Furious Seasons

June 22, 2007

The Bipolar Child: You Had To Know

That this was coming. Robert Goldberg over at DrugWonks takes a one-iron out on Larry Diller and the Boston Globe for Diller's op-ed criticizing Joe Biederman and the Harvard bipolar child mafia. He asks if someone on the paper's edit board is a Scientologist--um, I had better taunts in high school--and calls Biederman a caring, compassionate doc. Not sure how he'd know with one being in DC and the other in Cambridge, but whatever.

Then comes something that surprised me:

"As the parent of a child who responded to the regimens developed by Biederman and others I can attest to it."

The "it" being the existence of bipolar disorder in children. I'm going to leave it at that--and let you guys comment. I hope Goldberg will write more about his child--who I sincerely hope is doing well--and how he/she came to be diagnosed and how things have progressed since.

And courtesy of CL Psych, Danny Carlat calls for a bit of moderation in how people are handling Biederman.

Posted by Philip Dawdy at June 22, 2007 12:03 AM

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Comments

What struck me about what Goldberg wrote, is the defensive tone due to having a child who is bipolar. Believing in the treatment [and rightly so, if it's successful of course]and therefore defending Biederman as a person.

I believe the discussion is broader than this, and the main focus is that there is one team of people and Biederman is on that team, that has massive influence, which leads to influencing psychiatrists in small towns, big cities, everywhere. That power can be dangerous, due to the influence--not Biederman as a man--his power.--Being that so many children very young and for nearly a decade have been mis diagnosed or diagnosed whichever one wants to call it--with a disorder that has no diagnostic criteria for kids, and I mean little kids, and the treatment is adult medication. I completely disagree with Biederman saying babies are bipolar and needing medication, that is alarming.

I find it alarming that one person, or group can have such influence, and for Goldberg to insinuate that Scientoligists are on the Editing team is another character assault in itself.

Also, isn't an Op-Ed considered "opinion"? Why get feathers so ruffled over one person's opinion, especially considering Biederman's power I seriously doubt he will worry about what any of us think or say.

Just my opinion. I find Diller's writing refreshing, and it is high time someone spoke out from that world. Kudos to him.

Posted by: Stephany at June 22, 2007 08:06 AM

I have a bipolar child, and I can attest to the existence as well... but we are ALSO successfully treating the condition without Big Pharma drugs.

So, my opinion, yes it exists, no, the solution is not Pfizer, Lilly, et al.

http://milehimama.blogspot.com/2006/11/yep-im-quack.html

Posted by: Milehimama at June 22, 2007 08:28 AM

If all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail.
Praise Dr. Diller, and all critical thinkers who gonna lead us out of this rabbit-hole.

Posted by: flawedplan at June 22, 2007 10:26 PM

I know that everyone always has something brilliant to say on your blog, but I don't have a child, and only have "bipolar" memories beginning in, perhaps, kindergarten or 1st grade? However - who remembers how they actually "behaved" at age 2?

I only wanted to say the that the comment about a "closet Scientologist" was hilarious! Yes, better taunts have been made, but you have to admit, it was funny. :-)

Posted by: KansasSunflower at June 23, 2007 11:09 AM