It was almost a decade ago that 4 moms (the 4 founders of IBPF) came together and discussed ways to help others affected with and by bipolar disorder. Last week, we celebrated the 9th anniversary of International Bipolar Foundation. We are proud of our continued growth and expansion of our programs to meet your needs. 

This past Spring, we partnered with the Jordan Porco Foundation to host Fresh Check Days on campuses across the U.S. with our interactive Mood Matters booth. You can read more about  Fresh Check Days here.

We also launched our  Behavioral Health Quality of Life tool and will soon be offering free Peer Support to help you stay on track with the healthy treatment plan approaches.

Our Webinar and lecture series continues to grow with over 100 educational videos in our library. You can also watch our  YouTube channel for short videos from experts and people with lived experience. 

Stay tuned for our Help & Hope brochure; a "bipolar 101 primer" for those newly diagnosed.

We are here for you! If you have ideas or comments, please send them to me: Mwalker.ibpf@gmail.com. If we have been helpful with any of our programs or resources, let us know and please consider making a donation to help keep these programs alive.

Thank you!

To your health,
Muffy Walker 

Featured Event

Free Lecture in San Diego: Superheroes, Mental Illness, and Sterotypes
With Dr. Vasilis Pozios


Wednesday, June 20 at 6:00pm
Kearny Mesa Library, San Diego, California

Dr. Pozios is a psychiatrist and the creator of  Aura!  a comic book about a superhero who has bipolar disorder. Dr. Pozios wrote the comic as a creative way to fight stigma. 
"Popular media shape our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors toward people with mental illnesses, and I wanted to capture this in the story...  As a physician specializing in psychiatry, I have a responsibility to advocate for people with mental illnesses and for improved mental health care in society."  


Each month, a different expert from our Scientific Advisory Board will answer your questions about bipolar disorder research and treatment. 

This month's expert:  Tadafumi Kato, M.D., Ph.D.

Question: What is epigenetics and how does it help us find new treatments for bipolar disorder?

Answer: DNA delivers the information of the structure of proteins, i.e., amino acid sequences. This is usually thought as "genetic information". In addition to this information, how DNA is read is determined by DNA-protein interactions. DNA undergos chemical modifications such as methylation, and this affect DNA-protein interaction and gene expression. This phenomenon is called "epigenetics". Whereas DNA sequences are transmitted from parents, DNA modification can be affected by environmental factors including early environment. Effect of early environment is known to be a risk factor of bipolar disorder, but its mechanism is not known. Epignetics might shed light on the mechanism of how early environment confer a risk of bipolar disorder, and if it is clarified, it might be a clue to develop new treatments to counteract early adversity.

About Dr. Kato:   Dr. Kato is a deputy director at RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan. His major research interests are molecular dynamics and neurobiology of bipolar disorder.   Read his full biography here

For more answers from our experts, visit our Sharecare page.
Research Updates


Learn more about the latest studies in bipolar research here.
This Month's Psych Byte


Does the Media Romanticize Bipolar Disorder? Psych Byte
Psych Byte: Does the Media Romanticize Bipolar Disorder?
Psych Bytes is our new series of shorter, 15-20 minute webinars.

Christine discusses how bipolar disorder is depicted in movies, tv, and other media, and how the media can sometimes romanticize bipolar and other mental illnesses. She gives examples and shares what she thinks can be improved and how you can help.


See the rest of our recorded webinars here.
Featured Blogs

by Charlie Kaplan

(bipolar disorder and memory loss)
by Steve Comer

by Liza Long

Read more hopeful and informative articles  here.
Watch Our Latest YouTube Video

With Carrie Elizabeth Lin

What Is an Episode with Mixed Features?
What is an Episode with Mixed Features?

Individuals with bipolar disorder can experience symptoms of depression and mania at the same time. 

This has been called mixed states, and in the current version of the DSM it is called an "episode with mixed features." Carrie explains in this short video. 







See more educational videos on our YouTube Channel.

Mental Health Books

By Tom Roberts
This is the memoir of a man who had everything: family, good job, house. He walked away from it. Why? Tom Roberts learned five years after he just walked away and lost everything he had bipolar disorder II and the reason he left all that he had was because he was in a manic episode...  Read more here.

Collection of essays edited by  Sherry Amatenstein
 How Does That Make You Feel? obliterates the boundaries between the shrink and the one being shrunk with unabashedly candid writers breaking confidentiality and
telling all about their experiences in therapy.   Read more here.

By Jay Griffiths
Tristimania is a stark and lyrical account of the psyche in crisis. It tells the story of a devastating year-long episode of manic depression, culminating in a long solo pilgrimage across Spain. The book is rare in recording the experience of mania and shows how the condition is at once terrifying and also profoundly creative, both tricking and treating the psyche. Read more here.

See more books about mental health here
About International Bipolar Foundation

International Bipolar Foundation is a not for profit organization based in San Diego whose mission  is to improve understanding and treatment of bipolar disorder through research; to promote care and support resources for individuals and caregivers; and to erase stigma through education. 

International Bipolar Foundation is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or received from the International Bipolar Foundation.

Visit us online for more information: www.ibpf.org

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