Posted on 09/04/2007 7:31:07 AM PDT by presidio9
The number of young Americans diagnosed with bipolar disorder has risen dramatically in recent years, according to a new study.
This increase highlights the need for "reliability studies" to determine the accuracy of diagnoses of child and adolescent bipolar disorder, conclude the researchers in a report in the latest issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric illness that typically involves periods of mania (abnormally elevated mood) and depression.
Dr. Mark Olfson, from Columbia University, New York and New York State Psychiatric Institute, and colleagues compared increases between 1994-1995 and 2002-2003 in office visits that culminated in a diagnosis of bipolar disorder among individuals aged 19 and younger to that among adults aged 30 and older.
They found that outpatient visits with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in the younger age group increased approximately 40-fold, from 25 per 100,000 in 1994-1995 to 1,003 per 100,000 population in 2002-2003. During the same time, the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in adults increased nearly 2-fold, from 905 to 1,679 per 100,000.
There are two possible reasons for the "impressive increase" in cases of bipolar disorder in young people, the authors say. Either bipolar disorder was historically underdiagnosed in children and adolescents and the problem has now been rectified or bipolar disorder is currently being overdiagnosed in this age group.
"Without independent systematic diagnostic assessments, we cannot confidently select between these competing hypotheses," they note.
Olfson's team also found that the vast majority of youth and adults were prescribed a psychotropic drug at the time of diagnosis of bipolar disorder, including mood stabilizers, antipsychotics and antidepressants.
"There is an urgent need," the researchers warn, to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of drugs commonly used to treat young people diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
SOURCE: Archives of General Psychiatry, September 2007.
Could it be a rise in demon possession? Just a thought.
I am embarrassed to admit this and I suppose I may get a flame or two....but my daughter early on learned about this bipolar thing and since she doesn’t work and has managed to get Social security.
I don’t believe there’s a thing wrong with her and yes, it’s been the source of much angst in my life. See, I CAUGHT her faking.
I wrote a book about it.
You can’t prove bipolar folks.
why izzit?
that every child needs braces - per the orthodontist?
that everybody who wears glasses NOW needs bifocals - per Optamologists?
that every child is bi-polar - per the psych-types?
do I see a pattern here?
I always thought that was the normal status of teenagers and it left them when they finally grew up.
Of course, it could be all the new illegals too.
Hey Vets are doing the same thing with pets. There are all sorts of exciting new diseases for dogs and cats that require prescription foods, regular medication, constant care and of course now FEMA evacuation plans.
End of story.
like autism, a side effect to all of those vaccinations?
This is another “mental illness” scam and a great way to get on SS disability and Medicaid.
Soon there will be no sane, healthy people left and that’s just the way the socialists want it.
I imagine it’s the new in disease. ADHD has already outlived it’s usefulness.
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Yes, seems like the medical community found a way around CHILD DISCIPLINE, now it will be something else.
or bipolar disorder is currently being overdiagnosed in this age group.
with PLENTY of help and motivation from big pharma
I think “bi-polar” is a crap diagnosis....it is non-specific and therefore misused on a grand scale.......not so long ago, it was merely a PC disguise for genuine manic-depression. Big pharma and other all-too-willing cottages industries greatly benefit financially from the hoax of “bipolar”. Geez, different moods are part of the human condition.
Its probably something more simple but more sinister. I bet the doctors got a kickback for prescribing a drug for this problem. More people have the problem, more kickback.
It’s overdiagnosis, imho.
I've always heard kids who act up called "brats". Similarly, when it's hot in the summer it's called "July" or "August", not "Global Warming"......
these illegal aliens, have got to be the most ill people I have ever met. bankrupting our health care system, as well as attending their clinicas (mostly unlicsensed, clinics).
Let’s see. Saturday night after the BC win and a Red Sox No-Hitter I was very happy. Now, the Tuesday after the long Labor Day weekend I’m at work and it’s just not the same. What is my major malfunction?
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