A Mania for Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder
During the past few years, many experts have suggested that manic-depressive, or bipolar, disorder is under-diagnosed. But a bigger problem –partly caused by pharmaceutical companies' exploitation of doctors' fear of under-diagnosis - appears to be over-diagnosis, which needlessly exposes patients to the potentially serious side-effects of prescription medications.
PROVIDENCE, RI – During the past few years, many experts have suggested that bipolar disorder – a serious illness resulting in significant psychosocial morbidity and excess mortality – is under-recognized, particularly in patients with major depression. Even patients who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder often wait more than 10 years after initially seeking treatment for the correct diagnosis to be made.