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November 17, 2005

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Study: Bipolar drug works, low side effect
United Press International - USA
... Head investigator Dr. Richard H. Weisler said the drug was effective in Bipolar I Disorder patients and did not contribute to significant weight gain like many ...

DS grad had struggled with bipolar disorder before suicide
Dover-Sherborn Press - Framingham,MA,USA
Despite ongoing battles with bipolar disorder and alcoholism, Richard Courtemanche had managed to live a reasonably happy life. On Nov. ...

Capsules effective in treating acute manic and mixed episodes of Bipolar I Disorder
EurekAlert! Wed, 16 Nov 2005 6:37 AM PST
Shire Pharmaceuticals Inc. has announced that University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers studied the efficacy of carbamazepine extended-release capsules (CBZ-ERC, EquetroÔ) in patients with manic or mixed episodes of Bipolar I Disorder over six months.

Extended-Release Carbamazepine Capsules Effective in Treating Acute Manic and Mixed Episodes of Bipolar I Disorder
Market Wire via Yahoo! Finance Tue, 15 Nov 2005 2:43 PM PST Shire Pharmaceuticals Inc. has announced that University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers studied the efficacy of carbamazepine extended-release capsules (CBZ-ERC, Equetro(TM)) in patients with manic or mixed episodes of Bipolar I Disorder over six months. Data from this open label study was presented by UNC researchers last week at the 18th annual U.S.

Mother wonders about county's mental health services
News 8 Austin Wed, 16 Nov 2005 7:51 AM PST
After shake-ups with how mental health cases are handled, one mother doesn't want anyone to grieve like her.

Depression Health Center
HealthCentral.com Tue, 15 Nov 2005 4:49 PM PST
Depressed Moms-To-Be Brighten Up Treating depression in pregnant women can be especially challenging. Now, some are looking to light therapy as a way to "brighten up" during pregnancy

Storybook Island embezzler sentenced
Rapid City Journal Tue, 15 Nov 2005 10:03 PM PST
RAPID CITY — Randall Kenneth Brown, the former Storybook Island director who stole thousands of dollars during seven months of employment, will spend at least a year in prison on a four-year sentence handed down Tuesday.

Judge denies suspect's bond request
Bradenton Herald Wed, 16 Nov 2005 0:18 AM PST
MANATEE - A judge Tuesday rejected a request to reduce the bond for a man accused of stealing a car with three children in the backseat.

Bipolar disorder often misidentified as depression, Iowa State U. officials say

University Wire; 11/11/2005; Anna Shonkwiler

(Iowa State Daily) (U-WIRE) AMES, Iowa -- Bipolar disorder can be easily confused with and misdiagnosed as depression, Iowa State University student counseling officials said.

Marty Martinez, Student Counseling Service staff psychologist, said students can come to the counseling center free of charge to get information or to set up a meeting with a psychologist to get help for themselves or someone they know.

"We encourage friends to come along the first time to counseling sessions if that will make the person feel more comfortable," Martinez said.

Bipolar disorder, a mental illness that affects the brain, can cause severe shifts in mood and energy level and can affect a patient's ability to function.

Sometimes bipolar disorder is misdiagnosed, Martinez said, because of the disorder's similar symptoms to depression. He said a person can be in the depression phase for months at a time and are therefore sometimes diagnosed as depressed.

It is not until the student enters the manic period that they can be determined bipolar.

Ross Szabo, director of youth outreach for the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign, spoke with students in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union on Monday about his personal struggles with bipolar disorder.

Szabo said he was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 16 and was later also diagnosed with anger-control problems with psychotic features. He said he would be on manic highs for days, weeks or months at a time before falling into extreme depression.

"Because of my disorder, I would binge drink, often drinking so much that I would pass out," he said. "It wasn't uncommon for me to pass out for 20 hours at a time."

He said the first thing to do to help someone who may be bipolar is to "turn confrontation into conversation" and just speak with the individual.

Szabo said his older brother was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder and mental illness ran in his family.

"If anyone in your family has any type of mental disorder, you have an increased risk of developing that disorder," he said.

Tim Klunenberg, junior in health and human performance, attended Monday's lecture and said he knows someone with bipolar disorder.

"I know somebody that has it and think it's an under-recognized disorder," he said.

He said he found Szabo's approach to the lecture interesting because he did not just tell the audience what to do.

"He was really interesting," Klunenberg said. "He just presented the information and let us take it in. I thought that was better than someone who gets up there and tells you to do this and do that and doesn't really give you the option of making up your own mind."

(C) 2005 Iowa State Daily via U-WIRE

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