Bipolar Disorder: Epidemic Without a Disease.

*Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD, Neurologist, Child Neurologist

June 4, 2008

In the Newsweek cover story of May 26, 2008, Growing Up Bipolar, Mary
Carmichael describes yet another magical psychiatric epidemic. In any
report of an epidemic there should be a description of the disease of
which the epidemic is comprised and mention of the test by which the
disease is diagnosed. But nowhere is there mention of a physical
abnormality-gross (visible to the naked eye), microscopic or chemical,
to make it a disease. Where is the proof that Max Blake, now ten, is
other than physically, medically normal?

Symptoms abound. Max can't sleep. Max is sad. Max wants to kill
himself. All serious symptoms to be sure, but entirely
subjective--not objective "signs," abnormalities, diseases.
Undaunted, Carmichael calls "bipolar" an "elusive disease" with a
grave prognosis: a "horror story," in which "terrible things happen."
But still no disease.