My Support Newsletter, August 2020
Dear Reader,
We are very excited to invite you to listen, learn, enjoy, and take action on November 8th, 2020 by attending our first ever virtual Starry Night! Connect with us wherever you may be around the globe this year for this uplifting evening and feel the virtual compassion from IBPF! Leading voices will share our efforts and insights to inspire you to illuminate the way for awareness, healing and hope in unity with us. Be on the lookout for registration soon.

In addition, I want to share again the importance of prioritizing our mental health. With the difficulty of isolation and lack of routines that we once knew, it is proven to be helpful to start our days with a positive, clear mind. Here is a short meditation that can make a difference!

Best wishes,

Debbie Brown
Executive Director
IBPF Making A Difference
IBPF's HUGS for Kids Has Launched!
IBPF's HUGS for Kids program is on it's way to reaching children and teens admitted into psychiatric units at a time when they need comfort and support most.

Research shows that patients and families who have connection and support have better outcomes when it comes to healing, recovery and continued wellness. In addition, pediatric psychiatric patients historically have not received the same community support that children hospitalized for other reasons have, and IBPF is creating change through the HUGS for Kids program.

Mania Made Me Feel Free... But Stability Freed Me
"I no longer look for those highs. I know they are not real, I know they are not healthy."

I was scared and unaware...
When my daughter was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 13, I was scared and unaware of what bipolar disorder was, and what it would mean for her future. My education about mental illness started with reading every book I could find on the subject. What I began to learn was that bipolar disorder is a complex illness and would require my understanding of biology, neurology, pharmacology, behavioral health, social beliefs and systems, healthcare systems, medical insurance and the law.
 
When I expanded my search to the web, I found you, International Bipolar Foundation....

Continue reading Tanya's letter to IBPF here.
Pause. Just Pause.
"Impossible as it may, consider pausing, and even amidst the chaos, the fear, the devastation, note the beauty and take a breath."

I feel blessed to have found this organization...
IBPF has created a sense of community for me and thousands of others around the world. The people I have connected with through the organization have enhanced my life and have allowed me to give back to them and their loved ones. A key to my recovery has been how my painful experiences have brought some good into the world.

Continue reading how IBPF has given hope to Jayson Blaire, IBPF Honorary Board Member and Former NYT Journalist, here.
The Twisted Beauty of Surviving With Depression
"She makes me tired; she makes me angry; she tells me nobody loves me, and no one will ever love me. She is my loud-mouthed twin, Depression."

Healthy Living With Bipolar Disorder Book

The Healthy Living with Bipolar Disorder book is written for both people living with bipolar disorder and their caregivers. The book is divided into three sections: About Bipolar Disorder, Healthy Living, and Resources and is available in PDF, Kindle, or hard copy!

Download or request a Healthy Living with Bipolar Disorder book here.
My Recipe for Sanity
"My life is very different but different isn’t bad, Learning to let go of preconceptions that I had, Holding onto sanity and working hard to find, Peace within my soul, my body and my mind."

Save The Date!
You can join our first virtual Starry Night event.. Stay tuned for more details!
Physician Living With Bipolar Disorder | Ask The Expert
John Budin, M.D., is a physician living with Bipolar Disorder and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. He has spoken extensively about his experience as both a care giver and care receiver.

Anti-Psychotic Weight Gain | Does Leptin Play a Role?
Dr Endomba has a particular interest regarding psychopharmacology, psychotraumatology, and psychosomatic medicine especially interactions between psychiatric illnesses (and treatments) and cardiometabolic ones. He recently published a narrative review article on the role of leptin in body weight gain induced by antipsychotic drugs.

MHealing From the Stress of Racial Trauma | Workshop
Inspired by her own journey of recovery and resilience with bipolar disorder, Dr. White is a mental health activist and advocate who helps organizations reduce stress, burnout and compassion fatigue. Dr. White has built a reputation for thought-provoking keynotes, lectures, presentations, writings and workshops that lead to paradigm shifts, organizational change, and personal growth.

Audrey

Passionate about making the health and wellness industry more transparent, accessible, and sustainable.

My personal motto is ‘eat clean, move often’
Housemade Hummus
Hummus is certainly one of those foods that can be enjoyed at any time of the day, and as a dip or a flavorful topping loaded with protein.



  • 1/2 C tahini
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 C freshly squeezed lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
  • 1 chopped garlic clove
  • 1-15 oz can chickpeas
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 C cold water
Process tahini and olive oil until smooth in blender or food processor. Add balance of ingredients and process until smooth. Add additional spices to taste.

Get creative with your hummus! Add cumin, kalamata olives, and red pepper flakes. Try jalapenos, and fresh corn, or remove tahini and add pesto, The options are endless!

Serve with pita chips or raw vegetables. Top your salad or add to your sandwich and enjoy!
In The News and In Print
Poetic Ramblings of a Lonely Mind
"Enter the world of bipolar magnification; visit life from the darkness of depression to the glorious elation of victorious spirit. "For others to understand you, you must first understand yourself" Questioning emotions are part of life's cycles. The joy of anticipation, the giddiness of consummation, the warmth of satisfaction, the disappointment of broken promises, the hurt of neglected emotions; all lead one to question their worth."

Research Updates
Danish Population-Based Study Identifies New Drug Candidates for Bipolar Disorder

This study examined incidences of bipolar disorder among a total of 1,605,365 participants who purchased one of six common medications over a ten-year-period, with the goal of identifying drugs that might be repurposed to prevent or treat bipolar illness.

Read more here.
Early Precursors of Mood Disorders in Young Children of Parents with Bipolar or Unipolar Disorder

At the 2020 meeting of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders, researcher Caroline Vandeleur presented findings from a 13-year study of children in Switzerland who have a parent with bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder.

Read more here.
Cognitive Abnormalities in Patients Recently Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder

Kamilla Miskowiak conducted a study in which she and her colleagues grouped 158 patients in remission from recently diagnosed bipolar disorder into groups based on their neurocognitive functioning and particularly their emotional processing.

Read more here.
From Our Partners
Help for Climbing Out of Bipolar Depression

No matter how desperate it feels, there’s hope—and tools and support—for climbing out of bipolar depression. 
Read more here.
7 Simple Bedroom Changes for Better Sleep

Here are some easy tips to make your bedroom a haven of rejuvenation and relaxation and, in general, to create a more restful environment for sleeping. Read more here.
Shop and Support
eBay for Charity has partnered with the PayPal Giving Fund to make it easy for sellers to donate 10% to 100% (or as low as 1% for eBay Motors vehicles) of your item's final sale price to a certified charity. Choose IBPF as your charity and make an impact!
Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to IBPF!
Smilematic is a free Chrome extension that will automatically turn your everyday Amazon purchases into AmazonSmile donations.
You'll never again miss an opportunity to raise money for
International Bipolar Foundation.
Shop with CouponBirds.com to save, earn cash and support International Bipolar Foundation on The Seedling Project. You can find coupon codes from thousands of popular retailers like Walmart, Vans, BestBuy and Amazon.
IBPF is proud to be part of Ralphs Community Rewards program. We encourage you to participate by linking your rewards card to IBPF. Community Rewards is an easy way to make an impact on the mental illness community! The more you shop with us, the more money IBPF will earn!
Donate using PayPal Giving Fund, there are no fees and we receive 100% of your donation!

Donate using a debit or credit card, choose between monthly or one time donations!
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