German Society for Bipolar Disorders

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Bipolare Störungen e. V. (DGBS) is a German registered voluntary association founded in June 1999 as a professional society for people working in the field of bipolar disorder. It was established during the 3rd International Conference on Bipolar Disorder in Pittsburgh, USA, with the aim of supporting people with bipolar affective disorders. Its original goals included promoting clinical and basic research on bipolar disorder, improving recognition and adequate therapy of bipolar disorders, and informing socially relevant professional groups such as politicians, journalists, and health-system stakeholders (health insurers, pension insurers, and physicians' associations) about the economic significance of bipolar disorders. Patients and relatives were to be motivated to contribute to improving clinical care and to influence relevant professional groups. Cooperation with other national and international societies with similar goals was also sought. The current statutes define the association's purposes as promoting public health, public education, civic engagement in the spirit of self-help, and science and research. Since 2007 the board has been trialogically composed, meaning it includes people with lived experience of psychiatric conditions, relatives, and professionals. As of 2021 the association had over 2,200 members. The DGBS is active in Germany, publishes materials such as the magazine InBalance, runs an internet forum, awards a quality seal, and organizes annual conferences. It is a member of the BAG Selbsthilfe and the Aktionsbündnis Seelische Gesundheit. The DGBS is a non-profit organization and does not operate as a commercial company; it is a civil-society and professional body.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Bipolare Störungen e. V. (DGBS) was founded in June 1999 in Pittsburgh, USA, during the 3rd International Conference on Bipolar Disorder, as a professional society for professionals, with the goal of supporting people with bipolar affective disorders. In December 1999 the association's statutes were adopted. Membership was open to all interested parties, although there was discussion about reserving it exclusively for professionals. In 2000 the DGBS was entered in the register of associations in Freiburg/Breisgau, where the first annual conference took place from 17–18 November. The first office was located in Hamburg. In 2001 the association's website went online and the first association organ, the professional journal psycho, was published. The annual conference in Munich, held in cooperation with Horizonte e.V., was officially the first trialogic conference. E. Lange and Hinderk M. Emrich received honorary membership. In 2002 the DGBS published the first White Book and Vademecum on bipolar disorders in Germany. Also in that year the internet forum bipolar-forum.de went online, offering a platform for information on various topics around bipolar disorder. In 2003 the DGBS publication series started, and the association presented itself at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in Berlin. A guideline commission for bipolar disorders was founded, and Bipolar Chat Days were offered, where affected persons and relatives could ask experts questions. In 2004 the DGBS launched the Bipolar Self-Help Network BSNe, an association of self-help groups from across Germany. The first conference for self-help groups took place in Kassel. Advisory boards were appointed within the association's organization, and Jules Angst received honorary membership. Since 2005 the association's newsletter organ InBalance has been published. Also in 2005 the Working Group of Young Scientists was constituted within the DGBS, and the association took the opportunity to present itself as a trialogic society at the Office of the Federal President. In 2006 the association began holding continuing education seminars for physicians in psychiatric outpatient clinics. The film 'Die Pole des Saturn – Leben zwischen Manie und Depression' was released, and the first seminars for relatives of people with bipolar disorders were offered. In 2007 the first Health Day on Bipolar Disorders took place in Berlin. In the same year the foundation 'Stiftung für Bipolare Störungen IN BALANCE' was founded by actress Eleonore Weisgerber, which was reported on the ZDF program Johannes B. Kerner. The board was expanded in that year by two persons from the groups of people affected by bipolar disorder and their relatives, thus becoming trialogic. In 2008 the DGBS joined the Aktionsbündnis Seelische Gesundheit and began developing the S3 guideline for the diagnosis and therapy of bipolar disorders in cooperation with the DGPPN (German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Neurology). The guideline was published in May 2012 and updated in 2019. It was exceptional in that affected persons, relatives, and self-help organizations were involved in the development and updating process from the beginning. Dieter Borchers became an honorary member. In 2009 the board was expanded by another 2 persons, to a total of 7. From then on, if possible in equal parts, at least 4 affected persons and/or relatives were represented on the trialogic board. In 2010 the DGBS became a member of the BAG Selbsthilfe, began sending a newsletter, and expanded its service offering with a counseling telephone. The 10th anniversary conference took place in Friedrichshafen. In 2011 the website was revised and the association magazine InBalance received a relaunch. At the 11th annual conference in Mannheim in 2011, the speech by DFB President Theo Zwanziger on the topic 'Top-level sport and depression' attracted particular media attention. In 2012 the first bipolar patient brochure was published, offering comprehensive information on bipolar affective disorder. Telephone counseling was expanded by volunteer affected persons and relatives. In 2013 the first DGBS quality seal was awarded to the LWL Clinic Dortmund. The DGBS continues to hold annual conferences, publish materials, and operate a counseling telephone and online resources.

• 2021

  20th annual conference held in Heilbronn, 23–25 September, under the motto 'Bipolarity in family and relationships'; membership over 2,200.

• 2019

  S3 guideline updated.

• 2013

  First DGBS quality seal awarded to LWL Clinic Dortmund.

• 2012

  First bipolar patient brochure published; S3 guideline published in May; telephone counseling expanded by volunteers.

• 2011

  Website revised; InBalance relaunched; 11th annual conference in Mannheim with speech by DFB President Theo Zwanziger on 'Top-level sport and depression'.

• 2010

  Became member of BAG Selbsthilfe; began sending newsletter; expanded counseling telephone; 10th anniversary conference in Friedrichshafen.

• 2009

  Board expanded to 7 persons, with at least 4 affected persons and/or relatives.

• 2008

  Joined Aktionsbündnis Seelische Gesundheit; began developing S3 guideline with DGPPN; Dieter Borchers honorary member.

• 2007

  First Health Day on Bipolar Disorders in Berlin; Stiftung für Bipolare Störungen IN BALANCE founded by Eleonore Weisgerber; board expanded to become trialogic.

• 2006

  Began continuing education seminars for physicians in psychiatric outpatient clinics; film 'Die Pole des Saturn' released; first seminars for relatives offered.

• 2005

  InBalance magazine first published; Working Group of Young Scientists constituted; presented as trialogic society at the Office of the Federal President.

• 2004

  Bipolar Self-Help Network BSNe launched; first conference for self-help groups in Kassel; advisory boards appointed; Jules Angst honorary member.

• 2003

  DGBS publication series started; presented at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in Berlin; guideline commission founded; Bipolar Chat Days offered.

• 2002

  First White Book and Vademecum on bipolar disorders in Germany published; internet forum bipolar-forum.de launched.

• 2001

  Website went online; first association journal psycho published; first trialogic conference in Munich with Horizonte e.V.

• 2000

  Registered in the register of associations in Freiburg/Breisgau; first annual conference held 17–18 November; first office in Hamburg.

• 1999

  Founded in June 1999 in Pittsburgh, USA, during the 3rd International Conference on Bipolar Disorder; statutes adopted in December.

Non-profit professional and self-help society for bipolar disorders in Germany, operating on a trialogic basis.

• Annual conference

  Yearly scientific and trialogic conference, e.g., 20th in Heilbronn 2021, 2026 conference planned.

• InBalance magazine

  Association newsletter organ, published since 2005.

• bipolar-forum.de

  Internet forum launched in 2002 for information and exchange.

• S3 guideline on bipolar disorders

  Developed with DGPPN, published 2012, updated 2019.

• DGBS quality seal (Gütesiegel)

  Awarded to institutions; first to LWL Clinic Dortmund in 2013.

• Bipolar self-help network BSNe

  Network of self-help groups across Germany, launched 2004.

1. 1Home ■ DGBSdgbs.de
2. 2Deutsche Gesellschaft für Bipolare Störungen - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Deutsche Gesellschaft für Bipolare Störungen - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org