Daily Archives: September 29, 2016

The Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale

Used by permission of Dr. Nassir Ghaemi and developer Dr. Ron Pies The BSDS is a test for subtle versions of bipolar disorder. Before you start this test, you should know that it will not give you a “yes or no” … Continue reading

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Diagnosis

The “bottom line” of diagnosis What happened to “manic-depressive”? What’s “Bipolar II”?  What is the “mood spectrum?”  What do “bipolar variations” look like? Non-manic markers of bipolarity? Even with no hypomania at all? Anxious depression could be “bipolar”? Yes, in … Continue reading

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Bipolar Diagnosis: Spectrum or Yes/No?

What’s with this “spectrum” talk? The DSM is the official rule book of diagnoses, right? “Spectrum” is not radical More evidence that the DSM-only view is changing Double depression, bipolarity-style Conclusion Bottom line:  The “bipolar spectrum” view used to be … Continue reading

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7 Ways to Manage Weight Gain on Psychiatric Medications By Therese Borchard

Weight gain is one of the main reasons that people diagnosed with depression and other mood disorders stop taking their medication. Some people gain as much as seven percent of their body weight — or more — from psychiatric meds. In a study funded … Continue reading

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How Faith Helps Depression

By Therese Borchard A substantial amount of research points to the benefits of faith to mitigate symptoms of depression. In one study, for example, researchers at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, found that belief in God was associated with better … Continue reading

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