My brother-in-law hung himself last week. Certain members of the family wish to donate money to organizations which sponsor research into the causes and treatment Bipolar Disorder.
Can anyone refer me to a list of reputable organizations performing research in this field?
I’d hate for these donations to go to waste, and I know some charities in other fields amount to scams, while others are good-meaning and highly efficient.
Thanks in advance to all who answer.
Please let me know if this was the wrong forum. I’m not aiming for “the best” charity in the field, as I realize that would be more of an IMHO.
Disclaimer: Yes, the grieving family members who need it are getting needed grief counselling services.
Whoops!
That didn’t make too much sense.
We believe my BIL sufferred from undiagnosed Bipolar Disorder. We have a strong sense this may have contributed to his suicide.
Also, amend the second sentence of the last post to read:
“Certain members of the family wish to donate money to organizations which sponsor research into the causes and treatment Bipolar Disorder.”
I’m very sorry to hear of your brother-in-law’s suicide. My condolences to your family.
You might want to look into the
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill . It’s a well-known organization that advocates for the mentally ill. But you’d have to ask them how much they fund research vs. hos much is public advocacy, etc.
There’s also the
National Mental Health Association .
Also, I just found this organization via Google, you’d have to look into it, but it looks real.
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance .
I also found the
Stanford Bipolar Disorders Clinic .
I hope other people with more direct knowledge of this will chime in.
Again, I am very sorry to hear of your loss.
There isn’t really just one cause for bipolar. Essentially bipolar exists because there is an unbalance in the neurotransmitters in a persons brain. Bipolar can also be inherited from a first-degree relative. Like if a sibling has bipolar or a parent has it than you’re more likely to have it.
The main treatment for it is a mood stabilizers and anti-depressants at the same time. What that does is the anti-depressant will life your depression and a mood stabilizer will maintain your emotions.
Your brother-in-law may have had an undiagnosed case of bipolar. Bipolar is a harder disease to diagnose because it can have the same symptoms as other diseases. Like I was misdiagnosed twice before realizing I was bipolar. There is the depression side and then there is the manic side and the manic side can almost mimic schizophrenia.
Charity Navigator is a great site for checking credentials.
They rate Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance as four stars, their highest rating.