Download How the Right Drugs Can Treat Bipolar Disorder

September - December
2010
Providing Education, Support and Hope
How the Right Drugs Can Treat Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar patients need drugs to keep
them even, not up.
downside of the drugs against having
a life in an institution,” she says.
Drugs for bipolar disorder don’t
cure the condition, psychiatrists say.
“They only suppress the symptoms,”
says Michael Thase, MD, professor
of psychiatry at the University of
Pennsylvania. “Because of this,
people who take them are temporarily
at increased risk for relapse when they
stop the medications, particularly if
they stop them abruptly.”
Once you’re taking a mood stabilizer,
you may not need an antidepressant,
which can trigger manic phases.
John Markowitz, MD, a psychiatrist
at the New York State Psychiatric
Institute and clinical professor of
psychiatry at Weill Medical College
of Cornell University in New York
City, adds: “One episode of mania,
you’re on a mood stabilizer for life.
Mania with severe depression can
have catastrophic consequences.”
But the drugs themselves are no easy
solution for people suffering from
bipolar disorder, says one woman
who says she experienced “cognitive
dulling” on lithium, so much so that
switched to another medication when
she wanted to try to go to graduate
school. “You have to weigh the
IN THIS ISSUE
President’s Message............................ p.
8 Ways to Help Someone.................... p.
Clues Help ID People at Risk............. p.
Depression and Belly Fat.................... p.
Learn to Manage Mania..................... p.
Exercise and Depression..................... p.
Don’t Overschedule............................ p.
Helping During an Episode................ p.
Disorders Treated with Drugs............ p.
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Results of the multicenter Systemic
Treatment Enhancement Program for
Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) study
support the notion that antidepressants
like Prozac may not be appropriate for
bipolar patients.
In this rigorously controlled study,
people with bipolar disorder were
treated for up to 26 weeks with either
a mood stabilizer paired with an
antidepressant or a mood stabilizer
plus a placebo. Of the 179 subjects, 42
(or 23.5%) who were taking a mood
stabilizer plus an antidepressant had a
durable recovery. Of the 187 subjects
taking a mood stabilizer plus a placebo
that looked like the antidepressant, 51
(or 27.3%) had a durable recovery.
The statistical analysis confirmed what
a quick look at the numbers suggests:
The antidepressant didn’t add anything
to the benefits of the mood stabilizer.
In fact, the people taking only a mood
stabilizer plus placebo did a little
better than the people who took an
antidepressant plus a mood stabilizer.
Mary, a middle-aged woman living
in Massachusetts who has bipolar
disorder, says that the mood stabilizer
Lamictal keeps her from spinning off
into manic episodes. A low dose of
Zoloft keeps depression at bay, and she
takes a benzodiazepine tranquilizer
occasionally. But Mary faces a big
Gina Minns-Burford and Melanie
Malcuit did a great job organizing
DBSA’s recent bowling fundraiser.
The next bowling event will be
on September 18th. Information
about it can be found at our website
(dbsatampabay.org).
pitfall: “I do periodically miss my
old life, with its creative, productive
highs. I have thoughts like, ‘How can
I get back there?’”
Sometimes she convinces herself
that she can go off her meds, and that
strategy has landed her in the hospital
several times because she felt strong
suicidal impulses. The last time she
went off her medications, in early
2007, she slid into a crisis so fast
“that even I didn’t see it coming,” she
says. “I went running to the hospital
because I felt that I might kill myself.
I can’t do that to my family.”
Article from Health.com
A Message From
Our President
Again we have gone through the
summer season, time passes so fast. We
hope you were successful this season
and made great efforts to improve
your overall health and mental health
recovery.
DBSA Tampa Bay
Speaker’s Bureau
Would you like to have a speaker
at your group or organization?
Members of our
DBSATB continues to offer the tools
to improve the lives of people living
with mood disorders. With the variety
of tools please reveal and share
information with support persons and
families. The volunteers that facilitate,
responds the phone messages,
responds to the email requests, the
web site and the lecture series. Without
their services theses tools could not be
provided.
Those that have attended the support
groups can appreciate the time, efforts
and sacrifice the facilitators make
each week. There is always a need for
new facilitators and co-facilitators.
We would request that if you would
like to volunteer, please email or
leave a message on the phone. You
can also discuss with the facilitators
the necessary program to complete to
become a facilitator.
There are many ways to become a
volunteer with this organization.
Each volunteer strives to offer the
best service, if you have suggestions
for improvement we encourage your
response.
As we enter the fall season may we all
strive to improve our lives on our way
to recovery. Those locations that let us
use your facilities thank you so much.
Sincerely,
Neil Bush
President
DBSA TAMPA BAY NEWSLETTER
organization volunteer to
give informal talks about
depression and bipolar illness.
For more information, please email
us at [email protected]
8 Ways You Can
Help Someone
With Depression
• Remember that they cannot help
being affected by depression.
Educational
Resources
American Psychiatric Association
888-357-7924 • www.psych.org
American Psychological Association
800-964-2000 • www.apa.org
Advocacy Center
800-342-0823
www.advocacy center.com
Child & Adolescent
Bipolar Foundation
847-256-8525 • www.bpkids.org
DBSA (National)
800-826-3632
www.DBSAlliance.org
dbsa.invisionzone.com
facingus.org
Military Veterans Suicide Hotline
1 800-273-8255
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
800-950-6264 • www.nami.org
• Encourage them to talk and listen to
what they are saying.
National Association for the
Dually Diagnosed
800-331-5362
• Let them know that you care about
them.
National Family Caregivers Association
301-942-6430
• Stay in contact with them. Send a
card, give them a ring, visit them
in their home. Remember that
depression can be a very isolating
experience.
National Foundation for
Depressive Illnesses
800-248-4344
• Help them to feel good about
themselves by praising daily
achievements.
National Institute of Mental Health
800-421-4211 • www.nimh.nih.gov
Panic Disorder Line:
800-64PANIC(7-2642)
• Encourage them to help themselves
by adopting self-help techniques.
Anxiety Disorder Line:
800-888-8-ANXIETY(26-9438)
• Find out about support services
available to them and to you
(self-help groups, out-of-hours
emergency support, help lines, etc).
National Mental Health Association
800-989-6642 • www.nmha.org
• Encourage them to visit their
doctor, and ensure that they take any
prescribed medication as directed.
The Fly lady
flylady.net
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Confidential Depression Screening
www.depression-screening.org
September - December 2010
Clues Help ID
Depressed People
at Risk of Bipolar
Disorder
Aug. 17, 2010 -- Researchers have
discovered clues that may help identify
which people with depression are at
risk of developing bipolar disorder.
The new findings appear in the online
version of The American Journal of
Psychiatry.
Bipolar disorder is a serious condition
characterized by the extreme highs
of mania and devastating lows of
depression. Nearly 40% of people
with a history of major depression also
report recurrent episodes of low level,
subtle hypomania, the new study
showed.
Less intense than mania, hypomania is
marked by bursts of increased energy,
activity, and less need for sleep. The
episodes reported by nearly 40% of
the study participants were not fullblown mania or even full-blown
hypomania, but more mild and dubbed
“sub-threshold hypomania.”
“People with a history of depression
who have recurrent episodes of a day
or two of increased energy, activity,
and decreased sleep and then go back
to their usual level of function may
be more likely to develop bipolar
disorder in the future,” says study
author Kathleen Merikangas, PhD,
a senior investigator and chief of the
genetic epidemiology branch in the
Intramural Research Program at the
National Institute of Mental Health in
Bethesda, Md.
“The earlier bipolar disorder is
recognized and treated, the less
consequences there are of manic
episodes such as substance abuse and
trouble with the law,” she says. “These
people should be monitored carefully,
not just put on antidepressants.”
DBSA TAMPA BAY NEWSLETTER
Depression Could Play a Role
in Added Belly Fat
New research provides more evidence
of a link between depression and extra
pounds around the waist, although
it’s not exactly clear how they’re
connected.
The study raises the possibility that
depression causes people to put on
extra pounds around the belly. The
opposite doesn’t appear to be the case:
researchers found that overweight
people aren’t more likely to become
depressed than their normal-weight
peers.
These findings come from researchers
at the University of Alabama at
Birmingham, who examined data
from the Coronary Artery Risk
Development in Young Adults Study
(CARDIA), a 20-year longitudinal
study of more than 5,100 men and
women aged 18-30. (Longitudinal
studies look for a link between cause
and effect by observing a group of
individuals at regular intervals over a
long period of time).
Among other things, the researchers
wanted to figure out if depressed
DBSA Tampa Bay
Website:
www.dbsatampabay.org
The place to learn more!
Research back issues of our newsletter.
Discover documents of interest.
Link to other resources.
The study included information
from members of more than 5,000
households across the U.S. who
participated in face-to-face interviews
between February 2001 and April
2003. The interviews focused on
having a history of mood disorders,
their symptoms, and the severity of
their symptoms. (WebMD.com)
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people were more likely to have larger
waist circumferences and a higher
BMI, and how that changed over time.
They found that over a 15-year period,
all the subjects put on some pounds,
but those who were depressed gained
weight faster.
“Those who started out reporting high
levels of depression gained weight at a
faster rate than others in the study, but
starting out overweight did not lead to
changes in depression,” said study coauthor Belinda Needham, an assistant
professor of sociology, in a university
press release.
Since the stress hormone cortisol is
related to depression and abdominal
obesity, Needham speculated that
elevated levels might explain why
depressed people tend to gain more
belly fat.
“Our study is important because if you
are interested in controlling obesity,
and ultimately eliminating the risk of
obesity-related diseases, then it makes
sense to treat people’s depression,”
Needham said. “It’s another reason
to take depression seriously and
not to think about it just in terms of
mental health, but to also think about
the physical consequences of mental
health problems.”
The study appears in American Journal
of Public Health.
DBSA Tampa Bay
is an all volunteer
non-profit
organization
September - December 2010
How a Bipolar Patient Learned to Manage Mania
If someone had told me when I was
in my teens that one day I’d be a
spokesperson for a mental health
group, I wouldn’t have believed
them. Chances are, I wouldn’t have
understood them either. When I was
18, I was drowsy on antipsychotics
and hospitalized for my first manic
attack. But a lot has changed since
then, and over the last 36 years I’ve
learned how to manage my health.
And, as a member of NAMI (National
Alliance on Mental Illness), I help
other people understand mental illness
for themselves and their loved ones.
Today I talk openly about my bipolar
disorder, but for a long time I didn’t
tell anyone about it. First of all, I
didn’t really understand the illness, let
alone want to share this big secret with
people. Though, at times, it was hard
to conceal. Whenever I was stressed or
overtired or feeling enormous pressure,
I was at risk of going through another
manic episode. That’s what happened
when I started college at a reputable
liberal arts women’s school—which
will remain nameless.
The unfamiliar surroundings, the
irregular class schedule, and the
unlimited opportunity offered me
too many choices. And it resulted in
unmanageable stress. I couldn’t sleep,
I would forget to eat, and I would talk
incredibly fast. I even thought I had
ESP—when a song would come on
the radio, I thought, “Hey, I predicted
that song.” I sensed something was
wrong, but I didn’t know what it was.
So I visited the college’s infirmary.
During the first few visits, the college
doctor focused on my insomnia. He
gave me medication to sleep and
sent me home. But when the sleep
medication didn’t work, and I was
getting more hyper and my energy was
peaking beyond control, the doctor
sent me to a hospital. To my surprise,
they had me stay in the hospital for
six weeks. Imagine: I had just started
college, a bright-eyed, ambitious
student and then, three weeks later,
I was a patient in a mental ward of a
DBSA TAMPA BAY NEWSLETTER
hospital. It was hard to understand,
even harder to accept.
Back then there was very little medical
consensus on bipolar disorder—
and there was very little patient
consultation on which treatment
would be preferred. The medication
I was given snowed me. I couldn’t
function. I was sleeping during the
day, wide awake at night. It was
horrible. My family was extremely
supportive, but it was a very confusing
time. My condition was not officially
called bipolar at this time because I
hadn’t had enough episodes for a clear
diagnosis.
At the end of the six-week period, my
energy levels stabilized, and I felt like
myself. When I was ready for school,
the college wouldn’t accept me—
something about me not being an ideal
student. I went to a different college
while my father appealed for my
reentry. The following year I returned
to my original college of choice, and I
eventually graduated.
Stigma about mental illness was
very common then, and it remains a
challenge now. I think the best way to
combat this stigma is to talk about it,
its symptoms, the genetic component,
and also how lifestyle choices can
influence your susceptibility to more
manias.
My next manic episode happened
when I was 25. I have since had seven
or eight episodes, and they usually
happen when I undergo a major
change: my mother’s death, a new
job, or a longer commute to work.
Although I find it hard to remember
my behavior during my manic stages,
I know I have a bundle of symptoms:
I tend to lose my sense of humor, I
find it hard to follow directions, I can
be unreasonably suspicious, and I
cry easily. I am happy to say that my
episodes have grown less frequent as
I’ve aged and become more aware
of my personal triggers. Bipolar can
be different for different people and
come on differently at different times
in their lives.
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Today, I manage my bipolar condition
by keeping a regular schedule.
Routines. Without them, I’d be far
less healthy. I try to exercise regularly,
I don’t drink alcohol anymore, and I
eat “happy” foods like raw fruits and
vegetables. But even with the most
discipline, there’s always a chance
that I could slip back into a manic
state. Sometimes my mental illness is
in the foreground, sometimes it’s in
the background.
The genetic component of bipolar
is something that I cannot control.
And like many families, I didn’t even
know that mental illness was in my
family until much later in life. A few
years ago, a genealogist contacted me
while he was researching my family
for another individual. He told me
that my great-grandmother had killed
herself and that she likely suffered
from some mental illness. This came
as a complete shock to me, and I’m
certain that my father (he passed
away years ago) didn’t know about
this either. Knowing this information
about a relative—although tragic—
somehow helped me understand and
accept my condition a little more. It
also reminded me of the importance of
managing my condition.
My family didn’t talk about my greatgrandmother’s illness, but they were the
only ones who knew about my mental
illness for a long time. The privacy
was comforting, but it also limited my
social support network. That changed
when I was in my 30s. I started to
branch out socially. I discovered that I
loved ballroom dancing, and it became
my favorite hobby. I traveled with a
dancing tour group and we went as far
as Australia. In addition to learning
new steps, I made lasting friendships.
And my closest friends know about
my bipolar diagnosis. When I told
them, more often than not, they would
always respond by telling me they
knew someone else in their family
or network of friends who also had
bipolar.
(courtesy health.com)
September - December 2010
Exercise and
Depression
Don’t Over Schedule
Feeling stressed and overwhelmed
is a common trigger for depression
symptoms. If you’re struggling with
depression, it’s important not to
over schedule your time and take on
more than you can manage. If you
have complicated tasks to perform at
work or at home, break them up into
manageable pieces.
Depression is draining. It can make
any type of exertion -- going to the
grocery store, cleaning up the yard, or
exercising -- seem daunting.
“Energy loss is one of the key
characteristics
of
depression.
Some people feel that it’s the key
characteristic of depression,” says
Robert E. Thayer, PhD, a psychology
professor
at
California
State
University, Long Beach, an expert in
managing mood, and the author of
Calm Energy: How People Regulate
Mood with Food and Exercise.
Edvard Munch, The Scream (1893) has
been widely interpreted as representing
He points to exercise as one of the best
ways for depressed people to lift their
mood. “Exercise generates energy,”
Thayer says.
Here are Thayer’s answers to questions
about exercise and depression.
Can depressed people get into a
vicious cycle if they feel stressed and
overeat and don’t exercise and then
become more depressed?
“Definitely. People self-regulate
with food, and I think that’s one of
the reasons for the obesity epidemic
that’s occurring – the combination of
increased stress and depression going
on for a long time and people needing
to self-regulate, using food and other
substances for doing that.”
If depressed people begin to exercise
instead, what happens physiologically?
“There’s a whole series of things that
happen when we begin to exercise.
As we get up and begin to move and
exercise, there’s a general bodily
arousal state that occurs. It includes
many different systems of the body
-- everything from metabolism to
cardiovascular activation, various
kinds of endocrine changes in the
brain, various kinds of hormonal
changes and shifts.”
DBSA TAMPA BAY NEWSLETTER
the universal anxiety of modern man
And remember: It’s OK to slow down
a bit. “Maybe you can’t work at 100%
capacity,” Raskin says. “Maybe you
can work at only 75% capacity. Still,
that’s an accomplishment.” But, he
adds, “if you really can’t function,
you have to be compassionate with
yourself. You deserve a break; take a
sick day, whatever you need.”
Thank You to all of you who have paid your dues, subscribed to our
newsletter, or made donations to our organization, we truly thank you. Without
this monetary support, we would not be able to provide educational materials,
literature, newsletters and a website to those that need our help.
What happens psychologically when
people start to exercise?
“It depends on the degree and level
of exercise. With moderate exercise,
[in our research] we’ve been working
with short, brisk walks [of] five or 10
minutes. The primary mood effect
in that situation is increased energy.
Secondarily, sometimes -- but not
always -- there’s a tension reduction.”
“With more intense exercise -- for
example, an hour of heavy aerobic
exercise -- there is a reduction in
energy and a reduction in tension. But
oftentimes, after recovery [from the
workout], there’s an energy resurgence
that occurs.”
Do depressed people have to exercise
intensely to get a mood boost?
“No, it actually can occur fairly
quickly. One of the things about our
‘short, brisk walks’ studies really
5
illustrates this point. People can think
about ... how tired they’re feeling, then
get up and begin to walk -- walking
moderately, maybe quickly down the
street for a short while. Immediately,
they will begin to feel differently. As
we’ve found with short, brisk walks
of five to 10 to 15 minutes, there’s a
significant increase in energy. They
begin to feel it almost immediately.”
“When people are seriously depressed
-- with clinical depression, of course -it may be not as efficacious as it would
be for people in a normal state, but it
still will have an effect.” If depressed
people lack motivation to begin
exercising, how do they get started?
“It’s a significant problem because
when you’re depressed, you have
no energy. When you think about
exercising, you have no energy to try
it. What I suggest is to start out very
minimally, just getting up and walking
a few steps.
September - December 2010
Helping a Person
During a Manic
Episode
You may feel frustrated around a
person with bipolar disorder during a
manic episode. The high energy level
can be tiring or even frightening. The
person may also actually enjoy the
mania and may not take medications,
which can prolong the episode. In
addition, the person may say and do
unusual or hurtful things. You can help
during a manic episode by doing the
following:
Spend time with the person, depending
on their level of energy and how well
you can keep up. People who are
manic often feel isolated from other
people. Spending even short periods
of time with them helps them feel
less isolated. If the person has a lot of
energy, walk together, which allows
the person to keep on the move but
share your company.
Answer questions honestly. However,
do not argue or debate with a person
during a manic episode.
Avoid intense conversation. Don’t
take any comments personally. During
periods of high energy, a person often
says and does things that he or she
would not usually say or do, including
focusing on negative aspects of others.
If needed, stay away from the person
and avoid arguments.
Prepare easy-to-eat foods and drinks
(such as peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches, apples, cheese crackers,
and juices), because it is difficult for
the person to sit down to a meal during
periods of high energy.
Avoid subjecting the person to a lot of
activity and stimulation. It is best to
keep surroundings as quiet as possible.
Allow the person to sleep whenever
possible. During periods of high
energy, sleeping is difficult and short
DBSA TAMPA BAY NEWSLETTER
naps may be taken throughout the day.
Sometimes the person feels rested
after only 2 to 3 hours of sleep.
Call a health professional if you
have questions or concerns about
the person’s behavior. Always call a
health professional (or 911 or other
emergency service) if you think the
person with bipolar disorder is in
danger of causing any harm to himself
or herself or others.
DBSA Tampa Bay does not
endorse or recommend the
use of any specific treatments
or medications mentioned in
this newsletter. For advice
about specific treatments
or medications, individuals
should consult their
physicians and / or mental
health professionals.
More Mental
Disorders Treated
with Drugs Only
More Americans with psychiatric
conditions are being treated with drugs
alone compared with a decade ago,
while “talk therapy” -- either by itself
or in combination with medication -is on the decline, a new study finds.
The implications of the trend, as well
as its underlying causes, are not fully
clear, according to researchers. But
they say the findings indicate that
outpatient mental health care in the
U.S. is being redefined.
The results, reported in the American
Journal of Psychiatry, are based on
data from two government health
surveys conducted in 1998 and 2007.
Over that period, the percentage of
Americans who said they’d had at
least one psychotherapy session in the
past year remained steady -- at just
over 3 percent in both 1998 and 2007.
6
However, among Americans receiving
any outpatient mental health care, the
proportion being treated with drugs
alone rose from 44 percent in 1998 to
57 percent in 2007.
Meanwhile, combined treatment with
drugs and psychotherapy declined
from 40 percent to 32 percent, and the
use of psychotherapy alone slipped
from 16 percent in 1998 to about 10
percent in 2007.
National spending on psychotherapy
also declined -- from an estimated total
of $11 billion in 1998 to $7 billion in
2007. Overall spending on mental
health care remained fairly steady,
however -- at $15.4 billion in 1998
and $16 billion in 2007- suggesting an
increase in the proportion of mental
health spending devoted to drug
therapies.
“This represents a fairly dramatic shift
in mental health treatment, and it is
not necessarily good news for many
patients,” said Dr. Daniel Carlat,
an associate clinical professor of
psychiatry at Tufts University School
of Medicine who was not involved in
the study.
“What concerns me most,” he told
Reuters Health in an email, “is
that there was a 20 percent drop in
treatment combining therapy with
medication.”
Such “integrative” treatment, Carlat
said, is often the most effective.
“I think there are some reasons for
concern,” agreed Dr. Mark Olfson,
a professor of clinical psychiatry at
Columbia University in New York and
one of the study’s authors.
He said that with depression, for
example, there is evidence that
combination therapy is superior to
medication alone.
In an interview, Olfson pointed out
that the largest investigation so far
of depression in teenagers found that
September - December 2010
combined therapy was generally more
effective than either drugs or talk
therapy alone. In that study, known
as TADS (Treatment for Adolescents
with Depression Study), combination
therapy was better at reducing teens’
suicidal thoughts, for example.
Yet the current study of trends in
psychotherapy use found that among
Americans treated for depression, the
proportion on medication alone rose
from 41 percent in 1998 to 51 percent
in 2007. The percentage receiving
combination treatment dipped from 50
percent to 42 percent.
On the “positive” side, Olfson said,
the trend toward greater medication
use means that some people who
might not have received any mental
health care at all in the past are now
getting treatment.
“Mental health care,” he said, “is
evolving in a way that means more
people are receiving treatment, but
are not necessarily getting the most
effective therapy.”
The study was not designed to weed
out the reasons for these trends. But
one potential factor, Olfson said, is
the increased marketing of psychiatric
drugs not only to doctors, but to the
public as well.
Olfson recommended that people who
are being newly prescribed a psychiatric
medication ask their doctors if any
alternative treatments are available for
their particular condition.
Other factors, he speculated, could
include patients’ increased acceptance
that mental health disorders have
biological underpinnings and, for
some people, a perception that
medication may be the simpler
approach -- requiring less time and
effort and potentially offering quicker
results.
This is especially relevant for people
with milder symptoms. In general,
Olfson said, psychiatric drugs have
been shown to be most effective for
patients with more severe disorders.
In addition, primary care doctors can
prescribe psychiatric medications,
while psychotherapy requires a
referral to a mental health specialist
-- a psychiatrist, psychologist, social
worker or mental health counselor.
The National Institute of Mental Health
estimates that one in 10 American
adults experiences depression in any
given year, and that 18 percent of
adults suffer from some form of anxiety
disorder.
Primary care doctors now account
for the large majority of psychiatricdrug prescriptions issued in the U.S.,
Olfson and colleague Dr. Steven C.
Marcus note in their report.
One of the most common and beststudied forms of psychotherapy is
cognitive-behavioral therapy, which
involves examining how thoughts
affect emotions and learning ways to
change behavior patterns that may be
negatively affecting a person’s mental
well-being.
What all of this means for Americans’
mental health is not entirely clear. But
Someone with relatively mild
depression symptoms, for example,
might respond to some form of mental
health counseling alone.
OUR MISSION
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance Tampa Bay’s mission is to provide education, self-help,
fellowship and other direct services to people with Affective Disorders and to their relatives and friends.
This organization is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization operated by it’s members. DBSA Tampa Bay is
affiliated with the national organization DBSA. Contributions are non-taxable as provided by law.
2010 Membership Application
DBSA TAMPA BAY NEWSLETTER
7
September - December 2010
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance Tampa Bay
SUPPORT GROUPS
Please be on time in consideration of others.
Times and locations may change due to circumstances beyond our control
Brandon (Tampa):
Monday 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Brandon Christian Church
910 Bryan Road (at Lumsden)
Tampa (Northdale):
First and Third Thursdays,
6:30 PM - 7:45 PM
Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library
Room Number 1
2902 W. Bearss Avenue
James Haley Veterans Hospital
First and Third Thursdays
7:00 - 8:30 PM.
13000 Bruce B Downs
Rm 1C-104
Town and Country Hospital:
Wednesday 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
6001 Webb Road
Meeting in Cafeteria Private Room 1
USF Area (Tampa):
Tuesday 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
USF Department of Psychiatry and
Behavioral Medicine.
3515 East Fletcher Ave.
Directions: From Fletcher Ave, turn south at
Magnolia Drive. The Psychiatry Center is
the first building on the left.
Multiple Copies?
DBSA Tampa Bay members, affiliates
and supporters may order multiple
copies of our newsletter via
Priority Mail for $24/year (3 issues).
A packet holds about 25 newsletters
DBSA Tampa Bay
PO Box 340572
Tampa, FL 33694
DBSA Tampa Bay
Board of Directors 2010:
Professional Advisor:
Michael F. Sheehan, M.D.
Founder:
John C. Massolio, Jr.
Executive Board:
President:
Neil Bush
1st Vice President:
Vicki Robey
2nd Vice President:
Mary Watkins
Treasurer:
Carol Yaros
Secretary:
Janne Ketrow
Editor:
Rich Sessums
Support Group Guidelines
* We are here to support mental health and
your prescribed treatment. Family and
friends are welcome.
* We maintain confidentiality: What is said
in group stays there.
* As volunteer facilitators, we help guide
your discussions. We share experiences,
wisdom, successes, and common problems.
* We limit the discussions to depressive,
bipolar, and other effective disorders.
* We are not mental health professionals.
We do not diagnose, advise or recommend
specific treatments or doctors.
* Our participants respond with compassion,
not judgment. Sharing is encouraged, how
ever you are not required to. You may
remain silent if you wish.
* We are support groups and not therapy
groups. We are here to give and receive
support.
National Suicide Hotline:
1-800-SUICIDE
Project Return Community Center:
Friday 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
304 W. Waters Ave., Tampa
St. Petersburg (West side):
Thursday at 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Pasadena Community Church
The Life Enrichment Center Room 3A
( Behind the Church ) 227 70th St. S.
St. Petersburg:
Monday 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Lutheran Church of the Cross
4545 Chancellor St., NE
From 4th Street turn East on 62nd Ave N.
Turn right on Bayou Grande Blvd. NE.
Turn left on Shore Acres Blvd. NE.
Turn right on Chancellor St. NE.
St. Petersburg Baptist Church
Tuesday 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
1900 Gandy Blvd. N.
Rooms 9 and 10
- Regular Support Group
- Group for spouses and significant others only
Zephyrhills:
Monday 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Florida Hospital (formerly EPMC)
7050 Gall Blvd. (Use Hwy. 301)
Meeting is in the Speech Therapy Room
near the Wellness Center.
Would You Like
To Reach Us?
Would you like to
become a member of the
DBSA Tampa Bay?
Call 813-878-2906
Would you like to receive our newsletter?
Please refer to the application on page 7.
We also appreciate any donations which help
to defray the cost of our services
or you can also email us at:
[email protected]
Thank You.