September holds many awareness days & days of recognition, but the one we feel is most important is the National Suicide Prevention Week - September 5 - 11, 2016. In the U.S. suicide is the 10th ranking cause of death, but the 2nd leading cause of death among youth aged 15 - 24!


If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, please call the suicide hotline in your country. U.S: 1-800-273-TALK (8255), international numbers by country can be found here.
 
Learning what to look for will assist you in reaching out to help someone in need. This easy mnemonic points out the warning signs:  IS PATH WARM

 I  Ideation
S  Substance Abuse

P  Purposelessness
A  Anxiety
T  Trapped
H  Hopelessness

W  Withdrawal
A  Anger
R  Recklessness
M  Mood Changes
 
Make it your goal this month to educate yourself and learn more about Risk Factors and Warning Signs .  Sign up to watch our webinar on Suicide Prevention, or read our blogs on coping with suicide loss and recovering after a suicide attempt below. We will also be participating in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Out of the Darkness Walk in San Diego, check to see if there is a walk in your area here (United States). 
 
For those who are Survivors of Suicide Loss, It is important to take care of yourself. Sharing your feelings will lead to growth and healing. Check here or your local directory for support groups designed to help.

To your health,
Muffy Walker 
Featured Blogs
Books on Suicide Prevention

Happy Outfitters


Happy Outfitters  is a clothing brand designed by Michael Scullin, a student at the University of Georgia who survived a suicide attempt during his freshman year. 
Michael wanted to create clothing dedicated to feeling better in your own skin. The "I'm me" shirt emphasizes that "mental health is no one's defining quality."

$1 of every shirt is donated to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and in addition this month Michael will also donate 10% of the proceeds to IBPF when you mention IBPF in the notes section during checkout. Visit their website here.
Sign Up to Watch our Upcoming Live Webinar

Preventing Suicide Among Persons With Bipolar Disorder
With Richard McKeon, Ph.D., MPH

Wednesday, September 14 at 10am Pacific Time
Register here (time zone converter at link)

This public health issue affects everyone: families, healthcare providers, school personnel, faith communities, friends, government, and others. It's important that everyone know suicide's warning signs and how to help a person contemplating suicide. 
This webinar will highlight Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) resources for suicide prevention and how they can be accessed.

This webinar will be recorded and posted here the following week. 
See the rest of our upcoming webinars here. 
Watch Our Latest Recorded Webinar

This webinar summarizes laboratory studies of 1,600 patients with bipolar disorder and describes nutrient therapy approaches aimed at normalizing brain chemistry. 
The presentation discusses treatments for methylation imbalances, pyrrole disorders, metal-metabolism abnormalities, oxidative overload, and toxic metals. 

See the rest of our recorded webinars here.
Ask the Expert
 
What is the relationship between the thyroid system and mood? 

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

This month's expert:  Michael Bauer, M.D., Ph.D.

Question:  What is the relationship between the thyroid system and mood? 

Answer:  Circulating thyroid hormones, produced by the thyroid gland, play a critical role in the metabolic activity of the adult brain, and neuropsychiatric manifestations, e.g. depression, of thyroid disease have long been recognized. Without optimal thyroid function, mood disturbance, cognitive impairment and other psychiatric symptoms can emerge. Several lines of evidence suggest that there may be abnormalities in thyroid hormone metabolism in patients with mood disorders.  Supporting this hypothesis, are observations  that suboptimal availability of circulating thyroid hormones may contribute to the high rate of treatment failures in bipolar disorder. 
Because of this relationship, ad junctive treatment with thyroid hormone is one approach for people with bipolar disorders. Such use of levothyroxine (L-T4) at supraphysiologic doses has offered promise in research studies, including rapid cycling bipolar disorder and refractory depression. The hypothesis driving these studies was that increasing the availability of thyroid hormones to the brain does change the phenotypic expression of the disorder and is associated with improvement of mood and cognition. 

About Dr. Bauer:  Michael Bauer is Director and Executive Chair at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Medical Faculty of the Technische Universität Dresden, Germany. His research interests include the neurobiology and treatment of mood disorders with an emphasis on bipolar disorder, and refractory depression and investigation of the thyroid system in mood disorders using neuroendocrine and functional brain imaging techniques.  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.
Welcome Dr. Mike Griffiths to our Boar d of Directors

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Mike Griffiths is
joining our Board of Directors  this month. 

Dr. Mike Griffiths is an accomplished entrepreneurial medical device executive with over 30 years' experience earned within the global healthcare field.  Mike possess a doctorate from Middlesex University in London as well as numerous other clinical, management and engineering credentials. 

Dr. Griffiths is currently the co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and President of Advanced Oxygen Therapy Inc., an international company focused on healing patients with chronic wounds caused by such endemic conditions as Diabetes and Peripheral Vascular Disease. 

Mike resides in Carlsbad, California with his wife and youngest daughter, who was diagnosed just two years ago with Bipolar Disorder at the age of 13. Since then, Mike and his entire family have become tireless advocates for improved Mental Health legislation and fighting the stigma that so many have to endure.
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 International Bipolar Foundation.

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

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