Family-focused therapy, when combined with medication, appears effective in stabilizing symptoms of depression among teens with bipolar disorder, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. [continue reading…]

Both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can be disabling conditions, and both present clinically with significant mood and psychotic symptoms. These two illnesses also share genetic variants that might be involved in the predisposition to both disorders. A new study scheduled for publication in the July 15th issue of Biological Psychiatry sought to analyze the patterns of gene expression in the brains of individuals diagnosed with one of these disorders to search for a common “characteristic [genetic] signature.” [continue reading…]

In the New York Times today, “Patient Voices,’’ created by Karen Barrow, gives a voice to bipolar disorder, featuring nine courageous people who share their own stories of diagnosis, treatment, struggle and acceptance. Link to read more

Among other featured you will meet Victoria Maxwell, 41, from Vancouver, British Columbia, who talks about the challenges she faced while dating and deciding whether to disclose her illness.

“I really wrestled with when do you tell somebody,’’ said Ms. Maxwell, who is now married. “Generally speaking I would let them get to know who I am, and if they didn’t like me for me, I couldn’t chalk it up to having bipolar disorder. click here to listen

Source: The New York Times, July 17 2008