Deborah asks…

Can overlooked hyperthyroid be misdiagnosed as bipolar for years before it’s recognized as the problem?

Dr. Fink answers…

Good question, Deborah. Yes, as we point out in Bipolar Disorder For Dummies, the thyroid gland has a tremendous influence on moods and on the effectiveness of medications used to treat mood disorders. Other physical ailments can also produce or contribute to bipolar-like symptoms in a person who does not have bipolar disorder.

Psych Central Senior News Editor Rick Nauert PhD recently posted an article entitled “Test for Genetic Risk of Bipolar,” calling attention to researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine who have developed a test (prototype) for identifying a genetic susceptibility to developing bipolar disorder.

It’s important to keep in mind that this is not simple blood test to determine whether someone has bipolar disorder. It merely helps predict who may be at risk for developing bipolar if environmental conditions for developing bipolar are also present.

In his recent blog post “How Many Psychiatric Medications Did You Say You Take?” Eugene Rubin, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Vice-Chair for Education in the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis – School of Medicine, expresses his concern over the pervasiveness of “polypharmacy” (the simultaneous use of large numbers of medications) in treating psychiatric disorders.

The passage of H.R. 3590: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the health care reform bill) last month was the culmination of months of hard work and determination by those in government who felt strongly about the nation’s responsibility to ensure that all citizens have access to a reasonable level of health insurance coverage.

The even better news for those who suffer from mental illness is that this bill piggybacks onto the Mental Health Parity Act that was passed last year as part of the economic stimulus package. In tandem, the bills ensure that more people will be able to have health insurance, and that their insurance will provide mental health coverage that is as broad as any other components of their policy. The Mental Health Parity Act went into effect January 1, 2010 and is just beginning to work its way into existing insurance plans and policies.

Cyndi posted an interesting question on our Bipolar Blog.

Cyndi asks…

Okay, here goes. A strange thought accompanies me from time to time in my bipolar walk. What if I really am psychic? I have read many blogs and articles that state there is some sort of connection to psychic energy from a bipolar, manic mind. This may be more a highly-sensitive phenomenon as I am not sure how to distinguish mania-driven imagery from highly sensitive tendencies to “read” people and their thoughts. I could swear I know what people are thinking much of the time. Or is this something all of us (bipolar or not) think we’re capable of? Does it have universal application? It’s a weird kind of thing to consider because so much of the literature on mania-fueled energy involves references to our “knowing” what others think but in actuality it is a manifestation to “think” we know, when we couldn’t possibly.

Dr. Fink answers…

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