[Moose72]

I commented on both. This guy seems to think we are lazy and being bipolar is our faults- not even weight gain from meds is actually from the meds!

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/06/12/9-myths-of-bipolar-disorder/comment-page-1/#comment-646139

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/10/07/bipolar-disorder-and-weight-gain/comment-page-1/#comment-646346

[Fire_Star]

I hate it when I see mental health get a mention on mainstream news sites just to have ignorant tin foil commenters rant on about how there's nothing wrong then they go and reference groups like the CCHR (Scientology front group that opposes psychiatry). Granted, there are activists out there that oppose psychiatry and Scientology. They even have a charming Facebook group.

These are the first time I've notice articles on PsychCentral with a bit of conspiracy theory coming in but I don't follow threads on many of the articles.

[Moose72]

These are from the same guy. Wtf? Why is he allowed to post this sort of thing - especially here?

[NuckingFutz]

Maybe you need to bring these articles to the attention of the moderators, they can't fix what they are not aware of!

[Fire_Star]

Do comments go up straight away or have to be approved first? I've never commented on the blogs here.

[Moose72]

Approved but mine went up

[sanityseeker]

Those are both from Doc Johns blog... the founder of PC. Not likely to see him mussled. lol.

[Locust]

I disagree with his comment that bipolar isn't a medical issue. If it has genetic, biological and chemical causes, it is a medical condition. However, I don't think he was calling people with bipolar lazy. The article about weight gain said the medication isn't the only reason for weight gain. He's prob. just saying we should look at all possibilities, because people with bipolar could be gaining weight from meds (just as people with depression sometimes gain weight from meds), but they can also gain weight from the same reasons as non-medicated folks. To be honest, though I have yet to read the entire article, so maybe I'm wrong about that. But like sanity says, he founded PC, so the articles are likely to stay up.

[Yoda]

myth = Bipolar disorder is a medical disease, just like diabetes.

While some marketing propaganda might simplify bipolar disorder into a medical disease, bipolar disorder is not — according to our knowledge and science at this time — a medical disease. It is a complex disorder (called a mental disorder or mental illness ) that reflects its basis in psychological, social, and biological roots. While it has significant neurobiological and genetic components, it is no more of a pure medical disease than ADHD or any other mental disorder. Treatment of bipolar disorder that focuses solely on its “medical” components often results in failure.

I respectfully disagree with you, DocJohn. You acknowledge it has biological roots with significant neurobiological and genetic components. Would those not be consistent with a disease process/medical illness? I agree that there can/may be other components but how can you make the blanket statement that ALL people with bipolar do not have "pure" medical causes.

I would like to see what research supports your position.

[Moose72]

If there isn't a problem then he can explain these things to us. Why found a site and then put up unsupported information? Why try so hard to prove that psych drugs are blameless? (Qualifiers don't count in this situation.). Simple. Or are we going to mix threads and claim that we're paranoid? Bipolars get paranoid so .... Yeah- discount .... Grr. I hate when doctors pyblish whatever they want, slap their M.D. behind it and think their word is untouchable.

[NuckingFutz]

If you want answers, why not send doc John an email?

[Moose72]

He seems pretty stuck in his ways, considering his replies in the comments.

[NuckingFutz]

That is also something you can discuss with him. He does like feedback from his readers. He doesn't bite...promise.

[Moose72]

Be grumpy about something to a pdoc? Lololol. There are issues why people gain weight- its logical that a med that increases appetite and increases exhaustion is going to lead to less exercise and more eating which leads to weight gain.

[Amazonmom]

The quote Yoda put up made me so angry when I read it. Nothing more stigmatizing than saying bipolar isn't a medical disease. That's why I don't read most articles about bipolar, or "myths & facts" type things about it. The author's biases shine right through, or the info is way over generalized. Implying that since therapy is important to good control of bipolar that it is only a mental disease is silly. Therapy helps us deal with the adjustments and consequences of having a brain predisposed to bipolar disorder. Medication helps with the brain chemistry that causes the mood swings. BAH. Now I'm just ranting because I'm mad.

Luckily I have free access to medical journals from my job and limit my reading about bipolar to scientific articles. Much less irritating for me.

Giving someone a drug that increases their drive to eat then blaming the patient for the weight gain is silly. Of course some of the weight gain would have happened without the drug. But I would LOVE to make some docs, nurses, Ts, etc take Zyprexa and then tie them to a chair in front of a table filled with food. With their arms bound.