http://bipolar.about.com/ Bipolar Disorder http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/16/learn-about-lexapro.htm <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/lexapro/a/lexapro.htm">Lexapro</a> is one of the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/glossarys/g/gl_ssri.htm">SSRI</a> antidepressants and was created from <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/celexa/a/meds_celexa.htm">Celexa</a> (citalopram). The generic name of Lexapro is escitalopram, but Lexapro is not currently available in generic form.<p> There are several warnings about Lexapro, especially about mixing it with other drugs and over-the-counter supplements, and discontinuing Lexapro treatment too quickly can cause a variety of unpleasant side effects.<p> Our <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/lexapro/a/lexapro.htm">Lexapro Drug Profile</a> will give you in-depth information about this antidepressant. <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/About-Bipolar-Disorder/247528340444?ref=ts">FACEBOOK</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/16/learn-about-lexapro.htm">Learn About Lexapro</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 17:19:30.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/16/learn-about-lexapro.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/16/learn-about-lexapro.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/16/learn-about-lexapro.htm&zItl=Learn About Lexapro">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/16/learn-about-lexapro.htm 2009-11-16T17:19:30Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/13/does-the-mood-disorder-questionnaire-accurately-screen-for-bipolar-disorder.htm Bipolar disorder is difficult to diagnose. There is currently no definitive <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/diagnosissymptoms/f/bipolar_test.htm">medical test for this disorder</a>. Furthermore, there are a number of <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/cs/menu_diagnosis/a/diag_physcond.htm">physical conditions</a> and quite a few <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/cs/menu_diagnosis/a/diag_psychcond.htm">psychiatric disorders</a> which present symptoms that can be confused with those of bipolar disorder. And just to complicate things a bit more, a great many psychiatric disorders can occur in tandem.<p> Mark Zimmerman et al with Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University School of Medicine discuss this in an article, "Performance of the Mood Disorders Questionnaire in a Psychiatric Outpatient Setting," published in the November edition of <i>Bipolar Disorders</i>. "Bipolar disorder is a serious illness resulting in significant psychosocial morbidity and excess mortality. During the past few years a series of research reports, reviews, and commentaries have suggested that bipolar disorder is under recognized, and that many patients, particularly those with major depressive disorder (MDD), have, in fact, bipolar disorder. Even for those patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the lag between initial treatment seeking and the correct diagnosis is often more than 10 years."<p> To facilitate and improve the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, researchers and practitioners have developed a number of screening questionnaires and assessments. One of these is the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) developed by a team of psychiatrists, researchers and consumer advocates led by Robert M.A. Hirschfeld with the University of Texas Medical Branch. The MDQ is one of the most commonly used of these assessment tools. You can view the full questionnaire on the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.dbsalliance.org/pdfs/MDQ.pdf">Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance</a> website.<p> Unfortunately there is growing evidence that the utility of the MDQ might not be as strong as is needed for accurately diagnosing bipolar disorder. In the most recent research report about the MDQ, Mark Zimmerman and his team found the results of this questionnaire to be more limited then initial research indicated. "A screening measure needs to have high <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://std.about.com/od/glossary/g/sensgloss.htm">sensitivity</a>, and each of these three studies found that the sensitivity of the MDQ was less than 70% when the scale was scored according to the developers recommendations."<p> So what does this mean for us? It means that we shouldn't accept a diagnosis of bipolar disorder based on a brief questionnaire. If your doctor or a therapist uses the MDQ or another similar screening tool, you should simply consider this a starting point towards an accurate diagnosis. Your physician should proceed with a full clinical evaluation for bipolar disorder. <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/cs/menu_diagnosis/a/0401_how_diag.htm"><i>How Is Bipolar Disorder Diagnosed?</i></a> discusses what this process involves. <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/13/does-the-mood-disorder-questionnaire-accurately-screen-for-bipolar-disorder.htm">Does the Mood Disorder Questionnaire Accurately Screen for Bipolar Disorder?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 08:00:02.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/13/does-the-mood-disorder-questionnaire-accurately-screen-for-bipolar-disorder.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/13/does-the-mood-disorder-questionnaire-accurately-screen-for-bipolar-disorder.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/13/does-the-mood-disorder-questionnaire-accurately-screen-for-bipolar-disorder.htm&zItl=Does the Mood Disorder Questionnaire Accurately Screen for Bipolar Disorder?">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/13/does-the-mood-disorder-questionnaire-accurately-screen-for-bipolar-disorder.htm 2009-11-13T08:00:02Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/12/avoidance-viable-coping-strategy-or-maladaptive-behavior.htm I read a comment this evening that really struck me. In response to Marcia's <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/03/18/addictive-personality.htm"><i>Addictive Personality</i></a> blog, Sarah brought up the topic of avoidance - what she termed an escapist personality.<p> "I have an escapist personality, not an addiction. My escapist personality causes me to sabotage regular activities like going for coffee with a friend, turning off my phone and ignoring/avoiding life.<p> "I can get into a book and days will pass without a shower or a proper meal. I can watch 8 movies in a day. I can sleep for 18 hours at a time and feel absolutely guilty about all of the above. But that won't stop me from doing it again and again."<p> I think Sarah has expressed a common theme for those with bipolar disorder, with any severe mental illness really. Avoiding ... attempting to escape those situations or things that make us uncomfortable. Do you actively avoid normal life activities? Do think you think it is a viable coping strategy or more maladaptive behavior? I tend to lean towards maladaptive behavior.<p> There are certainly some specific situations that are in our best interest to avoid - drunk dialing your boss, streaking through the neighborhood park, spitting on a cop. However, facing something that makes us uncomfortable and expanding our comfort zone is a growth point. I know! Easier said than done.<P> Sarah shares, "I want to know if others out there feel like they sabotage their happiness and what I can do about it." Thoughts? <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/12/avoidance-viable-coping-strategy-or-maladaptive-behavior.htm">Avoidance – Viable Coping Strategy or Maladaptive Behavior?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 22:04:06.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/12/avoidance-viable-coping-strategy-or-maladaptive-behavior.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/12/avoidance-viable-coping-strategy-or-maladaptive-behavior.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/12/avoidance-viable-coping-strategy-or-maladaptive-behavior.htm&zItl=Avoidance – Viable Coping Strategy or Maladaptive Behavior?">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/12/avoidance-viable-coping-strategy-or-maladaptive-behavior.htm 2009-11-12T22:04:06Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/11/bringchange2mind-on-nbc-nightly-news-tonight.htm For those who have been following the anti-stigma campaign of <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.bringchange2mind.org/">BringChange2Mind</a>, Glenn Close and her sister, Jessie Close as well as other members of the BringChange2Mind.org team will be on NBC Nightly News TONIGHT, Wednesday, November 11, at 6:30PM EST.<p> Beth Lee, commenting on our blog <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/26/stigma-a-toxic-deadly-hazard-to-be-eliminated.htm"><i> Stigma - A Toxic, Deadly Hazard to Be Eliminated</i></a> shares, "I was able to see Glenn Close and her sister interviewed on <i>The View</i>. It was an excellent interview. Glenn Close said that there was a history of bipolar and other mental illnesses in her family. They asked her if she had ever had symptoms herself. She said it has affected her in the form of perfectionism. One can tell she and her sister are very close and they support one another. Her sister also mentioned that a person with bipolar has to accept some side effects from the medications and that it may take a while to get the right combination of meds to help."<p> Miss the interview? It is available from <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#33869188">NBC Nightly News</a>. If you catch this interview or another, share your thoughts. <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/11/bringchange2mind-on-nbc-nightly-news-tonight.htm">BringChange2Mind on NBC Nightly News Tonight</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 17:55:15.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/11/bringchange2mind-on-nbc-nightly-news-tonight.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/11/bringchange2mind-on-nbc-nightly-news-tonight.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/11/bringchange2mind-on-nbc-nightly-news-tonight.htm&zItl=BringChange2Mind on NBC Nightly News Tonight">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/11/bringchange2mind-on-nbc-nightly-news-tonight.htm 2009-11-11T17:55:15Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/10/has-a-doctor-turned-you-away.htm There are lots of legitimate reasons a doctor may refuse to treat a patient, ranging from unpaid bills to insurance problems to realizing a patient is falsely complaining of pain only to get prescription drugs. A patient who is disruptive or hostile, or who demands a treatment the doctor believes is not what that patient needs, may well find that the doctor will not continue treating him or her.<p> Then there's the patient who is non-compliant with treatment. In her article <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://patients.about.com/od/doctorsandproviders/a/dealwdifficultpts.htm">Doctors Reject Difficult Patients</a>, Patient Empowerment Guide Tricia Torrey gives the example of an overweight woman with diabetes who makes no effort to lose weight, which is critical to her health. Are psychiatric patients any different?<p> Many of you have talked about this in our forums. You believe that a drug is not helping you, or the side effects are too difficult, and stop taking the drug without your doctor's approval. Whether you find you were right or wrong about the problems, your doctor may simply feel you are uncooperative and refuse to continue seeing you.<p> Some of you say that your doctor is arrogant, believing that the drugs prescribed are the <i>only</i> ones that are right for you, no matter what you say. Tricia has written <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://patients.about.com/od/doctorsandproviders/a/arrogantdoctor.htm">guidelines for dealing with arrogant doctors</a> that may help you.<p> But sometimes a doctor will refuse to see a patient who never understands why. Do you see yourself in any of these <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://patients.about.com/od/doctorsandproviders/a/doctorcomplaints.htm">common doctors' complaints</a>?<p> If you've had a doctor "fire" you, what was the reason? And were you better or worse off afterward? Leave a comment and tell us your story.<br />~<i>Marcia</i><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/10/has-a-doctor-turned-you-away.htm">Has a Doctor Turned You Away?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 00:24:58.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/10/has-a-doctor-turned-you-away.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/10/has-a-doctor-turned-you-away.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/10/has-a-doctor-turned-you-away.htm&zItl=Has a Doctor Turned You Away?">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/10/has-a-doctor-turned-you-away.htm 2009-11-10T00:24:58Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/09/some-additional-information-on-the-4000-percent-increase-in-pediatric-bipolar-disorder.htm After posting yesterday's blog - <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/08/4000-percent-increase-in-pediatric-bipolar-disorder-sobering-statistic-or-sensational-twist.htm"><i>4,000 Percent Increase in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder - Sobering Statistic or Sensational Twist?</i></a> - I forwarded it to Dr. Anthony Rao, one of the authors of <a href="http://anthonyrao.com/book.html"><i>The Way of Boys: Raising Healthy Boys in a Challenging and Complex World</i></a>. I asked him about source of the referenced statistics and about his input regarding the goals of the book.<p> The 4,000 percent increase is from a 2007 study published in the <i>Archives of General Psychiatry</i> entitled "National Trends in the Outpatient Diagnosis and Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Youth." The article was published by a research team at Columbia University lead by Dr. Mark Olson. And the relevant text ...<p> "There has been a recent national increase in the number of office-based visits with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, with an especially impressive increase among visits by younger patients. While the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in adults increased nearly 2-fold during the 10-year study period, the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in youth increased approximately 40-fold during this period."<p> Dr. Rao further noted, "Their findings cover a recent 10-year period between '94 and '03 in outpatient visits for children and adolescents as recorded from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. The majority (66.5%) were males - which goes to the point of my book, <i>The Way of Boys</i>, whereby I make the case that boys in the US are disproportionately represented in use of psychiatric diagnoses and psychotropic medications." <p> So I believe the answer to my question is that this is a sobering statistic. There are considerably more children being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. However, the authors of the referenced article also note that this does not necessarily mean more kids now have bipolar disorder.<p> "The impressive increase in the diagnosis of childhood and adolescent bipolar disorder in US office-based practice indicates a shift in clinical diagnostic practices. In broad terms, either bipolar disorder was historically under diagnosed in children and adolescents and that problem has now been rectified, or bipolar disorder is currently being over diagnosed in this age group. Without independent systematic diagnostic assessments, we cannot confidently select between these competing hypotheses." <p> Thus, Dr. Rao further shares, "In the book, I outline my observations that are contributing to these trends - as well as provide parents with helpful information and straightforward parenting strategies to manage their young boys through the early challenging years of boyhood. My main point is not to rush into diagnoses and medications too early, promote more accurate diagnosing among professionals, help parents know the difference between a real symptom and transient developmental struggle, how to seek better professional help, and know when medications can be helpful (and not to use them exclusively when there are other research-based interventions available)."<p> <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/09/some-additional-information-on-the-4000-percent-increase-in-pediatric-bipolar-disorder.htm">Some Additional Information on the 4,000 Percent Increase in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 07:46:26.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/09/some-additional-information-on-the-4000-percent-increase-in-pediatric-bipolar-disorder.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/09/some-additional-information-on-the-4000-percent-increase-in-pediatric-bipolar-disorder.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/09/some-additional-information-on-the-4000-percent-increase-in-pediatric-bipolar-disorder.htm&zItl=Some Additional Information on the 4,000 Percent Increase in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/09/some-additional-information-on-the-4000-percent-increase-in-pediatric-bipolar-disorder.htm 2009-11-09T07:46:26Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/08/4000-percent-increase-in-pediatric-bipolar-disorder-sobering-statistic-or-sensational-twist.htm This week a headline snagged my attention in Google news proclaiming <a href="http://www.basilandspice.com/mind-and-body/bipolar-disorder-increases-4000-percent-in-children-and-adol.html"><i>Bipolar Disorder Increases 4,000 Percent in Children and Adolescents</i></a>.<p> The article is Lynette Fleming's review of the book <a href="http://anthonyrao.com/book.html"><i>The Way of Boys: Raising Healthy Boys in a Challenging and Complex World</i></a> by Anthony Rao and Michelle Seaton. The basic premise of the book is that "as a culture, we are increasingly failing to respect young boyhood, pathologizing normal boy behavior and foisting burdensome and stigmatizing diagnoses of ADHD, Asperger's syndrome, bipolar disorder, and more on boys as young as three years old."<p> I haven't read the book, though it is now on my list, so I can't make any comment about its veracity or if it includes this specific statistic. 4,000 percent? Really? Is this figure accurate or a sensational twist to grad attention? It sure did catch mine. This figure is significantly higher than the figures I've seen in published research.<p> As I shared in <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/od/children/a/early_onset.htm"><i>Childhood Onset Bipolar Disorder - Beyond Obscurity</i></a>, Brady Case and Anthony Russo, researchers at New York University, reported that the number of children under 18 who had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder increased fourfold between 1999 and 2000. Another report shows up to a 600 percent increase in children under the age of 13 diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the past 10 years.<p> Whether the figure is fourfold, 600 percent or 4,000 percent, bipolar disorder is being diagnosed with significantly more frequency in children. However, these numbers are painting a colorless, two-dimensional perspective on the reality of childhood onset bipolar disorder. The increases are in number of diagnoses and probably not in actual cases. It has only been in the last decade or so that the medical community began to recognize that bipolar disorder did develop in children. Prior to that, children experiencing these problems received other diagnoses such as attention deficit disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, etc.<p> So are there more kids are who sick now then there were ten years ago? There really isn't data to support an answer to this question, which I believe is the point the authors of <i>The Way of Boys</i> is trying to make. Focus on the individual child and the child's needs.<p> After posting this blog, I forwarded it to Dr. Anthony Rao. I asked him about source of the referenced statistics and about his input regarding the goals of the book. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/09/some-additional-information-on-the-4000-percent-increase-in-pediatric-bipolar-disorder.htm">Here is his response.</a> <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/08/4000-percent-increase-in-pediatric-bipolar-disorder-sobering-statistic-or-sensational-twist.htm">4,000 Percent Increase in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder – Sobering Statistic or Sensational Twist?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Sunday, November 8th, 2009 at 10:20:57.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/08/4000-percent-increase-in-pediatric-bipolar-disorder-sobering-statistic-or-sensational-twist.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/08/4000-percent-increase-in-pediatric-bipolar-disorder-sobering-statistic-or-sensational-twist.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/08/4000-percent-increase-in-pediatric-bipolar-disorder-sobering-statistic-or-sensational-twist.htm&zItl=4,000 Percent Increase in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder – Sobering Statistic or Sensational Twist?">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/08/4000-percent-increase-in-pediatric-bipolar-disorder-sobering-statistic-or-sensational-twist.htm 2009-11-08T10:20:57Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/06/can-those-with-mental-illnesses-serve-in-the-u-s-military.htm I don't think anyone should be surprised the answer is no. As per the United States Army's regulation 40-501, the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r40_501.pdf">Standards of Medical Fitness</a>, mental illnesses are disqualifying. Section 2-27 Learning, Psychiatric and Behavior Disorders provides an extensive list of specific disorders and conditions. In example, here are the specific rulings regarding mood disorders such as bipolar disorder:<p> <i>d. Current mood disorders including, but not limited to, major depression (296.2-3), bipolar (296.4-7), affective psychoses (296.8-9), depressive not otherwise specified (311), are disqualifying.<p> (1) History of mood disorders requiring outpatient care for longer than 6 months by a physician or other mental health professional (V65.40), or inpatient treatment in a hospital or residential facility is disqualifying.<p> (2) History of symptoms consistent with a mood disorder of a repeated nature that impairs school, social, or work efficiency is disqualifying.</i><p> And yet there are any number of individuals with mental illness who are serving in the military. Scan any discussion board on this topic and you will find scads of advice about how to circumvent the regulations most in the vein of don't ask, don't tell. I even read one woman's story about how her recruiter counseled her to stop her meds and not include her psychiatric history in her medical write-up. Needless to say she washed out of boot camp.<p> In light of yesterday's <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/06/latest-updates-on-shootings-at-fort-hood/?hp">tragic event at Foot Hood</a> and given the reported lack of mental stability of the perpetrator, <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/06/us/06suspect.html?_r=1&#038;hp">Major Nidal Malik Hasan</a>, we are going to see a lot of discussion over the next few weeks regarding mental health of those serving in our armed forces. What is your take on this? <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/06/can-those-with-mental-illnesses-serve-in-the-u-s-military.htm">Can Those with Mental Illnesses Serve in the U.S. Military?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 10:08:48.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/06/can-those-with-mental-illnesses-serve-in-the-u-s-military.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/06/can-those-with-mental-illnesses-serve-in-the-u-s-military.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/06/can-those-with-mental-illnesses-serve-in-the-u-s-military.htm&zItl=Can Those with Mental Illnesses Serve in the U.S. Military?">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/06/can-those-with-mental-illnesses-serve-in-the-u-s-military.htm 2009-11-06T10:08:48Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/03/bp-and-postpartum.htm "Women with bipolar disorder have dramatically elevated rates of <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/relateddisorders/a/postpartumpsych.htm">postpartum psychosis</a> as well as an increased risk of <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://adam.about.com/encyclopedia/infectiousdiseases/Post-partum-depression.htm">postpartum depression</a>," says Susan Hatters Friedman, M.D., in an editorial published in this month's edition of the <i>American Journal of Psychiatry</i>. And a study published in the same edition notes that "Research on postpartum mood disorders has ... largely ignored or neglected bipolar II disorder." As a result, say the researchers, women with bipolar postpartum depression are often treated inappropriately with antidepressants alone.<p> This made me wonder about the women in our community who have had children. Did you experience postpartum depression or postpartum psychosis? If so, how was it treated - and do you think it was the right treatment?<br /> ~<i>Marcia</i><p> <small><b>Sources:</b><br /> Sharma, V, et al. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/166/11/1217">Bipolar II Postpartum Depression: Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment</a>. <i>American Journal of Psychiatry</i> 166.11 (2009): 1271. Web. 2 Nov 2009.<br /> Friedman, S.H. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/166/11/1201">Postpartum Mood Disorders: Genetic Progress and Treatment Paradigms</a>. <i>American Journal of Psychiatry</i> 166.11 (2009): 1201. Web. 2 Nov 2009.<p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/03/bp-and-postpartum.htm">Bipolar Disorder and Post-Partum Disorders</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 00:51:57.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/03/bp-and-postpartum.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/03/bp-and-postpartum.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/03/bp-and-postpartum.htm&zItl=Bipolar Disorder and Post-Partum Disorders">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/03/bp-and-postpartum.htm 2009-11-03T00:51:57Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/02/stephen-fry-quits-twitter.htm <img src="http://z.about.com/d/bipolar/1/0/2/E/stephenfry.final.jpg" align="right" hspace="3" vspace="3">A few days ago, acclaimed British actor and writer Stephen Fry, upset about Twitter posts directed to him, first posted this tweet in reply to someone who called his tweets "boring": "You've convinced me. I'm obviously not good enough. I retire from Twitter henceforward. Bye everyone."<p> Just a few minutes later, Fry posted, "Think I may have to give up on Twitter. Too much aggression and unkindness around. Pity. Well, it's been fun." His next tweet, after supporters began to rally round him: "Well maybe I'll see how I feel in a few days. Very low and depressed at the moment and any drop of meanness makes it so much worse. Sorry."<p> And that evening, he tweeted: "Arrived in LA feeling very foolish. Wasn't the fault of the fellow who called me 'boring,' BTW. A mood thing. Sunshine will help. So sorry."<p> Fry, who has been candid about his struggle with bipolar disorder and has campaigned to raise money for mental health charities, later said he felt "sheepish" about the exchange. There was an avalanche of supportive messages in response to his "I'm leaving" message, and he urged people to "be nice" to the person who said he was boring.<p> Do you Twitter about bipolar disorder? Do you mention it on Facebook or MySpace? If so, what sorts of responses do you get? I have many Facebook friends through games who don't know me at all, but when I post about my bipolar ups and downs, those who respond are always kind and encouraging. Is that your experience, too - or do you get nasty remarks?<br />~<i>Marcia</i><p> <small><b>Image:</b> Tim Whitby / Getty Images<p> <b>Sources:</b><br /> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Showbiz-News/Sheepish-Stephen-Fry-Returns-To-Twitter-Actor-Upset-by-Unkindness-And-Aggression-On-Site/Article/200910415427787?lpos=Showbiz_News_Third_UK_News_Article_Teaser_Region__6&#038;lid=ARTICLE_15427787_Sheepish_Stephen_Fry_Returns_To_Twitter%3A_Actor_Upset_by_Unkindness_And_Aggression_On_Site">"Sheepish" Stephen Fry Returns To Twitter</a><br /> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/stephenfry">Stephen Fry on Twitter</a></small><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/02/stephen-fry-quits-twitter.htm">Stephen Fry "Quits" Twitter, Then Returns: "A mood thing"</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 19:38:00.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/02/stephen-fry-quits-twitter.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/02/stephen-fry-quits-twitter.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/02/stephen-fry-quits-twitter.htm&zItl=Stephen Fry "Quits" Twitter, Then Returns: "A mood thing"">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/11/02/stephen-fry-quits-twitter.htm 2009-11-02T19:38:00Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/27/kids-are-gaining-weight-on-medications-too.htm We have long discussed the infuriating reality that many of the medications that really seem to work for us cause huge weight gains. In <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2007/11/06/seroquel-and-weight-gain.htm">Seroquel and Weight Gain</a>, hundreds of you have shared comments like ... from a size 2 to a size 8 in the first two weeks ... gained 100lbs ... gone from 130 to 195 ... gained over 20 lbs ... And to confound all the frustration, far too often our doctors ignore or minimize the impact weight gain has on our lives.<p> So I was quite interested to read Lindsey Tanner's review, <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/scitech/2009/10/27/D9BJL2K05_us_med_psychiatric_drugs_kids/index.html">Alarming Weight Gain Seen in Kids on Psych Drugs</a>. This study tackles two issues - medication weight gain and research of side effects in children.<p> During the study period of eleven weeks, the kids - each just starting treatment with an antipsychotic medication - gained 10 to 20 pounds. From what I've gathered, all 205 of the kids gained weight - 100% of them. Ouch!<p> Why the weight gain with these meds? Researchers are not exactly sure, but believe it is probably related to increased appetite, changes in how the body metabolizes sugar and decreases in activity due to sedation.<p> Tanner reports, "The study authors said their results show that children on the drugs should be closely monitored for weight gain and other side effects, and that when possible, other medicines should be tried first."<p> My son took <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/abilify/a/meds_abilify.htm">Abilify</a> for several years. He also gained weight quickly and kept it on the entire time he took the medication. His psychiatrist was very diligent in monitoring his <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://cholesterol.about.com/od/gettingtested/g/lipidpanel.htm">lipid panel</a> and weight reducing the dosage to a minimum whenever his symptoms allowed. How do you and your doctor work on the weight issue? <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/27/kids-are-gaining-weight-on-medications-too.htm">Kids Are Gaining Weight on Medications Too</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 at 21:42:15.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/27/kids-are-gaining-weight-on-medications-too.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/27/kids-are-gaining-weight-on-medications-too.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/27/kids-are-gaining-weight-on-medications-too.htm&zItl=Kids Are Gaining Weight on Medications Too">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/27/kids-are-gaining-weight-on-medications-too.htm 2009-10-27T21:42:15Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/26/stigma-a-toxic-deadly-hazard-to-be-eliminated.htm "Stigma is a toxic, deadly hazard, which must be eliminated," proclaims Brigadier General Loree Sutton in a public service announcement created for BringChange2Mind. And this is the battle that Glenn Close and her family have taken on.<p> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.bringchange2mind.org/">BringChange2Mind</a> is a nonprofit organization founded by Glenn Close, an Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony award winner and Oscar nominee currently starring in the series "Damages." Glenn's sister, Jessie Close, has bipolar disorder, and Jessie's son, Calen Pick, has schizo-affective disorder reports Katie Escherich with ABC News in <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/glenn-close-sister-jessie-close-tackle-mental-illness/Story?id=8871476#"><i>Glenn Close and Family Tackle Stigma of Mental Illness</i></a>.<p> "Mental illness is just part of the human condition," the actress said today on "Good Morning America," adding that her family hopes that the sisters' campaign will help foster a dialogue about a condition that we should "talk about as openly as cancer or diabetes."<p> <embed src="http://blip.tv/play/hMYXgafKIQI" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="240" height="195" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/26/stigma-a-toxic-deadly-hazard-to-be-eliminated.htm">Stigma – A Toxic, Deadly Hazard to Be Eliminated</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 11:07:56.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/26/stigma-a-toxic-deadly-hazard-to-be-eliminated.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/26/stigma-a-toxic-deadly-hazard-to-be-eliminated.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/26/stigma-a-toxic-deadly-hazard-to-be-eliminated.htm&zItl=Stigma – A Toxic, Deadly Hazard to Be Eliminated">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/26/stigma-a-toxic-deadly-hazard-to-be-eliminated.htm 2009-10-26T11:07:56Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/22/bipolar-disorder-derails-blue-octobers-suicide-prevention-tour.htm Blue October announced today that <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.pickupthephone.org/">The Pick Up The Phone Tour 2009</a> - a benefit tour for suicide prevention - has been canceled due to the hospitalization of Justin Furstenfeld, lead singer of the tour's headlining band Blue October. Justin is being treated for suffering from an extreme mental anxiety attack.<p> "Mental health diseases are unpredictable," says Furstenfeld in the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.blueoctoberfan.com/approachingnormal/news.php#223">press release</a>. "And on the eve of this tour in support of a cause that means the world to me, I am in need of time to heal from a setback in my own personal life, which is severe enough for me to seek hospitalization. I hope that my action to seek the strength and safety of treatment will inspire others that are suffering to do the same."<p> Justin openly discusses his struggles with mental illness and his experiences with bipolar disorder. It has always been clear that he understands the battle those with bipolar disorder fight. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/celebrities/a/furstenfeld.htm">His music touches; it strikes a chord that we understand.</a> I am sure there are many disappointed fans and there will probably be some not-so-happy press coverage, but I think this is something our community understands intimately. Join me in wishing Justin a quick return to stability. <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/22/bipolar-disorder-derails-blue-octobers-suicide-prevention-tour.htm">Bipolar Disorder Derails Blue October’s Suicide Prevention Tour</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 at 21:19:25.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/22/bipolar-disorder-derails-blue-octobers-suicide-prevention-tour.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/22/bipolar-disorder-derails-blue-octobers-suicide-prevention-tour.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/22/bipolar-disorder-derails-blue-octobers-suicide-prevention-tour.htm&zItl=Bipolar Disorder Derails Blue October’s Suicide Prevention Tour">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/22/bipolar-disorder-derails-blue-octobers-suicide-prevention-tour.htm 2009-10-22T21:19:25Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/21/what-is-dystonia.htm Dystonia is a rare neurological movement disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions, which force certain parts of the body into abnormal, sometimes painful, movements or postures. It can be inherited due to genetic abnormalities as seen in multiple sclerosis. It can also be caused by brain injuries, toxins and some medications. <p> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/antipsychotics/a/antipsychotics_hub.htm">Antipsychotic medication</a>, often prescribed in the treatment of bipolar disorder, is one class of drugs that can cause dystonia, which is one of several <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/glossary/g/gl_extrapyramid.htm">extrapyramidal side effects</a>. Generally it is the first generation antipsychotics also known as <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/glossaryt/g/gl_typicalantip.htm">typical antipyschotics</a> that can cause these side effects. <p> There is no cure for dystonia. However, there are a few options for treating the symptoms of the disorder. One of the most common treatments is <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://drugsaz.about.com/od/drugs/botox.htm">Botox</a>. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/cs/menu_meds/a/benzodiazepines.htm">Benzodiazepines</a> and drugs with <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://ibs.about.com/od/glossary/g/Anticholeffect.htm">anticholinergic effects</a> may also be used. Physical therapy is another option.<p> In the last few days, dystonia has been making headlines because of <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/One-in-a-Million-Shot-64189142.html">news reports and video footage of Desiree Jennings</a> who developed dystonia 10 days after receiving a seasonal flu vaccine. There is now speculation this may be a reaction to the vaccine. <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/21/what-is-dystonia.htm">What Is Dystonia?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 at 20:26:34.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/21/what-is-dystonia.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/21/what-is-dystonia.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/21/what-is-dystonia.htm&zItl=What Is Dystonia?">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/21/what-is-dystonia.htm 2009-10-21T20:26:34Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/20/mental-illness-poorer-medical-care.htm That's the conclusion of a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry this past June. Researchers led by Dr. Alex Mitchell of the University of Leicester examined 31 existing studies that looked at medical care for people with and without mental illness and/or substance abuse problems. In about two-thirds of the studies, people with current or prior diagnoses of mental illness/substance abuse received poorer medical care than those without such diagnoses.<p> It didn't matter whether the patients were currently exhibiting psychiatric symptoms - what mattered was that the psychiatric diagnosis existed. In many cases, these patients were seeing their doctors more frequently, yet the quality of care received was inferior.<p> "We found that despite similar or actually more frequent medical contacts, there are often disparities in the physical healthcare delivered to those with psychiatric illness with frankly poorer care offered to (or accepted by) those with pre-existing mental health problems," said Dr. Mitchell. He went on to say, "Often there is a temptation for clinicians to attribute any physical symptom to the psychiatric diagnosis without necessarily assessing the person thoroughly."<p> What's your experience? Does your medical doctor ever put your physical symptoms down to mental illness?<p> <small><b>Source:</b> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www2.le.ac.uk/ebulletin/news/press-releases/2000-2009/2009/06/nparticle.2009-06-02.4963967819">New study shows people with mental health problems receive inadequate medical care</a></small> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/About-Bipolar-Disorder/247528340444?ref=ts">FACEBOOK</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/20/mental-illness-poorer-medical-care.htm">Mental Illness = Poorer Medical Care</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 at 01:46:59.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/20/mental-illness-poorer-medical-care.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/20/mental-illness-poorer-medical-care.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/20/mental-illness-poorer-medical-care.htm&zItl=Mental Illness = Poorer Medical Care">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/20/mental-illness-poorer-medical-care.htm 2009-10-20T01:46:59Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/19/why-did-manic-depression-become-bipolar-disorder.htm Manic depression is a term commonly used for bipolar disorder. It is actually the earliest name of this disorder used as an official diagnosis. However, bipolar disorder is now the official diagnostic title for this disorder. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/definingbipolardisorder/a/manic_depression_changes_names.htm">Why did manic depression become bipolar disorder?</a> <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/19/why-did-manic-depression-become-bipolar-disorder.htm">Why Did Manic Depression Become Bipolar Disorder?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Monday, October 19th, 2009 at 20:25:18.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/19/why-did-manic-depression-become-bipolar-disorder.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/19/why-did-manic-depression-become-bipolar-disorder.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/19/why-did-manic-depression-become-bipolar-disorder.htm&zItl=Why Did Manic Depression Become Bipolar Disorder?">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/19/why-did-manic-depression-become-bipolar-disorder.htm 2009-10-19T20:25:18Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/18/using-social-networking-to-gage-suicidal-thoughts.htm Nancy Schimelpfening, the About.com Guide to Depression, posted an interesting blog this week about research into suicide. "By analyzing posts made on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, it may be possible to help prevent suicide, according to Victoria University researchers Dr. Tiong-Thye Goh and Yen-Pei Huang." The researchers are scanning posts with a goal of identifying phrases that may indicate a person in trouble. Nancy asks, "<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://depression.about.com/b/2009/10/14/social-networking-sites-are-good-barometer-of-suicidal-intent-say-researchers.htm">What do you think about this idea? </a>Would it help people at risk? Or would it prevent users from speaking freely about how they are feeling?"<p> Suicide is a very real issue for those with bipolar disorder. Some estimates put the rate high as twenty percent of those with bipolar disorder who will kill themselves. That's one out of every five! And as many as thirty percent of all people with this disorder may attempt suicide at least once in their lives. So, the subject of suicide is not something we can ignore. Each of us needs to know the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/cs/suicide/a/9805_redflags3.htm">warnings signs, the red flags, of suicide</a> so we may be prepared to help a friend in crisis, prepared to see the cry for help from a loved one, prepared to seek help when our own resources for coping have worn thin. <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/About-Bipolar-Disorder/247528340444?ref=ts">FACEBOOK</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/18/using-social-networking-to-gage-suicidal-thoughts.htm">Using Social Networking to Gauge Suicidal Thoughts</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Sunday, October 18th, 2009 at 18:40:03.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/18/using-social-networking-to-gage-suicidal-thoughts.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/18/using-social-networking-to-gage-suicidal-thoughts.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/18/using-social-networking-to-gage-suicidal-thoughts.htm&zItl=Using Social Networking to Gauge Suicidal Thoughts">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/18/using-social-networking-to-gage-suicidal-thoughts.htm 2009-10-18T18:40:03Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/18/fears-questions-about-the-h1n1-swine-flu-vaccine.htm Have you been watching or reading about all the controversy surrounding the H1N1 vaccines? How could you miss is it, right? I've been reading and catching snags of news reports, but hadn't really put a lot of thought into it until this past week. In the next weeks the schools in my area will begin administering H1N1 vaccines to students (with parental permission, of course). So now I've been doing some reading as a mom rather than just a journalist.<p> The first thing I checked was regarding any possible drug interactions with the vaccine, something I thought many of you may also be wondering about. The FDA approved <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM182401.pdf">package insert</a> distributed with the vaccines does not list any drug interactions. <p> Here are a few additional resources I found helpful:<p> <ul><li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://coldflu.about.com/b/2009/10/09/are-you-afraid-of-the-h1n1-swine-flu-vaccine.htm">Are You Afraid of the H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine?</a> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://pediatrics.about.com/od/swineflu/a/910_vac_cntvsy.htm">Swine Flu Vaccine Safety and Controversies</a> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://patients.about.com/od/h1n1swineflu/a/swinefluvaccine.htm">Swine Flu Vaccines and Vaccinations - What Do You Need to Know?</a> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://patients.about.com/od/patientempowermentissues/a/whoflushot.htm">Why Young, Healthy People Need Flu Shots</a> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://foodallergies.about.com/b/2009/07/05/will-the-new-swine-flu-vaccine-be-safe-for-folks-with-egg-allergy.htm">Will the New Swine Flu Vaccine be Safe for Folks with Egg Allergy?</a> </ul> <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.facebook.com/pages/About-Bipolar-Disorder/247528340444?ref=ts">FACEBOOK</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/18/fears-questions-about-the-h1n1-swine-flu-vaccine.htm">Fears & Questions about the H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Sunday, October 18th, 2009 at 15:44:02.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/18/fears-questions-about-the-h1n1-swine-flu-vaccine.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/18/fears-questions-about-the-h1n1-swine-flu-vaccine.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/18/fears-questions-about-the-h1n1-swine-flu-vaccine.htm&zItl=Fears & Questions about the H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/18/fears-questions-about-the-h1n1-swine-flu-vaccine.htm 2009-10-18T15:44:02Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/12/what-is-wrong-with-me-2.htm <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/onlineresources/a/what_is_wrong_with_me.htm">What is wrong with me?</a> In May 2007, Marcia blogged a poem entitled "What Is Wrong with Me?" This simple but poignant post struck a chord, receiving <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2007/05/23/what-is-wrong-with-me.htm#comments">hundreds of comments</a> from people who Googled this phrase.<p> We've all asked ourselves this at one time or another. In this age of information at our finger tips, we take our questions to the internet so it should be no surprise that people experiencing emotional upheaval or mental difficulties would also use this tool to try to figure out what is going on with them. <p> Have you ever typed this phrase or something similar into a search engine such as Google? <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/u/ua/onlineresources/what_is_wrong_with_me.htm">Why did you search for this?</a> <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/12/what-is-wrong-with-me-2.htm">What Is Wrong with Me?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Monday, October 12th, 2009 at 06:00:55.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/12/what-is-wrong-with-me-2.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/12/what-is-wrong-with-me-2.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/12/what-is-wrong-with-me-2.htm&zItl=What Is Wrong with Me?">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/12/what-is-wrong-with-me-2.htm 2009-10-12T06:00:55Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/11/brittle-bipolar-disorder.htm I recently read a post where a woman noted she had been diagnosed with "brittle" bipolar disorder. When we talk about a diagnosis of bipolar disorder there are many descriptors medical professionals and patients use to further define the illness. However, brittle is not included in the formal <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/cs/faqs/f/faq_dsm.htm">DSM-IV classification system</a> nor is it a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/frequentlyaskedquestions/f/faq_specifiers.htm">diagnostic specifier</a>.<p> I did some research and found that the term <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/od/glossaryb/g/brittle.htm"><i>brittle</i></a> may be used when there is a history of easy relapse or when symptoms associated with the illness fluctuate unpredictably. When applied to bipolar disorder, brittle usually denotes that your mood swings are easily triggered and quickly switch between the poles of depression and mania.<p> What terms has your doctor used to describe your diagnosis? <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/11/brittle-bipolar-disorder.htm">Brittle Bipolar Disorder</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Sunday, October 11th, 2009 at 14:21:51.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/11/brittle-bipolar-disorder.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/11/brittle-bipolar-disorder.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/11/brittle-bipolar-disorder.htm&zItl=Brittle Bipolar Disorder">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/11/brittle-bipolar-disorder.htm 2009-10-11T14:21:51Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/06/trouble-taking-pills.htm Almost two years ago I blogged about the problems I had taking a six-pointed pill in <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2007/11/19/lamictal-tastes-terrible.htm">Lamictal Tastes Terrible</a>. Sixty comments later, Nicholas posted a trick that I have found extremely useful. He wrote:<p> "I have an update on my personal use of the stuff. I think maybe people don't know how to properly swallow pills - at least to my knowledge, I was never really 'taught' how to do so. I had a huge problem with the things sticking in my throat and making me gag, but I never do anymore. You just need to get plenty of water in your mouth and <i>tilt your head back</i>. I think you will no longer have any trouble taking the stuff or any other pill if you do so. Simply tilting my head all the way back so it goes straight down my throat has allowed me to not only have it go down smooth, but I can now take 6 or 7 of my medication pills in a single swallow with this method."<p> I've tried it, and it <i>works</i> for me. For example, I take four huge fish oil capsules a day. Since they're slick, sometimes I don't have a problem, but some days they do make me gag. The method of swallowing pills Nicholas gave works every time with these monster capsules. I just have to make sure I'm not about to cough to avoid the danger of inhaling liquid (or pills). (I haven't tried multiple pills at one time because too many of my pills are very large.)<p> Do you have tricks that help you get your meds down? Leave a comment and tell us about it.<p> ~<i>Marcia</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/About-Bipolar-Disorder/247528340444?ref=ts">FACEBOOK</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/06/trouble-taking-pills.htm">Trouble Taking Pills?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 at 03:26:40.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/06/trouble-taking-pills.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/06/trouble-taking-pills.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/06/trouble-taking-pills.htm&zItl=Trouble Taking Pills?">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/06/trouble-taking-pills.htm 2009-10-06T03:26:40Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/05/wishful-drinking-starring-carrie-fisher.htm <a href="http://www.roundabouttheatre.org/54/index.htm"><i>Wishful Drinking</i></a>, the bold memoir of Carrie Fisher, is now a one woman show featuring Carrie Fisher herself. Her "sensationally bizarre life story" opened on Broadway at Studio54 last night in which she "divulges all the highs and lows of life as a Hollywood princess, including her battles with depression, mental illness and any number of addictions, affairs and breakdowns...and whatever else she can still remember."<p> In <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/theater/reviews/05brantley.html?hpw">Just Me and My Celebrity Shadows</a>, Ben Brantley with <i>The New York Times</i> reviews the show, "Barefoot in pajamas and a robe, lounging in a kitsch-filled sanctum-in-outer-space designed by Alexander V. Nichols, Ms. Fisher makes you feel you've arrived for a slumber party to swap confidences ... Ms. Fisher knows herself - or the work of fiction she admits she partly is - and the myriad ways she might be perceived. This is essential if you are going to be turned into a sex doll, a Pez dispenser and an illustration in a book of abnormal psychology."<p> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/cs/celebs/a/carriefisher.htm">Carrie Fisher</a>, the child of two Hollywood stars - Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher - started out with a lot going for her and something against her, too - manic depression, which her mother says is genetic. Carrie was onstage as part of her mother's night club act at age 12, and in her young teens was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. At 19 she had her first movie role, in <i>Shampoo</i>. In 1977, she starred in <i>Star Wars</i>, her most memorable role as Princess Leia. <i>~Kimberly</i><p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/05/wishful-drinking-starring-carrie-fisher.htm">Wishful Drinking - Starring Carrie Fisher</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Monday, October 5th, 2009 at 08:02:38.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/05/wishful-drinking-starring-carrie-fisher.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/05/wishful-drinking-starring-carrie-fisher.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/05/wishful-drinking-starring-carrie-fisher.htm&zItl=Wishful Drinking - Starring Carrie Fisher">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/10/05/wishful-drinking-starring-carrie-fisher.htm 2009-10-05T08:02:38Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/30/chronotherapy-to-entrepreneurialism-coping-strategies-for-living-with-bipolar-disorder.htm For those with life-long illnesses such as bipolar disorder, coping strategies are vital for achieving and maintaining stability. However, Dr. Charles Raison, a Psychiatrist at Emory University Medical School, hits the nail on the head when he comments that "bipolar disorder is too difficult to succumb to any single type of 'magic bullet.'" And this is why we see coping strategies as varied and different as the individuals who have this disorder.<p> Dr. Raison discusses the pros and difficulties of <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/expert.q.a/09/29/bipolar.symptoms.routine.raison/index.html">keeping a routine to help control bipolar symptoms</a>. "I have personally had great luck with using routines (or more formally chronotherapy) to help people with bipolar disorder. One of the sickest patients I ever cared for was able to completely turn her life around by committing deeply to establishing very strict routines that helped stabilize her sleep."<p> Margaux Salcedo, with Sunday Inquirer Magazine, reports that Jetro, owner of the Van Gogh is Bipolar restaurant in Quezon City in the Philippines, has <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/sim/sim/view/20090927-227071/Food-for-Bipolar-Diners">found his solution in food</a>. "Diagnosed as being bipolar since he was young and having experienced medication that made him feel worse, he began experimenting with his diet, cooking with ingredients that made him happy and avoiding food that would lead him to spiral into depression." He has taken his coping strategy and turned it into his business. <p> His menu is comprised of cuisine named after celebrities who have bipolar disorder. There is an <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/cs/celebs/a/axlrose.htm">Axl Rose</a> Egg Shot, a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/cs/celebs/a/sting.htm">Sting</a> Hot Cherry Potato and <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/cs/celebs/a/larryflynt.htm">Larry Flynt's</a> Cabbage Experience. And of course, <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/celebrities/p/vangogh.htm">Van Gogh</a> rice.<p> Do you have any solid or unique coping strategies for living with bipolar disorder? <i>~Kimberly</i> <p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/30/chronotherapy-to-entrepreneurialism-coping-strategies-for-living-with-bipolar-disorder.htm">Chronotherapy to Entrepreneurialism – Coping Strategies for Living with Bipolar Disorder</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 at 18:12:37.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/30/chronotherapy-to-entrepreneurialism-coping-strategies-for-living-with-bipolar-disorder.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/30/chronotherapy-to-entrepreneurialism-coping-strategies-for-living-with-bipolar-disorder.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/30/chronotherapy-to-entrepreneurialism-coping-strategies-for-living-with-bipolar-disorder.htm&zItl=Chronotherapy to Entrepreneurialism – Coping Strategies for Living with Bipolar Disorder">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/30/chronotherapy-to-entrepreneurialism-coping-strategies-for-living-with-bipolar-disorder.htm 2009-09-30T18:12:37Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/29/national-depression-screening-day.htm "Did you know that more than <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.southtownstar.com/lifestyles/1795063,092909toyourhealth.article">15 million American adults suffer from some type of depression</a>?" asked Dr. Anil Gandhi. "That's about 10 percent of the adult population. Unfortunately, with the economic recession and subsequent loss of jobs, the number of Americans with depression is growing." This makes the upcoming National Depression Screening Day that much more vital.<p> National Depression Screening Day is next Thursday, October 8. Since 1991 this event, sponsored by <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/">Screening for Mental Health</a>, is held every year on the Thursday of Mental Illness Awareness Week. It has now grown into a program that includes screening for depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, alcohol problems, and suicide prevention.<p> Screening for Mental Health works with <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://register.mentalhealthscreening.org/Locator1.aspx?MPEID=14">local organizations throughout the United States</a> as well as some <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://register.mentalhealthscreening.org/Locator3.aspx?NonUS=1">Canadian centers</a> to provide both in-person screening events and online screening tools to help patients identify the services they need and promote positive mental health.<p> Why should you consider screening? Nancy Schimelpfening, the About.com Guide to Depression, shares, "<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://depression.about.com/od/diagnosis/a/ndsd.htm">Screenings are free and completely confidential</a>. The screening is an opportunity to learn more about anxiety and mood disorders, complete a brief screening questionnaire, and speak one-on-one with a mental health professional. If appropriate, you may be referred for a complete evaluation."<p> Have you participated in a National Screening Day event? What was your experience? <i>~Kimberly</i><p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/29/national-depression-screening-day.htm">National Depression Screening Day</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 at 13:42:16.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/29/national-depression-screening-day.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/29/national-depression-screening-day.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/29/national-depression-screening-day.htm&zItl=National Depression Screening Day">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/29/national-depression-screening-day.htm 2009-09-29T13:42:16Z http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/28/bipolar-disorder-and-bad-judgment.htm <img src="http://z.about.com/d/bipolar/1/0/r/D/delonte_west.jpg" alt="Delonte West" align="right" hspace="3" vspace="3" />For an illustration of how bipolar disorder can disrupt a live because of bad judgment, we only need to look at the story of NBA player Delonte West. Last year, as <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/bill_livingston/index.ssf?/base/sports/1253781147213220.xml&#038;coll=2">Bill Livingston reports</a> in the <i>Cleveland Plain Dealer</i>, West left his team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, for several weeks of treatment after "an explosive outburst at a referee" during training camp. But the problems didn't end there. In spite of having a stellar season, West continued to exhibit serious behavior problems and mood swings.<p> Now West has been arrested and charged after he was found to be carrying concealed firearms - two handguns and a shotgun. News reports note that he is likely to face a relatively short suspension from play, but the Cavaliers have some decisions to make as well. West has an illness, as Livingston points out. That doesn't mean ignoring his bad behavior, but it does help explain it.<p> At the Cavaliers' media day, <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2009/09/high_winds_knock_out_the_light.html">West told reporters</a> he was "off his routine" and is now back on his medications, but declined to answer any other questions about his arrest. One big question is, will he stay on his meds now?<p> As we noted in <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/od/complianceissues/a/5badreasons.htm">5 Bad Reasons Not to Take Meds</a>, too often people with bipolar disorder stop taking medications because they "feel fine now," because of side effects, or for other reasons.<p> Delonte West's bipolar disorder is affecting more than his game. Fortunately for him, carrying a concealed weapon is a misdemeanor in his state, not a felony, but the incident shows very bad judgment on his part and could be a predictor of future behavior if he doesn't stick with his treatment.<p> What about you? Has bad judgment because of your bipolar disorder caused major problems in your life? <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/u/ua/definingbipolardisorder/bad_judgment.htm">Share your story</a> - it could be a cautionary tale that helps someone in the future.<small><p> <i>Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images</i></small><p align=center>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br /><em>Learn more or join the conversation!</em> <br />_{<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER </a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://forums.about.com/ab-bipolar/start/?lgnF=y">FORUM</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://bipolar.about.com/mbiopage.htm">BIO</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://twitter.com/Keleila">TWITTER</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/About-Bipolar-Disorder/247528340444?ref=ts">FACEBOOK</a>} <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .</p> <p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/28/bipolar-disorder-and-bad-judgment.htm">Bipolar Disorder and Bad Judgment</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/">About.com Bipolar Disorder</a> on Monday, September 28th, 2009 at 19:15:17.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/28/bipolar-disorder-and-bad-judgment.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/28/bipolar-disorder-and-bad-judgment.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://bipolar.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/28/bipolar-disorder-and-bad-judgment.htm&zItl=Bipolar Disorder and Bad Judgment">Email this</a></p> http://bipolar.about.com/b/2009/09/28/bipolar-disorder-and-bad-judgment.htm 2009-09-28T19:15:17Z