Preventing Misdiagnosis of Women: A Guide to Physical Disorders That Have Psychiatric Symptoms

Many physical disorders suffered by women have psychiatric symptoms. For example, hyperthyroidism can result in depression and anxiety, and temporal lobe epilepsy can have the same symptoms as bipolar disorder. As a result, women are in danger of being misdiagnosed as having psychiatric problems and receiving completely inappropriate treatment. This volume gives psychotherapists, counsellors and other mental health professionals the foundation for identifying physiological disorders that may be at the root of the mental health problems presented by female clients. Illustrated with detailed cases and supplemented with quick reference guides to symptoms and a glossary, this much-needed book provides information that until now has only been available in medical texts and journals. The authors cover endocrinological and brain seizure problems, as well as diseases such as multiple sclerosis and lupus erythematosus. They provide an overview of the systems and organs involved, and describe how particular malfunctions can result in serious behavioural problems.