We just had the magazine come into work and I have it sitting open at my desk as I type this. I haven't read the whole article yet but the checklist "Is your child bipolar?" is really inappropriate. This checklist has a list of 40 characteristics to determine whether or not "your child" may suffer from the illness...however the checklist is vague and not truly indicative of the disease. Some sample items on this list..."Complains of being bored", "has difficulty arising in the a.m.", "is hyperactive/excitable in the p.m.", "lies to avoid consequences of actions" The list continues pretty much in the same manner. These are not extraordinary characteristics and certainly do not really illustrate the manifestation of bipolar disorder.
As a general FYI about Bipolar Disorder, there are 2 main classifications (Bipolar I and Bipolar II) but each type has several subtypes and the subtypes have further classifiers that distinguish them from one another. To find accurate diagnostic criteria of Bipolar Disorders and exactly what constitutes a "manic" or "depressive" episode you should look in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, otherwise know as the DSM. I believe the most current is the DSM-IVR (revised) but they may still only have the DSM-IV (which is the volume that I own). This is a huge book which contains information and diagnostic criteria for ALL mental disorders and is what the American Psychiatric Association (APA) uses to officially diagnose patients. You can probably find it in any library but it is also available for purchase in normal venues.
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