Wednesday Night Meetings Restored!
June 19, 2010—DBSA Princeton is not suspending its Wednesday night meeting as additional facilitators have become available. Their return, which was due to their desire to serve the community by keeping our second meeting day, ensures that the Wednesday meetings will continue without interruption. The previous, and reluctant, decision to suspend those meetings was made because we lacked the facilitators to cover two meetings per week.
The Wednesday meetings were started about a year ago on July 1, 2009 to alleivate attendance at the Tuesday meeting, where we were averaging 27 attendees, and to give our members an alternative meeting night.
Wednesday Night Meetings to be Suspended
June 16, 2010—DBSA Princeton is suspending its Wednesday night meeting after June 30, 2010. Our Tuesday night meeting will continue as usual. We make this announcement with reluctance, as our Wednesday meeting has been successful with an average weekly attendance of 11 members to date during 2010.
Over the course of the year, several facilitators have had to cut back or step away from leading our meetings, and we have been unsuccessful in developing new talent. As a result, we do not have enough facilitators available to cover two meetings per week.
We will resume our Wednesday meetings when we have the facilitators needed for meeting twice a week. If you are a member or our group willing to consider taking on that role, please speak to a facilitator at a meeting or call or e-mail us using the contact information at the top right corner of this page.
Our meeting on June 30, our 52nd Wednesday night meeting, will be almost exactly one year after we resumed meeting on that night on July 1, 2009.
Exercise and Mood Disorders
May 30, 2010—Jack Stolte of Capital Health spoke about exercise and mood at our May 25 meeting. Jack, an Exercise Physiologist as well as an Exercise Specialist, gave us an overview on the importance of exercise with the focus on why it’s more about a life change: doing something you like by starting slowly (with your doctors approval) and building up to 2-½ hours a week aerobically with strength training 2–3 times a week. Stretching, proper breathing and keeping hydrated are all key to your exercise routine. Setting goals and exercising with someone will help you keep track of your progress as well as making it more enjoyable.
Data from epidemiological studies suggest an association between physical activity and reduced levels of depression. This is not, however, conclusive because studies done to date are hampered by small sample size, poor definition and assessment of depression, and insufficient follow up of participants. Well-designed clinical trials are needed to define the type, frequency, intensity, and duration of exercise that is most affective in alleviating depressive symptoms.
Jack answered questions from the group’s participants as we went along. He gave us literature on exercise & mood with a page devoted to the benefits of daily physical activity.
Meds for the Mind: A Drug Researcher's Perspective
April 14, 2010—Last night we were honored to have Ildiko Antal, PhD, present on psychiatric medications: how they are discovered and what is known about how they work. Dr. Antal has devoted her career, mostly with Bristol-Myers Squibb, to the development of medications for disorders of the central nervous system.
A challenge in developing psychiatric medications is finding the best candidates for a clinical trial. Compounds that are identified to be promising must be tested in animal studies to gauge effectiveness and toxicity. Physical effects, for example blood pressure, can be directly measured. This is not so for psychological effects. As Dr. Antal put it, "You can't ask a rat if he is anxious or depressed." It can take a decade for the rare compound that is approved as a medication to go through the entire process from discovery through clinical trails.
Medications that affect mood are known for their body weight and sexual effects—for good reason. Dr. Antal revealed that all three, mood, appetite and sex drive, follow similar neurological pathways in the brain. This is what makes discovering a safe medication that helps mood without adverse appetite or sexual effects so challenging. With regard to weight, Dr. Antal noted that chewing sugar-free gum has been shown to reduce appetite and, therefore, helps to control weight gain.
Medications must be at a threshold level in the body to be effective. If below that level, they can not work. This is why it is important to take medications as prescribed. Lowering the dose or frequency of taking a medication on your own risks releasing your illness from control.
Dr. Antal views being on medication for a chronic mental disorder as no different than for other lifelong ailments. Many patients with high blood pressure or diabetes accept that they must take medication for the rest of their lives; it is better than the alternative. A mental disorder is a disease of the body no different from others except that the organ system affected happens to be the brain.
Drug interactions are a serious concern. That is why all your prescribing doctors, and your pharmacist, need to know all medications you are taking. For example, caution is required for medications that have conflicting metabolic pathways through the liver as this could lead to unexpectedly high, or low, blood levels for such drugs.
What does the future hold for the development of effective medications with less severe side effects? We need animal models that are better at predicting the effects of potential drugs on humans. And the holy grail is to figure out how ECT, an often effective treatment for persons with drug resistant depression, works so the effect can be mimicked in medication.
DBSA Princeton Walks Again
March 28, 2010—Once again DBSA Princeton is walking in support of NAMI Mercer. Their third fundraising walk will be in Washington Crossing State Park on May 22. So far we have raised $380. To donate, please visit the DBSA Princeton Team Page. May 26 update—We have raised $1,419 for NAMI-Mercer.
National Recognition for DBSA Princeton
March 13, 2010—The DBSA national office has awarded our chapter the DBSA Small Chapter Service Award for 2009. Chapter service awards, according to DBSA, are given annually "to recognize the exceptional accomplishments of our affiliated chapters." Two of the four award recipients for 2009 are in New Jersey, as our sister chapter, DBSA Succasunna, was awarded the Chapter Professional Advisor Service Award. The awards will be presented at DBSA's 2010 Annual Conference on April 29.
In her award letter, Ingrid Deetz, Director of Chapter Relations for DBSA, stated that there were "many submissions this year, all outstanding, making the final decision very difficult." Ms. Deetz went on to write; "We particularly enjoyed learning more about the best practices the chapter is building, including facilitator training and new member packets, as well as your growth in numbers and services."
The winning chapters will receive an award check of $500 later this year. They are also eligible to recieve reimbursement of travel costs up to $750 so that a member can attend the conference and receive the award.
Nathan Speaks
March 13, 2010—Dr. David Nathan, our chapter's professional advisor, presented at our March 9 meeting. He gave us an overview as to how a patient is evaluated, including a walk through of how doctors structure their notes. This was followed by an “Ask the Doctor” session. The evening was very informative.
Lazaruses Rise to the Occasion
February 10, 2010—Our guest speakers last night, Dr. Clifford Lazarus, psychologist, and Ms. Donna Astor-Lazarus, social worker, gave a dynamic and very well received presentation on the forms of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), their development and application. Dr. Lazarus’s father, Dr. Arnold Lazarus, pioneered several of these therapies, including multimodal therapy. He coined the term behavior therapy for these then innovative methods that have since displaced Freudian psychoanalysis in the practices of most therapists.
Ms. Lazarus led us through a mindfulness exercise to illustrate its importance for promoting well-being by enhancing self-awareness to reduce anxiety and stress. Being mindful, bringing focus to the present whether that be your breathing, an activity or sensing your environment, helps us let go of the temporal annoyances that we all must endure in life.
Dr. Lazarus addressed the importance of not requiring perfection in ourselves. “Shoulding” and “musturbating”, terms coined by Dr. Albert Ellis who created Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, when we fall short of unrealistic expectations is harmful and unnecessary.
Dr. Lazarus has co-authored, with his father, popular psychology books and articles. In one such article, Be Your Own Shrink, which appeared in the November 2000 edition of Psychology Today, they present solutions to 10 emotional problems you can apply on your own, no therapist needed.
Officers for 2010 Selected
January 8, 2010—The Board of Directors met on January 5 to elect officers for 2010 and complete our submission for re-affiliation with our parent organization, the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. Elected were David as President, Emily and Bob as Co-Vice Presidents, Mark G and David as Co-Secretaries, and David and Mark S as Co-Treasurers.
Board of Directors for 2010 Elected
December 16, 2009—Our annual membership meeting was held in conjunction with our peer support group meeting on Tuesday, December 15. The purpose of the meeting was to elect our group's Board of Directors for 2010, get feedback from the membership, and to share and socialize with refreshments.
There were 11 candidates for eight available positions, an outstanding showing of support and involvement by the members of the group. The members elected to the board are Bob, Cindy, David, Emily, Mark G, Mark S, Raph and Susan. The board will meet on January 5, 2010 to elect officers for 2010 and complete paperwork for annual re-affiliation with the national DBSA organization.
Speakers on Sleep and Metabolic Syndrome/Cardivascular Disease
December 1, 2009—Our group was honored to host speakers over the last two months on topics of particular importance to the health and well being of persons with mood disorders.
On November 10, Dr. Rochelle Zozula, psychologist, spoke on Sleep Disorders. Dr. Zozula specializes in behavioral sleep, one of only three such specialists in New Jersey.
There is a high correlation between psychiatric disorders and sleep disorders—little wonder as sleep is essential to the proper functioning of the brain. For example, falling into a pattern of early awakenings may indicate an oncoming depressive cycle for those diagnosed with major depression. And a return to normal sleep patterns indicates remission.
Dr. Zozula says a brief mid-day nap, when the body tends to have a "post lunch dip" (which is not related to what you eat, but rather a natural decline in the core body temperature), is fine provided it lasts no more than 20 to 30 minutes. More than that and it may become disruptive to your sleep cycle. For example, if you suffer from chronic insomnia, the nap may be counter-productive to getting a full night's sleep.
On October 13, Dr. Lisa Motavalli, cardiologist, spoke on Mood Disorders, the Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Diseases. It is well known that metabolic syndrome, a collection of risk factors including obesity, high triglycerides (a type of fat) and insulin resistance, is common among persons with mood disorders. Less well known is the association of mood disorders with cardiovascular disease, a disease that can lead to heart attacks. Thus it is especially important for persons with mood disorders to control their weight, eat healthfully and exercise regularly.
Ask the Doctor with Dr. Ricardo Fernandez, psychopharmacologist
September 26, 2009—Dr. Fernandez attended our September 8 meeting for "Ask the Doctor." His extensive and detailed knowledge of psychiatric medications plus his ability to convey that knowledge in an understandable and entertaining way was greatly appreciated by those in attendance. This was Dr. Fernandez's second appearance before our group; he previously spoke at our February 10 meeting. Dr. Fernandez also gave a more formal presentation at DBSA New Jersey's Third Annual Conference on May 16. You may download and view the slides he used for his talk at the conference in Adobe PDF format or as a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. If you don't have PowerPoint, you can view the latter with the Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer (Windows computers only).
Guest Speaker, Ms. Elizabeth Zuckerman, Attorney at Law
August 16, 2009—Ms. Elizabeth Zuckerman of Zuckerman & Fisher, L.L.C. gave a well received presentation on employment and workplace issues to our group on Tuesday, August 12. She explained what our rights are as employees under state and federal law. Though employees are not required to disclose any information to their employers about their medical condition, it is advisable to do so if you would like "reasonable accommodations" (e.g., adjustments in work environment or schedule) to be made under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Employers subject to the ADA (private employers with less than 15 employees are exempt) must make an effort to work out with you what those accommodations will be. Also, you are not obligated to disclose your condition during the hiring process if the condition would not prevent you from doing the job, but should do so after you are hired if you have a need for accommodations. Please check Workplace Fairness on our Links page for useful resources on the web.
DBSA Princeton achieves tax exempt status
August 16, 2009—DBSA Princeton is now a tax-exempt, non-profit organization under federal IRS rules. This means that our group may accept tax-deductible donations from individuals and may apply for and receive grants that are available to tax-exempt organizations. To make a tax-deductible donation to our group, please see our donate page.
DBSA Princeton has also been granted an exemption from the New Jersey sales tax. We do not have to pay the tax on any purchases made for our organization.
Wednesday Night Peer Group Meetings Return
June 24, 2009—DBSA Princeton is pleased to announce the return of Wednesday night peer group meetings. The Wednesday night meetings are being reinstated because our Tuesday meetings have been overly successful, drawing about 30 attendees most weeks over recent months. It is hoped that the availability of an alternative night will draw some members away from the Tuesday group, but there is no guarantee that will happen as anyone may attend one or both meetings during the week.
The Wednesday meetings begin July 1, 2009, and will be at the same location and time as the Tuesday meetings: Lambert House, University Medical Center at Princeton from 7:30 pm to 9:15 pm. Due to scheduling conflicts, however, three Wednesday meetings during 2009 will be held in the conference room next to the hospital cafeteria. Those dates are August 12, September 23 and November 18.
During 2006, the group met weekly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This practice ended by 2007 as the group went through a period of transition. Dr. David Nathan, our medical advisor, got the room for Wednesday night meetings restored to us with the helpful cooperation of Bruno DiDonato and his staff at the hospital.
DBSA Princeton supports the NAMI Mercer Walk
DBSA Princeton was out in force with 15 participants in the NAMI Mercer 5k walk held at the Educational Testing Service in Lawrenceville, NJ on Saturday, May 30, 2009. This was NAMI Mercer's second fundraising walk. As of June 9, we raised $870 for NAMI Mercer, far exceeding our goal of $250. To see who walked, visit our team page.
DBSA Princeton members kick off the first NAMI Mercer walk, October 7, 2007Nutrition Speaker
Ellen Cottone, Registered Dietician, gave a much appreciated presentation on Nutrition and Mental Health on May 12, 2009. You can get her hand out here (Adobe PDF document).
Family and Friends Meeting
Our pilot Family and Friends meeting of April 14 was a success with nine family members participating. Amandalynn Salzman, a Family Specialist with the Intensive Family Support Services program of Greater Trenton Behavioral Health-Care, provided much appreciated support and guidance. Due to space constraints at the hospital and the need to expand to, and provide facilitators for, a second meeting night to accommodate growth in the peer support group, we will not be holding additional family and friends meetings at this time.
Guest Speaker Dr. Ricardo Fernandez, Psychopharmacologist
Dr. Ricardo Fernandez of Princeton Family Care Associates addressed our group on February 10, 2009. His presentation focused on mood disorders and their treatment with medication, and was very responsive to members' questions, staying well after the meeting was over to continue talking with members. He distributed a flyer on bipolar disorder which is available for download (Adobe PDF file).
Happy Birthday DBSA Princeton!
Our February 3, 2009 meeting was on the fifth anniversary of DBSA Princeton which first met on February 3, 2004. The group was started by Sekhar Subramani and several other dedicated members of the DBSA Middlesex group. Dr David Nathan, a Princeton Psychiatrist, was instrumental in getting the group started. We celebrated our anniversay at our February 17 meeting (postponed from February 3 because of low attendance due to the winter storm).
Board of Directors Meeting
The Board of Directors met on January 13, 2009 to elect officers for the year, complete our re-affiliation application with DBSA, and conduct other business concerning the group.
Officers for 2009 are David and Susan, Co-Presidents, Bob and Emily, Co-Vice Presidents, Anthony and Fran, Co-Secretaries, and David and Irving, Co-Treasurers.
We decided to permanently change the ending time of our meetings to 9:15 PM starting March 2009. Since November, we have been ending the meetings at 9:00 PM as an experiment. We will continue to conclude our meetings at 9:00 PM through February. Previously, the meetings had run to 9:30 PM.
We decided to create welcome packets to distribute to new members of the group. A committee was appointed to work out the details.
We also decided to make comment cards available to members, old and new alike, to get anonymous, and honest, feedback on how the group is doing and how it can be improved. A committee was appointed to create the cards with input from all board members.
Annual Membership Meeting
Our annual membership meeting was held on December 23, 2008. The purpose of the meeting was to elect our Board of Directors for 2009 and to get feedback on the group from members.
Our by-laws allow for up to eight members of the board. As we had exactly eight group members volunteering, all eight were elected by acclamation. The board members for 2009 are:
Anthony
Bob
David
Emily
Fran
Irving
Susan
Theresa
When members were asked to comment on the group, Irving took the opportunity to thank the facilitators for keeping the group going though a difficult period, that started during the fall of 2007, during which the group's continued existence was in question; his sentiment was widely shared by the members present. Thank you, Irving. That the group survived and is thriving is a credit to the members who continued coming and contributing, and the many new members who have since joined. The strength of the group is well reflected by the fact that eight members have volunteered to fill all eight available board positions.
The board will meet on January 13 at 6:30 PM, before the regular support group meeting, to elect officers for 2009, complete paperwork for our annual re-affiliation with the DBSA national organization, and conduct any other business that is presented by members of the board or other group members. Members are welcome to attend and present any issues or ideas they may have to the board.
Incorporation as a Non-Profit Organization
We received written confirmation in December 2008 that we became incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of Illinois as of June 2008. We are incorporated in Illinois because we applied through the DBSA national organization, which is in Chicago, and they handled all the paperwork for us. Our certification as a 501(c)3 organizaion, which will allow us to accept donations that donors can exempt from the Federal Income Tax, is pending with the IRS.
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Newsletters
June 22, 2010
March 9, 2010
December 1, 2009
September 8, 2009
June 2, 2009
March 24, 2009 (April 7 update)
January 20, 2009 (February 14 update)
November 18, 2008
September 16, 2008
August 5, 2008
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