Diagnostic disagreements in bipolar disorder: the role of substance abuse comorbidities.

Substance abuse can produce symptoms similar to other psychiatric disorders, thus confusing the diagnostic picture. This paper attempts to elucidate how misdiagnosis in bipolar disorder might be explained by the presence of substance abuse comorbidities. The overlap of symptoms, limited information about symptom onset, and inexperienced clinicians can result in the misinterpretation of symptoms of substance abuse disorders for bipolar disorder.

Biopsychosocial model of hypersexuality in adolescent girls with bipolar disorder: strategies for intervention.

Topic: Engagement in high-risk behaviors, impaired judgment, and hypersexuality present unique health challenges to adolescent girls with bipolar disorder (BD). Behavioral management of sexuality does not routinely fall under the purview of psychiatric care, but requires preventive measures.

Purpose: This paper presents a biopsychosocial model of hypersexuality in girls with BD, describes factors that lead to high-risk sexual behaviors, and provides a framework for cognitive-behavioral intervention.

Feasibility of dissemination of cognitive behavioral therapy to Texas community mental health centers.

State mental health systems are actively seeking to disseminate empirically supported treatment approaches to improve the outcomes of adults with serious mental illnesses. However, many of these interventions have not been studied within public mental health settings. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective for major depression in well-controlled trials, but its effectiveness in public mental health settings is less known.