DBSA Key Messages

These messages are the focus of any DBSA legislative or media campaign.

1.   The public must understand that depression and bipolar disorder are illnesses as legitimate as cardiovascular disease, cancer or diabetes. Both are prevalent illnesses affecting 23 million (more than one in nine) Americans each year. (NIMH)

2.   Depression and bipolar disorder are treatable, medical illnesses – not personality weaknesses or character flaws.

3.   Mood disorders are life-threatening illnesses accounting for 90 percent of the 30,000 suicides committed annually by children, teens, adults and senior citizens. (NIMH)

4.   Patients, families and the public must know the symptoms of depression and bipolar disorder, and the warning signs of suicide.

5.   Patient and family empowerment, symptom management and peer support have significant and positive impacts on treatment success.

6.   Individuals can be powerful advocates for better mental health treatment and for improved policies affecting mental health treatment access and delivery and patient confidentiality.

7.   Untreated mood disorders account for more than $12 billion in lost workdays and $11 billion in other costs in the workplace.  Unipolar depression is the #1 cause of disability in the United States; bipolar disorder is the sixth. (WHO)

8.   DBSA is the premier provider of free and low-cost medically accurate and patient focused educational materials, effective illness management tools, referrals and support for those living with mood disorders.

9.   DBSA supports increased research to promote more timely diagnosis, more effective and tolerable treatments and a cure.

10. DBSA is a patient-directed organization with more than half its board of directors and committee members, support group leaders and staff diagnosed; making our statement, “We’ve been there.  We can help,” a powerful reality.

Identity statement
This statement is used to describe the organization and can be used in testimony, correspondence, manuscripts, presentations, interviews, etc. We also refer to this as our "boilerplate" which is used at the end of all of our press releases.

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) is the leading patient-directed national organization focusing on the most prevalent mental illnesses – depression and bipolar disorder. DBSA’s mission is to improve the lives of people living with mood disorders.  This not-for-profit organization fosters an environment of understanding about the impact and management of these life-threatening illnesses by providing up-to-date, scientifically based tools and information, written in easy to understand language. DBSA has more than 1,000 peer-run support groups across the country.  Assisted by a Scientific Advisory Board, comprised of the leading researchers and clinicians in the field of mood disorders, DBSA supports research to promote more timely diagnosis, to develop more effective and tolerable treatments and to discover a cure.  The organization works to ensure that people living with mood disorders are treated equitably.  More than four million people request and receive information and assistance from DBSA each year.