This is a question posed a lot recently on talk shows, on health blogs and in newspapers across the country. Why?
Because, health commentators say, the diagnosis of bipolar disorder has gone through the roof in the last ten years, especially in young people.
In fact, children with bipolar disorder seem to be everywhere. Researchers have found that the increase in a bipolar disorder is 40 times greater now than it was in the mid 1990s.
The study, lead by Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, finds that there is probably not an actual increase in the amount of children with bipolar disorder. Rather, there was an under-diagnosis in the past or there is a major over-diagnosis now.
But which is it?
Researchers don't know. Some in the field believe that bipolar disorder has been under-diagnosed and like many other conditions, when experts know more, they can diagnose more. Others claim that bipolar disorder is an easy way to dot i's and cross t's, excuses irresponsible behavior, and also fills millions of money-making prescriptions that people don't need and can actually be dangerous.
Many doctors don't even believe it possible to diagnose a young child as bipolar.
Dr John March, of Duke University is not a fan of medicating all these "bipolar" kids. He considers it "one big experiment" on America's children and can lead to dangerous side effects.
It can also lead to labeling that tells a child they can't amount to too much because they are bipolar and need to accept limitations and on the same vein, can allow people to think that they are not accountable for their actions and behaviors because they have a medical 'excuse' for acting how they do.
One thing we know for sure is that bipolar disorder is real and it's a serious condition. According to EmpowHer's encyclopedia, bipolar disorder is characterized by "extreme swings in mood, energy, and ability to function. The mood changes of bipolar disorder are more dramatic than normal ups and downs. They can hurt relationships and cause poor job or school performance. Bipolar disorder can be treated; contact your doctor if you think you may have this condition.
The two extremes of the illness are mania (when energy peaks, mood may be overly euphoric or irritable) and depression (when lethargy takes over, mood may be very blue). Severe episodes of mania or depression may sometimes be associated with psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, or disorders of thought."
Treatment is varied - from medications to talk therapy:
"The following medications may be used to treat bipolar disorder (many patients are treated with a combination of two or more of these medications):
◦Lithium—a mood stabilizer, often used as initial treatment (helps prevent manic and depressive episodes from returning)
◦Valproate (Depakote), carbamazepine (Tegretol), lamotrigine (Lamictal), topiramate (Topamax)—antiseizure medications, also used as mood stabilizers instead or in combination with lithium
◦Benzodiazepines (clonazepam [Klonopin] or lorazepam [Ativan]) can be used to treat agitation or insomnia
◦Zolpidem (Ambien)—used to treat insomnia
◦Antidepressants (serotonin reuptake inhibitors or bupropion [Wellbutrin])—used to treat depression
◦Antipsychotic medications—used for acute manic or mixed episodes and maintenance treatment
■Classic antipsychotic medications (eg, haloperidol [Haldol]) are not often used because of risks of tardive dyskinesia (uncontrollable movements).
■Atypical antipsychotic medications (eg, risperidone, olanzapine, aripiprazole, ziprasidone, and quetiapine) are more effective with less risk of tardive dyskinesia
Treatment may need to be continued for prolonged periods or indefinitely, depending on the pattern of the illness, to prevent significant mood swings."
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, there are more than 5.5 million in the United States with bipolar disorder, which is more than 2.5 percent of the population. A fairly staggering statistic - for every fifty people, more than one has bipolar disorder.
Experts are currently examining signs of bipolar disorder in children as young as preschool age (3 to 5 years old).
Tell Us
How do you feel about the surge in the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, especially in children? Do you feel it shows more education and understanding of the condition or do you think it's diagnosis overkill, and a psychiatric "trend" as some critics have said?
All user-generated information on this site is the opinion of its author only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. Members and guests are responsible for their own posts and the potential consequences of those posts detailed in our Terms of Service.
Add a Comment27 Comments
I think its all crap. Life is full of high highs and low lows and a persons mood changes with these events and feelings. What do DR's today think we should all be mundane zombies performing everyday with no passion or excitement or sadness? Good luck with that!
August 16, 2020 - 1:58pmI was diagnosed bipolar and put on their cornucopia of pharmaceuticals and lost everything I worked 30 years for in accepting any and all which others crammed in my face. I woke up one day and threw their pharmakeia away and am myself again. Sure some days I am happy or sad or both but thats LIFE. These DR's profit greatly handing out their snake oil while we lose what is deep inside of us; feelings and the will to deal with what comes our way with a clear and thinking mind. I realize some people have severe mood swings but most of us can contain ourselves and move on. They can have their toxic soup. I will take what comes my way and sleep well at night knowing I did the best I can. And this is what my mother taught me and what I teach my children. Amen.
This Comment
Thank you for sharing your perspective, Anon!
Susan
August 17, 2020 - 10:45amThis Comment
my whole life i was reinforced negatively that i was weird and something as wrong from the age of coherency. This fed the depression side of my bipolar. I just wanted to be good and try my best but it wasn't enough. My anxiety attacks in school were severely punished, my step dad beat me for symptoms, i ended up in foster care before anything was mentioned about there being a reason no discipline of any nature worked. I hated myself and i really believed everyone else did... so i attempted to be as thoughtful as possible in moments of clarity... probably more mixed messages for those around me unbeknownst. I was labeled adhd.... but the med sent me to a darker level and i did try and end it... suddenly i was aware and i couldn't talk... it was my hell. i felt the worst guilt i've ever experienced... for being myself. they suspected bipolar but who has time for a diagnosis when your 16.... i was free i met a guy just as intense as me and rushed my life away... we rode some fantastic highs together and then some highly dangerous lows... but we were teens so it was cool to be crazy then... then i had two babies with him in a row and i had to go... but i fell into postnatal psychosis and there was no sympathy... with no partner and my symptoms i was punished at first not aided. I lost my babies 3 x to foster care before i was stable and won.... a miracle in itself. i was never going to ever give up on my babies though... they will get the best of me... even if that's not quite as consistent as i desire it. I have a stable partner that really raises me up and sees the best in me and another child since. the symptoms although well managed surprise attack me daily.... i loathe not having control more so now i'm aware.... i feel i should hide from new people that once they know i'll be labeled an attention seeker... which get real... every human is in certain situations... it's probably not the biggest insult ever.... i don't play games for attention... but i seek affection from my partner etc.... but it's definately said in a derogatory manor to people, or i'll be putting it on... cause i love faking being an invalid right???? I agree that i do meert others and immediately scour for similarities... i've self diagnosed several and they rushed right to the docs for my cookie cut diagnosis... i found this page because i'm ashamed of what i've done which was essentially help an already diagnosed ptsd aspie hypochondriac and a substance abuser find a better excuse they can life with...surely they would have a history... i recently pulled out socially as my diagnosis was doubted by these... they separately became offended that i had good days i worked very hard for and thus wasn't as 'bad' as them. I wont be as rude as to say the flaws in it... it was my fault i convinced them i wanted kindred spirits more than anything... I'm disgraceful and i'm sure they'll go through life burdening the system feeling justified and owed. Doubting my diagnosis, like it matters whats wrong with me. i wanted to ring them up but they feel secure in the negitivity and frankly i never backtracked so fast... i began to hate how i was put my home life second feeling i owed my friends my time, which was never enough... nothing could make them better. i miss who they were greatly... upon discussion they were defensive and deflective. without a care for just hope overwhelmed or crippled i became at their guilt trips and my not good enough efforts that were taking away from what i could handle for my family. i know i was the problem... i do wish them the best and the independence they deprive themselves of... i wish them the ability to escape their vintage and to experience true joy and gratitude and not just the words... not always but overall. I just had to confess my desperation to not feel alone as had consequences... we shouldn't doubt each other... but we shouldn't play dr to comfort a fellow soul. i might of been right and maybe they just have the worst attitudes to it....but mostly i'm ashamed, i lost two important friendships albeit my choice for my family that could have flourished for better in a different way had i just kept my issues more personal.
October 10, 2016 - 8:35amThis Comment
Thank you SO much for your article!
May 5, 2016 - 10:03amI believe bipolar disorder is GROSSLY overdiagnosed, overtreated, overmedicated and excessively used as a ticket to a disability check. I am severely Bipolar 1, classic pre DSM 1 case and perfectly stable (enough) again since my last attempt at "loosing the label and the meds." The ONLY time I nearly lost my job was after my first severe episode in 1995. Details aside, my family, friends, co-workers and bosses ALL had seen the frightfully bizarre behavior escalate, so they KNEW from time proven experience that I did not fall under any termination criteria. I needed to be in a hospital under close attention and care. I did not know anything was wrong. THEY knew something was terribly, terribly wrong. They just didn't know what to do having never seen such insanity before. (Bipolar is extremely rare- not 2% of society as the statistics claim. Mood swings are common in the human experience, even extreme swings. Bipolar is much much much more extreme, and usually has NO social, financial. emotional or other precipitator.)
I am still working full-time, take the minimum dose of ONE medication and do not consider myself nor am I disabled. I am different. I am so different I need treatment. I cannot compare this difference to any medically provable illness, disorder or disease because there are not medical tests to measure it. this is unfortunate but true. However, no one can measure ANY emotional reaction or response to specific stimuli, yet we can indeed experience sheer joy and great sorrow. I have experienced the polar extremes..(although joy and sorrow are not "feelings" when in these states.)
I have no idea if it's my brain, mind, body, soul or spirit that "take me there" but I suspect it is a combination of all since the state is a deep awareness or complete lack of all of the above. Awareness strikes and grows in the manic progression, and dives into a nothingness in the "depressed" state.
I parenthasize "depressed" and "manic" because I do now know what "mania" FEELS like if it is less severe, and I do not know what "depression" FEELS like in low or lower levels.
It's interesting to note that my "manic" episode(s) have ALL been gradual, so as not to alert me nor others till the final (at least MY final) stage. This creates the illusion that this is NORMAL enthusiasm and energy untill it is gradually and then suddenly unrecognizable. The "depressed" stage has ALWAYS dropped like a boulder. "Psychotic" suicide attempts were the result twice. I parenthisize "psychotic" because I have never FELT out of touch with reality. My interpretation and perception of reality never waivered during these episodes. The other reason I parenthisize manic, depression and psychotic is because they are so loosly tossed around, much like love and God.
This overdiagnosiswill probably continue and escalate due to everyone's license to do so and all of the power and money at stake. It's as if the world has gone financially and powerfully and seriosly bipolar in and of itself. It is most disturbing that it is a growing market, ESPECIALLY among our children!!!
I pray that the power behind the word God will use the anti-psychiatry AND the proponents of strickter regulation of criteria and diagnosis can meet at that powerful point someday.
Meanwhile, I will trudge along, alive to tell my story and voice my opinion.
To be is definitely better than not to be. I would not be at all if trained, professional, ethical and experienced sychiatrists had not intervened and continued to partner with me in my trial and error care. My hope is that I may help at least one true bipolar human to survive to tell their story as well. And so on and so on. One rare such person at a time.
This Comment
I have a rapid bipolar 1 and I'm still not wanting to accept it at all! I am inlate 20s and it freaking stinks! ! I hate it and I never ever tell anyone about it. Only people that know are my mom and sister. I feel that kids and teenagers go through so many emotions and physical changes that yeah, they will have extreme ups and downs all the time. I won't take any medicine for it because I kinda like the over productivity . I rarely get depressed so I can't speak for bipolar 2 at all. I really wish my brain worked normally because my brain thinks so backwards because of all the commotion going on in my head. I am so embarrassed of it and I actually lost a ton of friends because I was going through one of my episodes. My parents realized that I was a little awkward but couldn't put their finger on what was wrong with me. Lately, I've been running myself ragged and I finally realized that I do need to go get help, I'm just not looking forward to the meds at all. I do think that a lot of people get misdiagnosed. I was struggling all this time growing up and it didn't really become apparent / obvious until I hit my late 20s. All the best.
March 9, 2015 - 9:13pmThis Comment
According to the psychology and psychiatry books, every single one of us can be diagnosed as having some sort of mental illness. Just read the symptoms they give and before long you'll be diagnosed too. My friend couldn't afford professional help at first but her regular doctor diagnosed her with it and gave her a script for Prozac. Eventually she ended going to a psychiatrist and was diagnosed with just depression got a script, then it was depression and mania so she got a new script, then she was diagnosed as bipolar got a script then got another script to go with that. During all her visits to these "doctors" none ever addressed her weight problem, the amount of time she spends on tv and internet, her sedentary lifestyle, her eating habits or even her staying up all night and sleeping all day- not one single doctor! As a friend I tried talking to her about her bad habits because I thought if she just tried to be healthier her mind would be healthier too. Instead I was called insensitive and people like me were the reason mental illness was stigmatized so much. I just wanted to help her and address what those doctors didn't. No, I'm not a doctor but any doctor knows if you have bad habits and a terrible lifestyle that it's going to mess with your brain in some way. My friend told her psychiatrist about me and my friend informed me that the psychiatrist said it would be best not to talk to me anymore about her mental health. I've known my friend nearly 30 years and know her better than all those doctors put together. From what I've seen I guess she would rather listen to a complete stranger that doesn't know her habits or nature, won't address the number one priority for good mental health which is healthy food, exercise and good sleep habits and would instead take a pill and hope that works so she can keep living the way she does. There is no personal responsibility or self discipline for anybody anymore, people do what they want and don't worry about the consequences. Sometimes I think a persons conscience comes back to haunt them in the form of mental illnesses. Some mental illnesses can be helped or fixed completely by nutrition but they don't teach that in psychiatry school, they don't even ask the patients or test them for nutritional deficiencies. There are mental illnesses that have no cause but most are of our own doing whether we knew it at the time we were doing it or not. I'd like to see psychology and psychiatry go in a new direction besides pushing pills and that's exactly what they are doing if they aren't addressing your habits and lifestyles. A prescription should always be a last resort but sadly it's ALWAYS the first. Something has to change, bipolar has gone up 40% since 1990 and if that's not alarming, I don't know what is. Thanks for bringing attention to this issue and best wishes for good health to you all.
December 12, 2014 - 2:03pmThis Comment
Susan, thank you for your insightful perspective on this very real threat- will the youth of today become less than what they are capable of becoming because of a diagnosis of bipolar disorder? And the answer is, ABSOLUTELY! Once a limitation is placed on an individual, and that individual believes that the limitation is a REAL thing, and not just a made up thing, it will fundamentally alter the way that individual reacts with the outside world. Dreams will diminish. Hopes will break. Despair will creep in. No one likes to be labeled by others as something sub-human. The ironic thing, I think, is that eventually these so-called mental-health doctors- guardians of Sanity, will be the ones experiencing increasing amounts of bipolar symptoms themselves when the revenues they've been getting by diagnosing every fussy child that enters their office dissipate into thin air. A new solution to Bipolar is coming. A solution that the medical community and the scientific community didn't see coming. It is a peer-to-peer, seamless network of former bipolar and schizophrenia patients curing themselves through "hands" on experience of the Gospel. A step by step approach to living out the very words of Christ- demonstrated in acts of loving kindness for neighbors, friends, and even enemies. A dare. A dare to complete 5 acts of noticeable kindness a day, and see how you feel. A kind letter to a friend. Providing a meal for a homeless person. Calling your grandmother and telling her how much you love and appreciate her. Holding the door open for an old man. Smiling and greeting a stranger for no other reason than to be friendly. Once you start experimenting with kindness, you will become absolutely HOOKED! These types of ideas, through the viral power of the internet will reshape the context of so many people's days who are focused focused focused on one thing- themselves and what they need, or what they do not have. This is the opposite mindset of the mindset of success, and the Christian Way. When one becomes a Christian, and fully realizes what it means to follow Christ, he or she realizes that suddenly, opportunities begin to exist where before there was nothing but a vacuum. Opportunites to give, give, and give some more, and in the giving, we are truly blessed beyond what we can ever think or imagine. Plus, all those people who benefited from our giving are now our life long friends, and it's GREAT to have friends. If you truly live with a Christ-like heart, you'll find your friendships are more valuable to you, in fact, they are PRICELESS, because they will carry with you into the next life, and you will be able to rule and reign in Heaven with all your friends. The time is short. And the Gospel is about to Hit the Net in a Massive way. Be prepared for miracles, upon miracles.
October 14, 2010 - 7:03pmGod bless you, and send this message to whomever you think it may help.
Love,
Christopher
This Comment
Bipolar disorder is horrendously over-diagnosed in the United States. The formation of sub-categories Bipolar I and Bipolar II in the DSM has led to an explosion in the number of patients being categorised as Bipolar. I have no issues with Bipolar I which should just be termed Bipolar Disorder or Manic Depressive Psychosis as it used to be. The criteria for Bipolar II are extremely vague and could be applied to almost anyone dealing with the normal ups and downs of life. Most importantly we should note this is an AMERICAN, not international phenomenon. The proportion of people being diagnosed as Bipolar, particularly the young, has not increased in countries such as Germany or Great Britain. In these countries only the most severely affected individuals are given such a label. The US psychiatric community is in a complete mess and needs to be much more heavily regulated. It seems that American's like to be labelled as Bipolar because it implies a biochemical cause and hence can absolve them of any responsibility in furthering their recovery. This is completely unacceptable and harmful to patients.
September 28, 2010 - 11:30amThis Comment
Dear "Crazy Kim",
September 2, 2010 - 5:36pmYour free-form prose attempt is admirable, and touchingly
earnest but Jack Kerouac you ain't.
I'm glad you have a husband who can pay your rent, and I assume your internet connection monthly fee also?
Thank you for your effort in trying to explain what it's like to be 'bi polar', in a uni polar world. You come across as a bored, confused and under-stimulated adult to me.
Hope you feel soon.
I mean that.
This Comment
Oh god diagnosed me I dont want to be diagnosed nothing. bi polar is nothing if not understood. ohhh diagnosis dx thats funny Being diagnosed seems to be to much paper work. disability why I had 92 jobs and I am 35. I am a jack of many trades its more fun that way. Hope to have 200 jobs over next 5 years if they exist.
September 1, 2010 - 4:50amThis Comment