Dr. Mark Komrad

The long-awaited publication this month of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – the so-called bible of mental health professionals -- has stirred controversies. Doctors and researchers have bickered over which disorders are in and which are out. We delve into the controversy with Towson-based psychiatrist Dr. Mark Komrad. 

This film, starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, has been nominated for Academy Awards, praised for its authentic portrayal of people struggling with recovery from mental illness and criticized for its "OK to be weird" conclusion. The Atlantic called it, "Love In The Time of Bipolar Disorder." We've asked psychiatrist Mark Komrad to take a look. Dr. Komrad, on the clinical and teaching staffs at Sheppard Pratt and Johns Hopkins hospitals, is the author of "You Need Help: A Step-by-Step Plan To Convince Your Loved One to Get Counseling."

Another in our series of discussions about the Newtown massacre, the focus this time on the link between mental illness, particularly among young men, and violence. In the wake of the nation's latest mass killing, there have been calls for more access to mental health services and more intervention. But are such incomprehensible tragedies predictable and preventable? And what disorders are at their root? Our guests: Midday contributors Dr. John Cmar, of Johns Hopkins University and Sinai Hospital, and Dr.

How to help a friend or loved one who is exhibiting signs of emotional or behavioral turmoil and who could benefit from professional help. How to step in, without being insensitive, creating conflict or damaging your relationship. Dr. Mark Komrad is an award-winning psychiatrist on the teaching staff of Johns Hopkins, as well as the director of clinical ethics for the Sheppard Pratt Health System, where he teaches psychiatric residents. He is author of “You Need Help! A Step-by-Step Plan to Convince a Loved One to Get Counseling.”