in which defenders of controversial Harvard child psychiatrist Joseph Biederman voiced their support for the embattled doctor. I thought what I wrote was pretty tame and non-critical of either the doctor or his supporters' views. Yesterday, one of Biederman's defenders swung through this site to lash out at me and those of you who read this site. "This will be my one and only comment to this egregious blog. Clearly you and those that comment on your blog are either in desperate need of neuropsychological evaluations and suffer from neuropsychiatric brain disorders - OR - you are the ones who are members of a cult called - Scientology -. It is insulting and disturbing beyond measure to live among a citizenship that believes the brain is n... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2163593 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2163593 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2160387&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2Fstudy_high_risk_of_early_death_in_bipolar_disorder_meds_partly_implicated_1.html This is a very alarming new paper--a literature review actually--just out in Psychiatric Services and asserting that people with bipolar disorder are at a very heightened risks of premature death due to death from general medical conditions. The basic range of premature death versus the general population runs from a 35 percent greater chance to a 200 percent greater chance of early death. The paper is by Wayne Katon and Babak Roshanaei-Moghaddam, psychiatrists at the University of Washington. The authors don't indicate what constitutes early death--one year less than the average life span? A decade?--or the range of life spans for people with bipolar disorder. So it's unclear whether people with bipolar disorder are dropping dead at 40 or 75 years of age. Either way, the news is not comf... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2160387 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2160387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2149695&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F01%2Fchildhood-bipolar-disorder-dr-joseph.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2149695 Sat, 31 Jan 2009 18:01:00 +0100 2149695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2113656&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2009%2F01%2F18%2Frsvpmy-i-suck-really-suck-party%2F First, let me hereby acknowledge that I certainly do really, really suck as a person sometimes. Why deny it? It is what it is. At least, I’ve got the balls to admit it. But, let me assure you that I do not really, really suck as a person most of the time.   I wish that I could [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2113656 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 07:37:02 +0100 2113656 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2087039&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2009%2F01%2F07%2Fbe-careful-what-you-wish-for%2F “Be careful what you wish for,you may receive it” Anonymous. I’ve got to eat crow now. I’ve spent mucho time whining about psych doctors. Well, not just pdocs, all kinds of doctors. I had one of the strangest doctor’s visits in my whole life yesterday. It was very interesting to say the least. This is my 3rd visit [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2087039 Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:49:33 +0100 2087039 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2056048&cid=t_92597_146_f&fid=34960&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F12%2Fsleep-and-bipolar-disorder.html Sleep disturbance is a cardinal feature of bipolar disorder. During acute mania, patients exhibit markedly reduced sleep time and report a reduced need for sleep. The reduced need for sleep can be further defined as the “ability to maintain energy without sufficient sleep” (Plante and Winkelman, 2008). Even when euthymic, sleep disturbance is common (Harvey 2008). In a recent study, 55% of euthymic bipolar patients had chronic insomnia (Harvey et al 2005). Both insomnia and hypersomnia have been reported in patients with bipolar depression (Harvey 2008). Children with bipolar disorder (who often display ultradian rapid cycling rather than distinct mood episodes) exhibit reduced sleep efficiency and frequent nocturnal awakenings (Mehl et al 2006). Both homeostatic and circadian sleep ab... sleepdoctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2056048 Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:31:00 +0100 2056048 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2046755&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F17%2Fmental-health-year-in-review-2008%2F Pages: 1 2 3 Next »     Single Page As another year comes to a close, it’s time to review what made the biggest news in 2008 in mental health and psychology. Of course, the biggest news of the year — the historic election of Barack Obama — is not directly related to mental health but worthy of note. His policies and appointments over the next four years are likely to make a substantial impact in funding and policies in American healthcare (and mental health care). Highlights from Research This was a bad year for antidepressant research. Antidepressants are a class of psychiatric medications most commonly prescribed to relieve depression, but increasingly being prescribed for practically any ailment. In January, The New England Journal of Medicine ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2046755 Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:39:42 +0100 2046755 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2040014&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2Ffda_orders_suicide_warning_for_bipolar_epilepsy_drugs.html According to Reuters, the FDA today ordered that a warning--and it's not clear if this is in black box form--be placed on anti-seizure drugs such as Lamictal, Depakote and Topamax alerting doctors and patients to suicidal thoughts and actions that might be triggered by the use of these drugs. The 11 drugs in the class are commonly used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder and account for about $6 billion a year in sales. What's interesting is that the FDA first proposed this warning last January, but this summer an FDA advisory panel said a black box was excessive. Anyway, here's some of what the FDA noted today: "'The risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior was generally consistent among the eleven drugs analyzed and was observed in patients who were treated for epilepsy, psychiatric di... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2040014 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100 2040014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2040157&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2008%2F12%2F15%2Fdr-not-biederman%2F Laurel L. Williams is not Dr. Biederman. She is program director of the Menninger Clinic’s adolescent treatment program and assistant director of residency training, (child and adolescent psychiatry); and assistant professor in the Menninger department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. I’d also pay money to see her in a room with [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2040157 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:50:31 +0100 2040157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2035613&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2Ftwo_child_physicians_criticize_adhd_meds_the_bipolar_child_pharma_influence.html Ironically, two separate op-eds by two different children's doctors appeared yesterday. Each made similar and different points. First up was Leonard Sax, a psychologist and physician and author of Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving The Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men, who is controversial in some quarters for his call for single-sex education. Writing in the New York Daily News, he noted: "When I first began writing prescriptions for children 22 years ago, it was unusual for a child to be taking powerful psychiatric drugs. Today it's common. How did we get here?....Dr. Joseph Biederman is part of the answer." Biederman is of course the controversial Harvard child psychiatrist and Sax went on to also excoriate former "The Infinite Mind" host Fred Good... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2035613 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100 2035613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2035823&cid=t_92597_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2F484030227%2Fpure_hypomanics_living_zippedy.php tags: hypomania, bipolar disorder, manic depression, mood disorders, mental health, psychology Image: Michael Witte/NYTimes [larger view]. Have you ever met a person who seems to be on a perpetual caffeine high, without all the shaking? You know the type, those few hyperactive extroverts who are always doing things or meeting people, who have an expansive and optimistic mood yet are easily irritated, and who have an overactive libido or who enjoy really risky pastimes, like jumping out of airplanes or climbing buildings. According to some reading I've been doing, these are apparently those few lucky people who are "pure hypomanics": they have emotional "highs" without experiencing the outrageous slings and arrows of extreme mood fluctuations that a typical person with bipolar di... Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2035823 Sat, 13 Dec 2008 22:14:33 +0100 2035823 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2027007&cid=t_92597_109_f&fid=34800&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FClinicalPsychologyAndPsychiatryACloserLook%2F%7E3%2F480836044%2Ftreatment-guidelines-and-gsks-open.html Last week, I noted that a recently published article had found that studies favoring GSK's "mood stabilizer" Lamictal tended to get published in medical journals while articles reaching less favorable conclusions tended to remained unpublished. I wrote that "GSK worked the system expertly and it paid off." A reader commented that he thought my characterization of GSK as hiding negative data on Lamictal was inaccurate. I appreciate his well-written critical comments, which are linked here and are partially reproduced below:Acute Depression - All of the acute depression studies (there were 5 not 3 as you reported) were presented at scientific meetings over the years and were recently published in Bipolar Disorders (Calabrese et al. 2008). Why so long to publish? The paper was rejected twice ... Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry: A Closer Look blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2027007 Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:22:00 +0100 2027007 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2021620&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2008%2F12%2F08%2Fhey-whos-up-for-some-involuntary-ect%2F Not this guy. Stephany’s all over this story over at her blog. Pissed off?  Find it scary?  Then act. 5 minutes of your time to make a phone call and/or dropping a few emails could help. What if it were you? Posted in bipolar disorder, discrimination, health care, I feel like breaking shit, injustice, media, mental health, [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2021620 Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:54:42 +0100 2021620 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2021632&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F12%2Fdrjoseph-biedermandefends-self-in.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2021632 Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:19:00 +0100 2021632 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2027033&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2Fbiederman_defends_himself.html I don't have much to add here, but Joseph Biederman--the controversial Harvard child psychiatrist caught up in a conflict of interest scandal--has written a letter to the Boston Globe. There's an account of it in this article here, wherein the doctor notes in part that: "'The center's goal was to advance science; as a business, J&J sought commercial applications for our work,' Biederman wrote. 'But any implication that J&J's interests interfered with the center's work is wrong. Indeed, I have published research critical of J&J compounds. I never owned J&J stock, and whether the company succeeded financially had no importance to me. What does matter to me is the treatment of children and families experiencing great suffering.' "Biederman also denied that he engaged in 'ghostwriting.'" I'... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2027033 Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100 2027033 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2017869&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2008%2F12%2F06%2Fno-privacy-in-this-new-deal%2F Question: How comfortable are you with the idea of the general public (including your present or any prospective employers) knowing that you have been or are currently being treated for a mental health related condition?  Don’t forget to figure in the general public’s ignorance, and the stigma factor. A couple of posts back, I mentioned the Cleveland [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2017869 Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:01:11 +0100 2017869 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2011114&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2Frisperdal_had_only_one_approval_study_for_pediatric_bipolar_disorder_study_remains_unpublished.html Recently, I was poking through the package insert for Risperdal, an atypical antipsychotic made by Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, when I noticed that in its discussion of clinical studies for the drug's use in treating pediatric bipolar disorder, only one study was mentioned, consisting of 169 participants. I've been writing about pharmaceutical products for years and have been told by the FDA and sources in the medical world that the FDA requires two positive trials (meaning efficacy over placebo is demonstrated) for a drug to be approved for any indication. It struck me as odd that the FDA would approve such a tricky drug--it has black box warnings and plenty of lawsuits on its tail--with only one approval study for a disorder that is the source of much controversy within psychiatry itself a... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2011114 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100 2011114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1991014&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F11%2Fenjoy-blog-read-johnson-and-johnson.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1991014 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:31:00 +0100 1991014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1985033&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F11%2Ffda-approves-risperdal-beidermans.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1985033 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 03:07:00 +0100 1985033 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1985034&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F11%2Fjoseph-biederman-where-greed-meets.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1985034 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:44:00 +0100 1985034 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1984862&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F11%2Fharvard_child_psychiatrist_worked_closely_with_jj_1.html Gardiner Harris of the New York Times has done it again. In a piece just out on the paper's website, he details emails and other documents from an ongoing lawsuit against J&J over the use of its antipsychotic Risperdal in kids, which offers insight into how Joseph Biederman, a Harvard child psychiatrist, worked J&J for money. Biederman is of course the godfather of the whole pediatric bipolar disorder (aka, child bipolar disorder) business. The details are stunning. "[E]-mails and internal documents from Johnson & Johnson made public in a court filing reveal that Dr. Biederman pushed the company to fund a research center at Massachusetts General Hospital whose goal was 'to move forward the commercial goals of J&J,' the documents state. The documents also show that Johnson & Johnson wrote ... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1984862 Mon, 24 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1984862 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1985037&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F11%2Fssri-induced-activation-syndrome-in.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1985037 Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:05:00 +0100 1985037 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1921104&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fcharles-nemeroff-vns-cyberonics-and.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1921104 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 02:49:00 +0100 1921104 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1914795&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fone-day-sitting-on-my-bench-more-notes_28.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1914795 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:51:00 +0100 1914795 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901498&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F10%2Ftop_bipolar_blogs_2008.html Psych Central yesterday announced its top ten bipolar blogs. Last year, this site was #2. This year it's #1, which I appreciate more than I can get into. "There simply could not be a top bipolar blogs list without Philip Dawdy. He’s an excellent journalist whose blog has become synonymous with unrestrained investigative writing on bipolar disorder, mental health treatments and the pharma industry. He does not hesitate to call out BS when he finds it, and he digs for it harder than any other popular writer. Furious Seasons is an invaluable service to the mental health community." There's a list of the other fine blogs that were also recognized at the above link. Congrats to all. (Source: Furious Seasons) Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901498 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1901498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1886413&cid=t_92597_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2F421989004%2Fresearch_suggests_bipolar_chil.php tags: bipolar disorder, manic depression, mental illness, psychiatry, psychology, children Image: Myself43. If you are like me and suffered from unrecognized bipolar disorder as a child only to later have this mood disorder diagnosed upon reaching young adulthood, you might be pleased to learn that current research suggests bipolar disorder is increasingly being diagnosed as beginning in childhood. As a result, these bipolar kids are more likely to receive proper treatment and support such that they, their families and friends will suffer fewer of the deep emotional and social scars that can result from untreated bipolar disorder. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)) Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1886413 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:38:27 +0100 1886413 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1870696&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F10%2Fyou_dont_have_to_take_risperdal_in_the_butt_anymore.html That's right folks. The FDA just approved a new injection site for Risperdal CONSTA--in the biceps instead of the previously-approved gluteus. There's progress. And Seroquel XL--the newish extended release version--was just approved by the FDA for bipolar depression and acute mania. I wonder if a special marketing campaign will erupt. Still waiting to hear if old Susie Q has been approved for one of three depression indications or anxiety. I'd expect we'll know soon. (Source: Furious Seasons) Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1870696 Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1870696 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1862887&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2008%2F10%2F08%2Fhey-guess-what-else-works-for-depression%2F I  ran across this at Drudge. Hypericum perforatum No, don’t get excited.  They’re not talking about speed-balls. St. John’s Wort. Yeah, there was actually a study.  They “pooled data from 29 studies involving 5,489 patients with mild to moderately severe depression.” In what is billed as the most thorough study of the plant, scientists have found it is [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1862887 Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:12:29 +0100 1862887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1862747&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F10%2Fpfizers_data_manipulation_of_neurontin_for_bipolar_disorder_headaches.html My back is still out, so briefly I want to make you aware of an article in today's New York Times about how Pfizer allegedly cooked the books on neurontin, an anti-seizure drug the company was all hot to have used for bipolar disorder, headaches and so on. "The drug maker Pfizer earlier this decade manipulated the publication of scientific studies to bolster the use of its epilepsy drug Neurontin for other disorders, while suppressing research that did not support those uses, according to experts who reviewed thousands of company documents for plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the company. "Pfizer’s tactics included delaying the publication of studies that had found no evidence the drug worked for some other disorders, “spinning” negative data to place it in a more positive light, an... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1862747 Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1862747 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1856047&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F10%2F14_problems_with_geller_study_of_child_bipolar_disorder.html Conclusions: The majority view was consistent with classical descriptions of bipolar disorder." 13. Let's assume for a minute that I am wrong and Geller is right and that what we've got here is a type of bipolar disorder than persists into young adulthood. If that's the case, then the outcomes certainly don't speak very well of the prevention paradigm--in which the earlier you diagnose and treat mental disorders, the more successful you are at limiting its problems--because 44.4 percent of these young adults, diagnosed with BP-1 mania as adolescents or children, are still symptomatic with some form of what Geller calls mania and another 29.6 percent have some form of unipolar depression. So whatever treatment these teens are getting don't seem to be working especially well. Forty of the 5... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1856047 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1856047 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1856048&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F10%2Fstudy_almost_half_of_bipolar_kids_have_bipolar_disorder_as_adults.html A new study by Washington University child psychiatrist Barbara Geller is just out. I'll have more on the study tomorrow when I've had a chance to review it in full. The basic claim is that 44 percent of 108 kids in the study--OK, so this is a smallish study--had bipolar disorder when they hit 18 by Geller's reckoning. Meanwhile, Bloomberg has an article out that is simply stunning in one respect: "About a third of the patients' time was in a manic episode. Manic children may commandeer a classroom, correct their own papers, or think they're entitled to tell their principals which teachers ought to be fired, Geller said." Oh so this is all about keeping kids compliant at school? Manic one-third of the time? I assume that's by the very relaxed standards that docs are using for childhood ... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1856048 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1856048 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1837328&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2008%2F09%2F29%2Fbpchick-fall-membership-drive%2F Mr T was all I could get on short notice. Why the rush?  Winter is just around the corner, so fall registration begins…last Monday. Cost to join the club? What’s in it for you us? Money from candy sales. Sign up in the comments section so we can get those BPChick fundraiser sales catalogs out to you ASAP. I’m sure you [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1837328 Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:47:32 +0100 1837328 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1829151&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2Fauthor_discusses_the_bipolar_puzzle.html Jennifer Egan, who wrote the problematic "The Bipolar Puzzle" concerning the bipolar child paradigm in the New York Times Sunday Magazine two weeks ago, was a guest on KQED-FM's "Forum" program yesterday. KQED is the main NPR station in the San Francisco Bay Area and, full disclosure, once upon a time I interned at the station before deciding I was a print guy and not a radio guy. Anyway, I think Egan did a much better job of getting at the complexities of things with allegedly bipolar kids than she did in her article, which I previously hashed apart here. You can hear the program here on streaming audio. Still, I was disappointed with Egan on a few points she made. She called it a "pretty hard fact" that 10 percent to 15 percent of kids with alleged bipolar disorder commit suicide and t... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1829151 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1829151 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1815311&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2Fyou_know_the_bipolar_child_thing_is_huge_when_npr_gets_involved.html You know this whole bipolar child thing is getting a ton of interest in the popular culture when National Public Radio feels the need to put a podcast online offering "Tips For Parenting A Child With Bipolar Disorder." I cannot even make myself listen to the thing, which features the collective wisdom of Ellen Leibenluft, an NIMH child psych researcher, Carl Bell, a psych prof at the University of Illinois-Chicago and Cassandra Joubert, author of "Losing Control: Loving a Black Child with Bipolar Disorder." I'm simply tired of playing journalism police for the time being. If anyone wants to listen to it and give me a rundown, I'll be happy to post the same. I'm not sure what prompted the podcast. If anyone has caught anything on NPR about the bp kiddos in the last day or so, let me know. ... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1815311 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1815311 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1812857&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fbipolar-child.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1812857 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 04:44:00 +0100 1812857 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1812714&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2Fpediatric_mania_the_fdas_definition.html As most of you know, last week the FDA sent me what it's calling the official definition of pediatric bipolar disorder, at least to the degree that the agency will use the definition to approve drugs for the alleged disorder. What the FDA is leaning on for its definition is a paper published in 2007 called "Practice Parameter for the Assessment and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Bipolar Disorder." Keep in mind that the FDA says it is relying upon "science" in making its determination that pediatric bipolar disorder is a valid diagnosis. I think it's relying upon politics. As I noted last week, the paper does not discuss or in any way delineate depression in pediatric cases of alleged bipolar disorder. I find that very strange, particular when it comes to discussing bipolar di... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1812714 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1812714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1798248&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2008%2F09%2F16%2Fshe-heals-the-hospice-dwellerssuicidal-people-and-more%2F AMAZING…She heals people on their death beds in hospices! Plus….aids, TB, and most amazing..ta da…suicidal people! Girls, I think we are seeing the very first video of Xenu. Check out the speech interpreter in the back ground! Bwahahahaha But, this one is my all time favorite….. CURSING PREACHER (and I do mean CURSING) Whaddya think of this, BIOTCHES? LMAO [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1798248 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 02:55:36 +0100 1798248 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1794533&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fphilip-dawdy-furious-seasons-takes-on.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1794533 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:24:00 +0100 1794533 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1798138&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2Ffda_defines_pediatric_bipolar_disorder_holds_the_depression.html Going through the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's guideline, "Practice Parameter for the Assessment and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Bipolar Disorder," which the FDA is citing as its definition of pediatric bipolar disorder, is a tough go. I've never read an assessment and treatment tool before in psychiatry that contains so many caveats and so much equivocation. And that's when it comes to the "manic"--or irritable--side of pediatric bipolar disorder. As for depression, the document is virtually silent. It contains no definition of the depressive side of pediatric bipolar disorder--and as far as I know, for bipolar disorder to be present in adults or teens, then there's got to be a presentation of depression at some point. So why is depression virtuall... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1798138 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1798138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1794406&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2Fthe_fda_finally_responds_sort_of_to_questions_about_pediatric_bipolar_disorder.html Yesterday, just as I was about to fax the agency a FOIA request in response to the FDA's continued silence on defining pediatric bipolar disorder, I got an email from Sandy Walsh, a press officer at the agency, stating the following: "The FDA does accept the validity of pediatric bipolar disorder. The FDA agrees with peer-reviewed journal articles, academics and clinicians that say that pediatric bipolar disorder can occur in children and adolescents and is a serious, chronic illness which causes shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. "Understanding the effects of bipolar disorder early in life may lead to better treatments and improve long-term outcomes as children and adolescents become adults. The FDA, a science-based agency, puts a priority on children's health a... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1794406 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1794406 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1791686&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2008%2F09%2F15%2Friddle-me-this-batman%2F How can you usually tell the difference between baby-bipolar disorder and  tantrums with some normal, childhood mischief tossed in? Watch the parents. They become unhinged.  They have no clue how to handle a defiant child.  They probably didn’t realize that brand of kid existed.  “What? you mean the time-out doesn’t just happen like magic how I [...] (Source: bipolar chicks blogging) bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1791686 Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:06:08 +0100 1791686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1791615&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2F12_problems_with_the_sunday_times_magazine_piece_on_child_bipolar_disorder.html I read the New York Times Sunday Magazine piece on alleged child bipolar disorder over the weekend. It wasn't quite as big a piece of crap as I heard from readers initially, but Jennifer Egan's article was, in my opinion, incomplete and, at times, deeply flawed. On one point, I think the magazine either needs to issue a correction or clarification (see number 12 for that). As much as I am tired of playing journalism police in recent weeks, I'm going to dive into this one role one more time and hope that no other major articles pop up for a few weeks. It's clear to me that the article's author has swallowed the Kool-Aid on the bipolar child business. It's also clear to me that the author--a novelist cum journalist--is trying to cover her ass from criticism by attempting to cover both sides... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1791615 Mon, 15 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1791615 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1791698&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=35439&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbipolarsoupkitchen-stephany.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Finfluenced-domination-of-you.html (Source: soulful sepulcher) soulful sepulcher blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1791698 Mon, 15 Sep 2008 01:46:00 +0100 1791698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1791642&cid=t_92597_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2F391824188%2Fthe_bi_polar_puzzle.php tags: bipolar disorder, manic-depression, mental health, mental illness, behavior Image: Gerald Slota, The New York Times Magazine. A couple days ago, I heard an interview with Jennifer Egan on WNYC about her upcoming article in tomorrow's New York Magazine about bipolar disorder, often known as manic-depressive illness, "The Bi | Polar Puzzle." It's long but well-written and definitely worth reading. In this touching and informative piece, Egan primarily addresses several questions; whether bipolar disorder exists in children, what it looks like and whether children with undiagnosed/untreated bipolar disorder will grow up to be bipolar adults. I've summarized it here, along with a few of my own comments, for those of you who cannot access it. Read the rest of this post... | Read t... Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1791642 Sat, 13 Sep 2008 22:30:29 +0100 1791642 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1788710&cid=t_92597_140_f&fid=34843&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furiousseasons.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2Fthe_new_york_times_sunday_magazine_on_the_bipolar_child.html I'm very busy today with an outside project, but I wanted to pass along news that the New York Times Sunday Magazine has a major piece out (online now, runs on Sunday in the paper) on the bipolar child. I've not had time to read it myself, but I just spoke with a reader who had. He characterized the article as totally buying the Biederman/Harvard line and that it failed to note objections within psychiatry until approximately page 10 of a 10-page online article. What's more Biederman appears in the article and apparently explains that chronic irritability counts as mania. I wonder if the author was brave enough to offer the science base for that. One quote from the article my friend passed along: "The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the current edition is referred... Furious Seasons blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1788710 Fri, 12 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1788710