Silver from the CW's 90210 was recently diagnosed bipolar. A public service announcement aired, directing teens seeking help to visit thebalancedmind.org. This page was created for these visitors, and contains resources for teens and young adults who are bipolar, 'questioning', or just wanting to learn more.

The Balanced Mind Foundation is an national partner with the NIMH Outreach Partnership Program and attends their annual conference each spring to learn about the latest research and program development supported by NIMH funding.  We are pleased to share the pPresentation slides from the National Institute of Mental Health Outreach Conference held in Houston, TX March 24 - 27, 2011.

The percentage of youth suffering from a mental disorder is even greater than the most frequent major physical conditions in adolescence, including diabetes or asthma.

About 20 percent of youth in the U.S. are affected by at least one type of mental disorder during their lifetime to an extent that they have difficulty functioning, according to a new National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) survey. 

Best selling author and Pulitzer Prize nominee Marya Hornbacher shares her experiences growing up with bipolar disorder and answers questions from The Balanced Mind Foundation parents.  Click here  to listen to this webinar held August 18, 2010.

Smart kids doing stupid things: It’s the teen brain paradox. Extraordinarily quick to learn and rapidly reaching fluency in abstract thought, teens still make bonehead decisions, perhaps more so when routines relax in summer. But that’s because they’re operating with brains that are still a work in progress.

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 The Balanced Mind Foundation's Teen Programs

Parents and legal guardians generally have the right — as long as they are not acting irresponsibly — to give consent for their minor child's medical treatment. In some cases, preteen and teen children are asked or required to give their "assent" to medical treatment. This is a lesser standard than informed consent; it indicates simply that they have been told about the treatment and agree to it.  "Informed consent" is a legal term referring to the right of individuals to make medical decisions only after full disclosure of relevant information.

 "Bp kids have Special Angels"
by John S., age 9

I think that God is very kind
even though there is bipolar
that really messes up our minds
and makes us cry, rage and holler.

But, there is a group of many a mom.
Every one of them has a bp kid
Whom they help to lose the storms and find the calm.
For of bp they would like to the world to rid.

Flipswitch: The Bipolar and Depression Connection is a 30-minute downloadable audio series that deals with issues teens and young adults face when they have a mood disorder such as bipolar disorder or depression. 

Flipswitch, The Bipolar and Depression Connection has got your ‘back to school’ covered! 

The latest episode, to be released this Monday, focuses on mental health awareness on campus. Tune in for our interview with Active Minds founder, Alison Malmon. With over 200 chapters nationwide, Active Minds utilizes the student voice to change the conversation about mental health on college campuses. Through campus-wide events and national programs, Active Minds aims to remove the stigma that surrounds mental health issues, and create a comfortable environment for an open conversation about mental health issues on campuses throughout North America.

What Mother's Day and Father's Day Means to Me
by Camden, Age 9

I don't have a wheelchair that automatically tells people who look at me that I was born with problems that limit me, but there are lots of things that happen inside my brain that they can not see. I have a brain that doesn't always work the way it's supposed to. Sometimes it gets stuck and I have a hard time showing my thoughts and feelings the right way.