DBSAlliance

The Flipswitch crew go over some of the more prominent things about an individual that tends to help keep mood disorders at bay. Just like risk factors, 10 are listed.

They are:

1. Good Genetics

2. Cultural Beliefs/ Religiosity

3. Cohesive Family Unit

4. Easy Access To Care

5. Avoiding Substance/Alcohol Abuse

6. Good Physical Health

7. Having No Other Disorders

8. Good Interpersonal Skills

9. Pro-social After-school Activities

10. Deep and Positive Support System

Ryan talks about the negative effects of media attention to the clinical side of the mental state of a celebrity. He questions how psychologists can make sweeping assumptions about people they've never interviewed.

Our interview with Dr. Paul Granello, researcher at Ohio State University with one of the biggest studies on teens and suicide in the world (over 12,000 participants). This is part 1 of the interview.

A little more about Dr. Granello.

He graduated with his M.S. degree in mental health counseling from Stetson University in 1990, and his Ph.D. in counselor education was awarded in 1995 from Ohio University. He is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with supervising credentials.

Paul is a founding partner with the Ohio Department of Mental Health in establishing the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation. He is currently the recipient of the 1.7 million in federal funds for suicide prevention under the Garrett Lee Smith Act. He has presented and trained on suicide over 150 workshops.

Paul also conducts research on psychotherapy outcomes and the psychological and social characteristics of individual well being. He has published 25 articles in peer reviewed national journals, has authored 9 book chapters on suicide, anxiety, technology in counseling, and wellness. He has co-authored 3 books on the topic of Suicide and is currently writing a book on Wellness Counseling for Prentice Hall.

Paul has presented at state, national, and international conferences on topics related to counseling, suicide, and wellness. He is also dedicated to the local community and has provided numerous workshops on health and wellness topics for both the Ohio State and Columbus communities. He currently is a member of The Ohio State University Campus Wellness Collaborative. Paul received the David Brooks award for Meritorious Service from the Ohio Counseling Association in 2002. The Ohio Association for Counselor Education award for professional service in 2006, and the Ohio University distinguished alumni award in 2007.

This is the 2nd part of our interview with Dr. Paul Granello on his research on suicide and teens. Suicide is a big issue with both depression and bipolar disorder. Listen in.

We continue our discussion on one central question: "Why do people not follow their doctors' advice?" It's one of the biggest complaints about patients from clinicians. This time, Chris, Krissi, and Ryan talk about the help that informing a friend of the things you need to do can be.

Chris and Samreen discuss one of the biggest complaints from both mental health professionals and medical doctors: patients failing to follow their advice. What makes people do something other than what an expert suggests they should do? General distrust? Massive inconvenience? A feeling of invincibility? Samreen reveals that she's been falling short in this area of her life as well.

We interview Hilary Smith, author of "Welcome to the Jungle : Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Bipolar But Were Too Freaked Out To Ask."

Now 24, Hilary was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder in her junior year. While delving into the ins and outs of her new diagnosis, she realized that few books were down to earth and open and honest with teens and young adults about what it's like to first be diagnosed with a mood disorder. From the bungling healthcare system to hippy treatments that might actually, Hilary looks to fill that void with "Welcome To the Jungle."

Check out Hilary's site at: http://www.hilarytsmith.com/p/books.html

The crew talks about the current frenzy about medications. Do they work? Is it all a big scam? Does it cause your brain to explode? Is it all the "man" trying to keep us down? We'll get to the bottom of this.

Our ultimate conclusion? Do what your doctor says. If you don't trust your doctor, get a new doctor, and then do what your doctor says.

Our quick hit guide to three big types of anti-depressants: SSRI's, SNRI's, and MAOI's. This is a very beginner segment on some of the anti-depressants you make come across when getting help for your disorder.

Chris, Aime Lynn and Krissi talk about some of the practical issues that continually come up with taking medication. Whether it's remembering or forgetting to take your medication, going through several different types of medication before settling on what works, continuing to comply, dealing with side effects, and much more . We talk about lots of the practical things that come up when dealing with any type of psychological medication.