HealthyPlace.com Radio Show
And Bipolar Audio
Table of Contents

All audio shows in the HealthyPlace.com Bipolar Center are listed here. You can click on the "title" link to listen to any audio piece. You should have both the windows media player and realone player downloaded onto your computer as some files are in the windows format and others in the real format.

General - Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

1. Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disease - Dispelling the Myths

   Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder are often confused for one another. In plain English, doctor discusses diagnosis and treatments available and says these diseases are more manageable today. (2003)

2. Study Ties Brain Abnormality to Bipolar Disorder

   A study in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry says MRI images reveal a common physical abnormality in the brains of people of various ages who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive illness. (2003)

3. Are There Core Neuropsychological Abnormalities in Bipolar Disorder?

   Look at brain and its development to determine bipolar disorder. Cognitive function and how it relates to mood and characteristics of bipolar disorder. Targeting these abnormalities for treatment and what it means for recovery. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

4. Bipolar II (Bipolar Depression)

   Presentation from the Fifth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2003)

5. Bipolar Rapid Cycling: Focus on Depression as Its Hallmark

   When it comes to managing bipolar depression, there's still much to be done. Speaker maintains that by taking care of the depressive phase, rapid-cycling can be greatly reduced. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

6. Treatment Guidelines for Bipolar Disorder

   Part I, Part II Presentation from the Fifth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2003)

7. Studying Treatments of Bipolar Disorder in the Real World: The NIMH STEP-BD Project

   From the largest bipolar study to date, findings on various treatments of bipolar disorder. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

8. Treatment of Bipolar Disorder Patients in the Young and Middle Adult Years

   The most effective treatments. Bipolar during pregnancy and other important issues. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

9. Treating the Complex Patient

   Difficulty and how to treat patients with serious cases of bipolar including those with multiple diagnosis'. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

10. Attempting Suicide and Coping with Suicidal Thoughts

    What would drive someone to actually try and kill themselves? For years, our guest, Melanie, was told she was worthless, lazy, crazy, and would never amount to anything. She and other callers share their stories of suicide attempts and how they feel about surviving. Dr. Kumar provides insight into psychological aspects of suicide.

11. Perceptions and Impact of Bipolar Disorder: How Far Have We Really Come?

    Lisa C. Goodale, M.S.W., Director of NDMDA, on social stigma and perceptions of bipolar illness. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

top

Bipolar Medication Issues

• Who Should Be Prescribing Your Psychiatric Medications?

  Experts look at the debate in the medical community over who can prescribe anti-depressants and other psychotropic drugs in light of a recent New Mexico law that allows psychologists to prescribe medication.

• How Does Lithium Compare to Other Treatments in the Management of Bipolar Disorder?

  Bipolar expert, Frederick K. Goodwin, M.D. compares the traditional treatment of Lithium to newer atypical antipsychotics and other medications for bipolar disorder. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

• Use of Anticonvulsants in Bipolar Disorder

  Presentation from the Fifth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2003)

• Non-adherence with Mood Stabilizers: Prevalence, Predictors and Prognosis

  Why patients don't take their bipolar medications as prescribed and the results of non-adherence. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

• FDA Study Links Antidepressants, Teen Suicide

  A new FDA analysis concludes that young patients taking antidepressants could be at increased risk for suicidal thoughts and self harm.

• Psychiatric Medications

  How can someone who doesn't want to take psychiatric medications become aware that it is good for them to take them? What about quitting meds on your own? Is psychotherapy just as good as antidepressants for the treatment of depression? Psychiatrist co-host, Dr. Kristeen Spratley answered those questions as well as listener questions about specific medications.

• Drugs & Normalcy: The Controversy Over Using Drugs to Modify Behavior

  In psychiatry, the line between eccentricity and pathology can be blurry. When, for instance, does shyness cross the line into social anxiety, or sadness cross the line into depression? The development of drugs to treat mood and behavior disorders has added urgency to this problem of definition: at what point is a person so sad or so shy that they should be medicated? Many psychiatrists feel the wave of Prozac-type drugs has been a godsend, letting them treat patients who otherwise would continue suffering. But others worry that we may be prescribing these drugs too recklessly, and forcing patients into arbitrary standards of "normalcy."

• The Selling of Neurontin

  Lawsuit questions how drugs are promoted, prescribed. Chris Yankus and Jacci Zarek want to know why their son was prescribed Neurontin, when there was no solid evidence it was an effective treatment for bipolar disorder. Their bipolar son committed suicide. (2003)

top

Therapy for Bipolar Disorder

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Bipolar Disorder

  How cognitive therapy can be used to treat bipolar patients. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

• Cognitive Therapy for Bipolar Affective Disorder - A Randomised Controlled Study

  Effectiveness of cognitive therapy work for bipolar affective disorder and it's role in controlling mania. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

• Family Therapy for Bipolar Disorder

  How family therapy works, goals, and research findings regarding effectiveness of family therapy. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

• Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy

  Use of interpersonal and social rhythm therapy for bipolar disorder. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

• The Psychology of Getting Better

  Our guest, Susan, was sexually abused over 30 years ago. She's been diagnosed with major depression, PTSD, OCD and panic disorder and was hospitalized at least twice. Susan's spent the last 10 years in therapy trying to deal with what happened. Over that period of time, she's changed meds, changed doctors, tried to journal, tried meditation, tried keeping busy. At 45, she still can't deal with the sadness. She, like many who suffer from various psychological disorders, wants to know -- what's it take to get better?

• NEGATIVE THINKING: How to Avoid and Overcome It

  Are you plagued by negative thoughts about yourself and your future? If negative thinking is trapping you in a world where everything seems dreary and hopeless, you need to listen to this show.

• Therapy Abuse

  Therapy abuse is a particularly devastating crime. It's the therapist's misuse of his/her power over a trusting client. Our guest and callers talked about how their therapists did everything from sexually abuse them to implant false memories to losing their temper and screaming uncontrollably at them. Dr. Kumar discussed how to recognize therapy abuse, what to do with a therapist who abuses their position and the difficulty in recovering from this type of abuse.

top

Children - Adolescents with Bipolar

1. Mental Illness in Children

   Part I - Doctors are diagnosing an increasing number of children at younger ages with serious mental disorders. Many of those children are being treated with psychiatric drugs developed for adults. Experts say the trend is worrisome because most of the medications have never been tested for safety or effectiveness in children. (2003)

   Part II - In growing numbers, psychiatric researchers agree that bipolar disorder -- sometimes called manic depression -- occurs in children and not just in adults. Children as young as five can suffer from the manic highs and deep depressions that characterize the disorder. Report on one family whose young son has bipolar disorder. (2003)

   Part III - Bipolar disorder can occur in children as young as five or six years old. The disorder is also known as manic depression, for the mood swings that shift -- sometimes quickly and often -- from manic highs to deep depressions. Bipolar disorder in children may have particularly severe symptoms. (2003)

2. Bipolar Disorder In Children

   Bipolar disorder--once known as manic depression--seems to be on the rise in children and teens, but doctors aren't sure why. About bipolar disorder in children: why it's so difficult to diagnose and what treatments work. (2002)

3. What Are the Risk Factors for an Early Development of Bipolar Disorder in Children?

   Discussion of risk factors. Speaker maintains that bipolar disorder rarely exists in children under 12. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

4. Behavior and Mood Problems in Children with Bipolar Parents

   Symptoms in kids. Difficulty and controversy of diagnosing children with bipolar disorder. Genetics of bipolar disorder. Presentation from the Fifth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2003)

5. Treating Mental Illness in Children

   Could some drugs used to treat depression in teens actually increase their risk for suicide? This show talks about the challenges of diagnosing and treating mental illness in children, including one father's quest to help his kids. (2004)

6. Family Turns to Facility for Help with Bipolar Son

   Last September, Morning Edition aired a story about a 9-year-old boy, Benjamin, with bipolar disorder. His moods and behaviors were unpredictable and changed rapidly throughout the day, and sometimes he was violent. Now 10, Ben is living full-time in a psychiatric facility for boys, where his treatment is designed to moderate his mood swings and teach him how to manage his own behavior. (2004)

   Original Story on Ben and Bipolar Disorder (2003)

7. Course and Outcome of Bipolar Disorder in Adolescents

   What bipolar disorder looks like in adolescents, consequences of having bipolar and recent studies on the subject of bipolar disorder in adolescents. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

8. Diagnosis and Follow-up of a Prepubertal and Early Adolescent Bipolar Disorder

   Could young children become bipolar?  Are bipolar kids really just ADHD children having a bad day? Diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder in children. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

9. Hidden Bipolarity in Early-onset versus Juvenile OCD

   Juvenile OCD has some features similar to bipolar disorder which can lead to a misdiagnosis of bipolar instead of OCD. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

10. Rapid-Cycling and Mixed States in Adolescents and the Elderly: A Parallelism

    Similarities of rapid-cycling and mixed states in adolescents and the elderly. Presentation from the Fifth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2003)

11. Bipolar Disorder: A Developmental and Psychoendocrine Perspective

    Comparing "normal" kids to bipolar kids to determine what the bipolar child looks like and which children are truly bipolar. Role of genetics. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

12. Pharmacological Treatments of Children and Adolescents

    How children with bipolar respond to medication. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

13. FDA Study Links Antidepressants, Teen Suicide

    A new FDA analysis concludes that young patients taking antidepressants could be at increased risk for suicidal thoughts and self harm. (2004)

top

Teen Depression

• Teens with Mental Health Problems: How It Affects Their Everyday Lives

  Many of us know the physical problems that come along with eating disorders, depression, self-injury and other mental illnesses. But what about day-to-day life? One guest, Heather, says "my mental health problems produce a great deal of stress throughout all my areas in my life. I have lost most of my friends from pushing them away and isolating myself."

• Dr. Harold Koplewicz on Teen Depression and Suicide

  Dr. Harold Koplewicz is author of More Than Moody: Recognizing and Treating Adolescent Depression.

top

Social Issues - Family Relationships

• The Comfort of Loved Ones When the Sickness Hits

  Writer Marcos McPeek Villatoro has coped with a lifelong mental illness. But his latest bout with bipolar disorder has helped him appreciate being surrounded by loved ones who support him when his illness hits hardest. (2005)

• The Wild Child: Coping with a Bipolar Youth

  The "Wild Child" follows Erin, Eric, and Athena, along with their parents, doctors, teachers, and advocates, as they go through puberty and adolescence with a serious mood disorder. It is an excellent show. (2004)

• Internet Education, Support and Advocacy

  Martha Hellander, Director of The Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation, talks about internet's effectiveness in helping parents of bipolar children. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

• Parental Concerns

  Children and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF) Director, Martha Hellander discusses the need for earlier and correct diagnosis and treatment of bipolar children. The impact that bipolar children have on their parents and families. Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

• Family Issues for Adolescents

  Family focused treatment (family therapy for bipolar teens) - how that works. Also specific issues that come up and how families can deal with them. Presentation from the Fifth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2003)

• The Explosive Child

  Ask any parent and they'll tell you, all children "act out" sometimes. Usually such episodes are viewed as necessary stages of development and testing boundaries. But there are children with explosive behavioral disorders, whose outbursts are much more frequent and severe. Their behavior seems fueled by frustration and rage, and often is destructive and violent. Dr. Ross Greene, author of The Explosive Child offers new coping strategies for families with explosive children, and ways to interact in ways that are less frustrating for parents and children. (2004)

• Mental Illness in the Family

  Anger. Frustration. Resentment. Helplessness. If someone in your family has mental illness, you may be feeling all of these things. What can you do to help yourself, and by doing so your loved one as well? Plus, a special report on parents that have had to give up custody of their ill children to foster care when their mental health insurance runs out. (2004)

• Mental Illness and the Family

  Treatment, insurance coverage, dealing with psychiatrists, how the illness affects the family and children are covered in this show. (2001)

top

Women and Bipolar Disorder

1. Course of Bipolar Disorder in Pregnancy

   Risk for bipolar relapse during pregnancy and the postpartum period and the effect of treatment during that time.  Presentation from the Fifth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2003)

2. Women's Issues

   Focusing primarily on adolescents and young adults with bipolar. Bipolar treatment, use of antidepressants including antidepressants and breastfeeding, prenatal and postpartum issues, Presentation from the Fifth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2003)

3. Caring for Pregnant and Postpartum Women with Bipolar Disorder

   Presentation from the Fourth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. (2001)

top

People Speak Out

1. TV's Pauley Back after Bipolar Struggle

   Jane Pauley about her diagnosis of depression and bipolar disorder, which emerged when she was in her late 40s. She has a new memoir, called Skywriting: A Life Out of the Blue. (2004)

2. 'Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry'

   Award-winning author Bebe Moore Campbell talks about her new book for children, Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry, which helps children understand bipolar disease. The author is also a founding member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill in Inglewood, Calif. She also discusses the impact of bipolar and mental illness on the black community. (2003)

3. Bipolar Disorder, ECT, and ElectroBoy

   Our guest, Andy Behrman wrote the book ELECTROBOY: A Memoir of Mania. Andy discusses life as a manic-depressive, the trouble it got him into, the impact of his treatment - including 19 sessions of ECT (electroshock therapy) and how he feels about being bipolar and the stigma of having a mental illness. (2002)

4. Electroboy

   During the 1990s, Andrew Behrman was a successful art dealer, traveling around the world making deals. He perpetrated a famous art deal and was convicted of fraud -- the whole time, suffering from bipolar disorder. To cure himself he underwent Electroconvulsive Therapy. Here he talks about his new memoir Electroboy. (2002)

5. Rob McGruder's ECT Odyssey

   Independent producer Dan Collison presents the story of Rob McGruder, a 45-year-old man with bi-polar disorder. His frequent depression has seriously affected his life. He has attempted suicide three times, married three times, and found himself homeless. He says Electroconvulsive Therapy, or ECT, saved his life. ECT is controversial. It has often been called "electro-shock" therapy and has sometimes been portrayed as akin to torture. In this piece, McGruder narrates his own progress in trying to break through and manage his depression, using ECT.

6. Psychiatric Hospitalization: What It's Like on the Inside

   At age 29, Margaret had her first severe manic episode. She became very impulsive, started spending a lot of money. The mania escalated and soon she was receiving "special messages" from the radio and television set. Her fiance tricked her into going to a psychiatric hospital. What happened when she got there and what it's like being in a psychiatric hospital is the subject of this show. (2002)

7. Interview with Kay Redfield Jamison

   Jamison is an authority on manic- depression and suicide. She's the author of Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide, Touched with Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament. JAMISON disclosed her own 30-year battle with manic-depression in the memoir, An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness. Jamison is Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

8. Night Falls Fast - Kay Redfield Jamison

   Clinical psychologist Kay Redfield Jamison discusses her book "Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide." Jamison talks about how anguishing depression can be, and how difficult it is for people to talk to friends, loved ones, or strangers about suicide. (1999)

9. How All This Started

   Profile of Pete Fromm, author of How All This Started. The book describes the heart-wrenching struggles of a family dealing with manic depression, and the intuitive bond between a brother and his sister. (2000)

10. A Map of My Mind - Youth Radio's Belia Mayeno shares the story of her struggle with mental illness.  She says "being awake was overwhelming because I couldn't escape back into my own mental wilderness."
11. Manic Depression - Sarah's Story

    Sarah has been in and out of mental hospitals, but now she's got two part-time jobs and has been healthy for nearly two years. But finding what's normal -- and holding onto it -- is a struggle. Society's attitudes toward mental illness don't make it any easier. (1999)

12. Living with Manic Depression

    The intoxicating highs and despondent lows of manic depression are chronicled by two women who have written memoirs about the disease: NPR''s Jacki Lyden and Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison. Lyden chronicles her mother's 20-year struggle with the illness and Dr. Redfield Jamison, a leading mental health professional, describes her own bout with manic depression. Both authors then take a personal look at living and coping with manic depression. (1997)

top

Other Treatments

Alternative Remedies

1. Government Report Backs Alternative Medicine Critics: White House Commission Offers False Hopes

   A White House commission released March 25, 2002 promoted the wider use of alternative medicine therapies, such as acupuncture and dietary supplements. The report, which took nearly two years to complete, has angered many scientists. They say there's little hard evidence to back the conclusion that more Americans would benefit from alternative care.

2. St. John's Wort Flunks Mental Health Test

   In April 2002, a new study finds that the popular herbal remedy St. John's wort is no better than a sugar pill for treating major depression. But the study also came up with the same result using a common prescription medicine, Zoloft. But scientists say St. John's wort may still prove useful for treating mild depression.

top

top ~ bipolar center homepage ~ send page to a friend