There were objections to the use of the term "dementia" despite cases of recovery, and some defence of diagnoses it replaced such as adolescent insanity.

Some argued that existing diagnoses such as "delusional insanity" or "adolescent insanity" were better or more clearly defined.

As far as the media were concerned, the attack on Marc by Gordon McAllister was an act of adolescent insanity, and the fire in Jack's hospital room was an unfortunate accident that had a gloriously happy ending.

The concept of adolescent insanity or developmental insanity was advanced by Scottish psychiatrist Thomas Coulston in 1873, describing a psychotic condition which generally afflicted those aged 18-24 years, particularly males, and in 30% of cases proceeded to "a secondary dementia".