About

"Flipswitch: For Teens & 20s" was made possible by a generous grant from The Rodwell Dart Memorial Foundation. Flipswitch was previously named depressedteens.com. Flipswitch's purpose is to provide valuable information and educational resources that will help teenagers, their parents and educators understand the signs and symptoms of teenage depression and get help when needed.

History of CABF's Teen Programs

Summary of Suicide Prevention Tips by Barbara Geller, M.D.

by Elizabeth Tunney Williams, CABF Development Director

Q: What is bipolar disorder?

A: A brain disorder marked by bouts of extreme and impairing changes in mood, energy, thinking, and behavior. Symptoms may emerge either suddenly or gradually during childhood, adolescence, or adulthood.

Q: Can bipolar disorder be cured?

A: Clinical depression and bipolar disorder tend to be episodic in nature. These illnesses are treatable, but right now cannot be cured. The goal of treatment should be to manage the disease, decrease the severity of  depressive and manic episodes and keep recurrences to a minimum.

Q: What is the difference between depression and bipolar illness?

A: Clinical depression is also called "unipolar" depression because a person's mood swings only in one direction - down. Normal periods are separated by a steady drop in mood, which becomes lower and lower. In contrast, manic depression is "bipolar," because the mood swings range from low to high (manic) and back again.

Flipswitch: the Bipolar and Depression Connection is CABF's podcast for teens and young adults on living well with mood disorders. Each week, the Flipswitch crew takes on a 'piece' of the mood disorder 'puzzle'. Researchers, celebrities, artists, moms, and teens share their perspectives in the interview portion of the show. Read the transcript of the interview with this week's guest, indie folk/country musician Brandi Carlile, or click the player to listen.

SAMHSA Partners with Suicide Prevention Action Network to Promote Public/Private Partnership to Curb Suicide

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the award of a contract to the Suicide Prevention Action Network (SPAN USA), a national suicide prevention organization, to join with SAMHSA to establish and administer the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. The Action Alliance, a public-private partnership, is being established to move the goals and objectives of the 2001 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention from paper to practice.

An article about proper warnings on medication given to bipolar patients.

Article discusses the decline in depression treatment after FDA warning in 2003 about increased suicidal tendencies in patients taking antidepressants.

Transcript of Danielle Steel's testimony about her son Nick (who had bipolar disorder and died at 19) before the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations.