Fragile Minds is a periodic Star Tribune series examining problems in mental health treatment for young people.June 19: The number of children diagnosed with bipolar disorder has soared in the past two decades, and now many psychiatrists are having second thoughts about the stigmatizing label and the powerful medications that often accompany it.

Today: A shortage of psychiatrists means that many young patients get mental-health diagnoses -- and medications -- from primary care physicians who may be ill-equipped for the task.