It’s a bipolar world
That’s according to a new study–or new guidelines, actually–cooked up by the National Institute of Mental Health. The gist of it is that if you include so-called subthreshold bipolar disorder, the numbers double. Subthreshold bipolar is diagnosed when the patient almost meets the criteria of bipolar, but falls a little short. The researchers say that reevaluating the data suggests subthreshold is as common as threshold bipolar. But if you include both, doesn’t that make the distinction between them meaningless? I find it confusing.
The point of the study is to encourage clinicians to be more cognizant of bipolar when prescribing. Many subthreshold patients seek help for depression, anxiety and substance abuse, and are given antidepressants–which can make bipolar symptoms worse.
Bipolar Illness Widely Underdiagnosed: Study Shows More Than 4% of U.S. Adults Affected
[This is a photo of a band called Threshold. Why is the man in the lower-right swaddled like that? Maybe he's got subthreshold bipolar and is getting some inappropriate swaddling treatment.]
liz | 10:01 AM | Uncategorized
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