Malpractice Case Law Blog

In recent years, people have become more aware of mental illness and more willing to seek help for their own emotional problems that perhaps ever before. For the most part, this is a positive development, as people are receiving diagnosis and treatment for serious problems that may have gone overlooked in previous generations.

This can also create problems, however, as certain problems get more attention than others. This can lead to less common disorders being mistaken for more widely recognized ones. It can also lead to people being diagnosed with serious mental problems when they, in truth, require no psychiatric treatment at all.

Commonly Over-diagnosed Disorders

When a certain disorder receives a lot of attention in the popular press and medical journals, doctors can be primed for spotting it, sometimes without even realizing it. This can lead them to “see” this disorder in patients who are not really mentally ill, or patients who are actually suffering from a physical or different psychological problem.

Professionals concerned about over-diagnosis have named certain disorders in particular:

1. Depression. Hypothyroidism, chronic illness, stress and other problems can create symptoms that resemble this disorder.
2. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Many other issues can mimic the symptoms of ADHD, including high intelligence, learning disabilities, allergies and many more.
3. Bipolar Disorder. A person may be diagnosed with this serious problem who is actually suffering from a rare form of epilepsy, substance abuse, hyperthyroidism or many other problems.

This is not to say the above disorders are not real. They are, and proper treatment can be a lifesaver for people who suffer from them. However, people who are misdiagnosed with a mental disorder can suffer very serious consequences.

Results of Misdiagnosis

People being treated for a problem they do not have can suffer from

1. Medication side effects. The side effects of various psychotropic drugs include nausea, allergic reactions, suicidal impulses, increased potential for future drug abuse, and many more.
2. Ineffective treatment. If a person is suffering from a physical or mental problem, being treated for a different problem will only allow the real illness to progress. In the worst case scenario, the wrong treatment can actually exacerbate the original problem - for example, if a person with bipolar disorder is misdiagnosed and placed on antidepressants, the drugs can trigger a serious manic episode.

Doctors are responsible for any errors they make in diagnosis. For information about these legal regulations, contact Chicago medical malpractice attorneys Friedman & Bonebrake.

Joseph Devine

Malpractice Law