DBSA-NOVA Weekly News

July 17, 2007

Volume 1, Issue 1

This Week

· 7/17 Loved Ones Support Group. 7 p.m. 14369 Round Lick Ln, Centreville, VA 20120

· 7/17 Centreville Bipolar Support Group. 7:30 p.m. 6400 Old Centreville Rd, Centreville, VA 20121

· 7/19 Alan Mallinger, M.D. Speech, GWU Hospital Auditorium, 900 23^rd St NW, Washington, DC

· 7/21 DBSA-NOVA Board Meeting. 44110 Ashburn Shopping Plaza, 2^nd Floor, Ashburn, VA 20147

Later this month

7/24 Centreville Bipolar Support Group.

7/25 Woodbridge Bipolar Support Group.

7/28 Ashburn Bipolar Support Group

7/31 Loved Ones Support Group

7/31 Centreville Bipolar Support Group

Support Group Pages

Ashburn

Resources

The web page for the national Depression Bipolar Support Alliance

Publications

DBSA publications for those with mood disorders and their loved ones

Suicide

Links to suicide prevention hotlines and resources

Support Groups

Links to our Loved Ones, Ashburn, Centreville and Woodbridge meetings

http://www.dbsanova.org

bipolarhope@dbsanova.org

Bipolar disorder and eating disorders

Susan McElroy, M.D., a professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, looks at data from studies about the relationship between obesity and bipolar disorder.

The National Comorbidity Replication Study clearly highlights the prevalence of eating disorders in those with bipolar disorder. Another report indicated that Bipolar disorder had the highest odds ratio of all psychiatric disorders studied in patients with obesity. It is also noted that a great deal more investigation is needed.

This article, Bipolar Disorder and Its Comorbidities, is available through Medscape (subscription required).

A hunt for the bipolar gene

Scientists are hunting for the specific genes that make millions of people vulnerable to the highs associated with the mania and the lows associated with the depressions of bipolar disorder. On July 13, the University of Michigan Depression Center will offer the public an update on that gene hunt, with the first-ever Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Fund Lecture.

The lecture will be given by a noted researcher from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore who is working closely with U-M scientists to find genes related to bipolar disorder.

A hunt for the bipolar gene

The following speakers are coming to the Washington, D.C. area in the near future. All of the events will be at the George Washington University Hospital auditorium unless otherwise noted. The auditorium is located at 900 23rd Street NW in Washington, D.C.

On Thursday, July 19,7:30 PM, Alan G. Mallinger, MD, Unit Chief of the Adult Outpatient Clinic, Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD will present: "Pathophysiology of Affective Disorders and Potential New Treatments for Treatment Resistent Mood Disorders." Libby Jolkovsky, MS, Research Psychologist will present: "Participating in a Research Study: The Screening and Eligibility Process, What it's Like and Our Current Studies" Auditorium.

Frederick Goodwin, M.D. will return on Thursday, October 18.7:30 PM Dr. Goodwin will discuss the latest in research and treatment of recurrent depression and bipolar disorder. A substantial amount of time will be devoted to questions and answers on the treatment of mood disorders. Dr. Goodwin is the co-author of "Manic Depressive Illness" and former director of the National Institute of Mental Health. He is currently a research psychiatrist on the faculty of George Washington University School of Medicine. Auditorium.

DBSA National Capital Area and DBSA Northern Virginia Chapters co-sponsor Pete Earley in a Northern Virginia location to be announced. Mr. Earley is the author of "Crazy: A Father's Search through America's Mental Health Madness." The event will be on November 29 at 7 p.m. at Chantilly Regional Library in Chantilly. Mr. Earley's book chronicles his son's struggle with bipolar disorder and his own response. It has been called "a unique book-one of the best!" by NAMI and a "godsend" bu Patty Duke who has bipolar disorder.

In addition, Andy Behrman, the author if Electroboy: A memoir of mania, is coming to Northern Virginia on September 29 at 7 p.m. at Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library in Falls Church.

A newsletter about technology in education might offer articles relevant to administrators that describe what they need to know to get technology into their schools. It might also give teachers tips on integrating technology into their classrooms. Parents and students may also be interested in applying the concepts to the way they use technology at home.

The danger, of course, is that if you try to appeal to every type of audience, you may make the focus of your newsletter too broad. In our example, we would not want the newsletter to include articles about how to develop software for the education market. When you write articles that are too broad in their intent, readers are not able to quickly determine whether the newsletter is of use to them, and they lose interest.

So the issue is of balance: Within the scope of your business and industry, you want to provide something in each newsletter that will be of interest to all the major players in your audience. By doing so, you will ensure that all your readers will continue to return to your newsletter, edition after edition, to find that relevant article that they know is waiting for them.

Bp magazine launches new offerings

The winter issue of bp Magazine

bp Magazine, a publication for those with bipolar launched in the fall of 2004, has re-launched its complementary website www.bphope.com, offering the bipolar community a new online resource to connect with each other and the opportunity to generate relevant editorial content for future bipolar magazine issues.

bp Magazine’s www.bipolarbuzz.com (bp Buzz blog) launched simultaneously with its new site, features articles and up-to-date information of interest to those living with bipolar disorder. bp Buzz will prove to be one of the most innovative approaches to further connecting the bipolar community—addressing everything from bipolar symptoms to shared issues and concerns that affect family members.

In addition to a new look and feel, the bipolar resources on www.bphope.com include engaging feature articles from bp Magazine. From the summer 2007 edition, readers will enjoy its cover story “The Many Faces and Facets of bp” which examines one of the most complex and misunderstood forms of mental illness. The featured article, “A Delicate Balance” takes a look at how achieving a balance with bipolar disorder is a constant work in progress.

A novel feature, In Your Words, allows readers to submit their own personal stories and comments. On My Mind encourages readers to share full essays about their experiences with bipolar disorder; Sound Off asks readers to contribute to a specific topic proposed for each issue of bp Magazine; and For Myself invites those with bipolar to tell about the big and little things that make each day more balanced and rewarding.

Readers are also encouraged to participate in future issues of bp Magazine by signing up for an interview on a specific topic concerning bipolar disorder on Talk to bp Writers.

Among the information that makes www.bphope.com a more comprehensive resource for the bipolar community are an in-depth history of bipolar depression along with statistics and definitions; book reviews with a link to Amazon.com; and a section devoted to other, outside resources. Individual and bulk subscriptions to bp Magazine are also available online.