Bipolar Disorder: A Web of Information, Treatment, and Support

The Bipolar Disorder Glossary is part of GlaxoSmithKline’s Web site for its bipolar medication Lamictal, but the page is free of marketing jargon and offers a concise, useful index of terms.

Psych Central is a site created and run by psychologists with a thorough introduction to the disorder.

Mental Health America used to be the National Mental Health Association. Besides a general overview of bipolar disorder available in English and in Spanish, the site has information geared specifically toward African Americans. Though bipolar disorder is no more prevalent in African Americans than in other groups, MHA says they are less likely to be diagnosed.

The National Institute of Mental Health has a succinct introduction to bipolar disorder, with an interesting quote from a book about the disorder.

HealthyPlace.com has a good breakdown of the mood changes and the different types of bipolar disorder. Post in the forums or keep your own public journal on the site.

The Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation provides an overview of the disorder and explains how it manifests itself differently in children.

TeensHealth has a page dedicated to bipolar disorder that includes personal stories from teens who have been diagnosed.

Neuroscience for Kids is a University of Washington project that has a child-friendly explanation of bipolar disorder. It includes pictures of the brain and neurons, along with links defining technical terms, such as “glial cells.”

The National Institute of Mental Health has a bipolar disorder site that lists manic and depressive episode symptoms and includes the length of time these episodes must persist to be considered symptoms of the disorder.

Psych Central has a brief article outlining some of bipolar disorder’s major symptoms and how those symptoms differ from the normal ups and downs people experience.

The Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation offers a free questionnaire to help determine whether a child might be suffering from bipolar disorder. Accessing the 65-question multiple-choice questionnaire is free; having the foundation score it is not. The alternative is to print out the completed questionnaire and take it to a medical or mental health professional.

Psych Central has an easy-to-read discussion of the genetic, environmental, and neurochemical factors involved in bipolar disorder. It also includes a description of medication-triggered mania.

eMedicine has a diagnosis page that is more in-depth but also more technical. It offers an almost step-by-step walk-through of the process of diagnosing someone with bipolar disorder, from ruling out other medical problems to gathering information from friends and family. The page also addresses causes, citing specific studies.

Psych Central discusses the three approaches to treating bipolar disorder: acute, continuation, and maintenance. Learn what kind of practitioner treats bipolar disorder, the types of medications involved, and what approaches don’t work.

HealthyPlace.com bleakly outlines the serious implications of leaving bipolar disorder untreated. Some behaviors associated with manic phases include excessive spending and promiscuity, which can wreak havoc on a person’s finances and relationships. People with bipolar disorder also have higher rates of substance abuse and suicide.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a database that you can search by state for a doctor, an in-patient psychiatric hospital, or an outpatient treatment center.

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance has a brochure to help you find a doctor, along with patient recommendations for doctors and facilities. Click on “Empower Yourself” from the main page, and then on “Find professional help.”

Mental Health America (formerly the National Mental Health Association) has a bipolar medication guide that deals with topics such as questions for your doctor, medications for mental illness, and medication for women with bipolar disorder who become pregnant. One section addresses how to find help and pay for medication, including a page with advice if your health insurance denies payment for care. Information is also available in Spanish.

The Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation describes the importance of diagnosing children early and offers advice from other parents on how to find the right doctor. The site also explains parents’ roles in treating bipolar disorder and has a discussion of medication and other treatments. Scroll down to “Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder in Children.”

ClinicalTrials.gov is a clearinghouse operated by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. This site provides a list of research clinical trials currently underway to test experimental treatments for bipolar disorder. To learn more about clinical trials, speak to your doctor and read the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s guide.

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance has a “Wellness Toolbox” with a “Trigger Tracker,” a “‘Staying healthy at work’ worksheet,” “Wellness strategies,” and more. Click on “Empower Yourself” on the left side of the page to find the toolbox. Find more information by visiting the “Just Diagnosed?” button along the top of the page. The alliance also has a section in which you can become an advocate at a local, state, or federal level, under the “Get Involved” link on the homepage. Stay informed by registering for the organization’s free newsletters.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has a “Living With Bipolar Disorder” community that includes interviews and a discussion group, as well as a PDF guide, “Understanding Bipolar Disorder and Recovery.” 

MSN has a Health & Fitness site with a section on bipolar disorder that features interesting articles about living with the condition. Look for topics like “Managing a Manic Episode” and “Holding Down a Job—With Bipolar” in an advice column format.

The BBC has an overview of bipolar disorder that includes resources for those located in the United Kingdom. The “Self-management” section offers information helpful to everyone with the disorder.

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance published a booklet called “The Storm in my Brain” to help children understand what bipolar disorder is and how it affects them. The booklet is illustrated by children who have bipolar disorder or depression, and it has tips for parents and teachers at the end. Note: the file is very large (1.31 MB).

NAMI was mentioned above for its resources for people with bipolar disorder. The association also sponsors a free 12-week course to help families cope with someone who is mentally ill. Topics covered include strategies for handling crises and for helping loved ones take their medication regularly. Search the course schedule by state.

The Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation has printable brochures, such as “Educating the Child with Bipolar Disorder.”

MSN Health & Fitness has a section on bipolar disorder in teens and children ithat ncludes links to articles such as “What Happens,” “What Increases Your Risk,” and “When To Call a Doctor.”

Psych Central has a page full of articles on bipolar disorder, such as “Building on the Strengths of a Bipolar Child” and “Emerging Bipolar Therapies.”

The Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation has a long article discussing the educational issues for a child with bipolar disorder. Topics include preparing for an individual education plan meeting; considering options like therapeutic day schools and residential treatment centers; and making the decision to home-school.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness has a forum that is available with free registration. There’s also a searchable listing of more than 1,200 state and local NAMI affiliates, where you can get involved in the alliance’s programs for consumers and their families.

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance has a blog and forum on bipolar disorder, as well as a searchable database of local support groups. Click on “Find Support” for those links.

Mental Earth Community is run by people with bipolar and other disorders, with help from a licensed psychologist. You must register (it’s free) before entering the forums or live chats.

Everyday Health has a forum, “Living With Bipolar Disorder,” that requires no registration. People there post about such varied topics as medication and sharing their feelings on a tough day. Responders are generally quite supportive, and ads are kept to a minimum.

Bipolarhome.org was created by a man with bipolar disorder. The forums are largely free of ads and have civil, sympathetic people talking about coping with significant others who have the disorder, drug interactions, and working while dealing with bipolar disorder.

The Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation has a wealth of information for parents whose children have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. There’s a chat room and an online support group parents can join, but it requires a minimum donation of $40 per year. With that donation, parents also receive an e-bulletin.

Medscape has a good section of bipolar-related headlines from the news service Reuters, despite the site’s financial support from GlaxoSmithKline, maker of the bipolar medication Lamictal. You must register (it’s free) to access the content.

Psychiatric Times has freely available articles on bipolar disorder—plug the term into the search box on the right side of the page, then click “Psychiatric Times only.” Some are very technical; others, such as an article on involving family in a bipolar patient’s therapy are less so.

Pendulum has a frequently updated collection of news related to bipolar disorder. Articles are summarized from academic organizations’ press releases or news stories, often with a link to the original source.

The National Institute of Mental Health has conducted a massive, long-term study involving thousands of people with bipolar disorder. NIMH designed STEP-BD, or Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder, to determine the best combination of treatments to prevent manic and depressive episodes. Read more about the results here.

Johns Hopkins Medicine is conducting genetic research on mood disorders and presents its work in the “BioinforMOODics” page. On the lower left-hand side of the page there are links to Johns Hopkins’s Mood Disorders Program and other Hopkins research into bipolar disorder and depression.

NARSAD (formerly known as the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression) has a catalog of the bipolar research it is funding. Click on each investigator’s name for information on the project.

The Stanford Pediatric Bipolar Disorders Program has journal articles about the research conducted there. Scroll down the page to see the articles, which can be accessed for free. Near the bottom of the page are links to press releases and media articles about bipolar disorder in children.

The Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation has a free, publicly accessible library of documents relating to bipolar research, along with information on clinical trials.