Posted by Maria Mangicaro on 5/05/11

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Hi,

I am an individual who suffered an occupational disease
that was originally misdiagnosed as a mental disorder.

After two years of being misdiagnosed, I became proactive
in my health care and researched the association between
chemical exposure and symptoms of mania/psychosis.

I could not find an attorney who would take my case but I
was able to establish one on my own. After much searching I
found an attorney to represent me, received several
supportive depositions from reputable doctors to the
diagnosis of a Substance-Induced Psychotic Disorder and was
awarded a settlement.

My attorney offered to initiate a malpractice suit, but out
of respect for the psychiatrists I dealt with I did not
want to pursue that course of action.

My case has helped several other people who were
misdiagnosed with Bipolar Disorder establish worker's comp
cases.

Recently I submitted a narrative to a medical journal that
was published and explains my case. Here is a link to the
article:

http://www.jopm.org/perspective/narr...logic-factors/

As a mental health advocate I am raising awareness of
underlying medical conditions and substances that are known
to induce psychotic/manic symptoms and can be misdiagnosed
as Bipolar Disorder/Schizophrenia.

Here is a link to a website I maintain that lists abstracts
and articles on Medical Conditions and Substance Induced
Psychosis that can be misdiagnosed as
Bipolar/Schizophrenia.

http://psychoticdisorders.wordpress.com/

Treating the underlying conditions that induce
psychotic/manic symptoms could substantially improve the
mental health care system. Advocating for improvements in
the diagnosic accuracy of severe mental illness is a much
needed reform effort and currently there are no organized
advocacy groups that voice this need.

Perhaps recognizing more worker's comp/malpractice cases
would help bring about this reform.

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