Self-management sessions have been launched for south west Londoners living with a mental health condition that increases their risk of self-harm and suicide.
The eight weekly group sessions for people with bipolar help them to understand the condition better and learn or improve their coping strategies.
Bipolar is a life-long mental illness that affects mood and may result in episodes of both depression and mania which can affect health and disrupt everyday life, including education, employment and relationships. Around one million people in the UK have bipolar and someone with the condition has a significantly higher risk of suicide or self-harm than for someone without.
Bipolar UK’s sessions in south west London are being run over eight weeks in Merton, Wandsworth, Kingston and Richmond with the help of a £10,000 grant from NHS South West London’s innovation fund.
The information about the different types of bipolar, ways of managing the highs and the lows, different types of medication and therapy and their impacts and benefits was all very helpful.”
The meetings, which take place in community buildings like halls and churches, cover many areas, such as how to manage mood swings, deal with triggers like stress, spot the early symptoms to prevent a relapse and plan ahead for when it gets difficult to cope.
One of the 90-minute meetings is for family and friends while experts from the charity’s partner Cardiff University are involved in sessions on topics like nutrition and medication.
In addition, the courses allow participants to share personal experiences and approaches to self-management as well as offer each other moral support and encouragement.
Attending the sessions can help keep people with bipolar to stay well and live at home, potentially saving the NHS time and resources.
A respondent who recently completed a Bipolar UK self-management course for the first time after having a diagnosis for 20 years said: “The information about the different types of bipolar, ways of managing the highs and the lows, different types of medication and therapy and their impacts and benefits was all very helpful.
“The three people running the course were very informative. The course was well structured with clear and easy to follow slide presentations. I had quite a few ‘ah ha’ moments, where the ‘penny dropped’, and the opportunity to ask really specific questions was great.”
People attending self-management courses often go on to join Bipolar UK peer support groups – in south west London they are currently hosted in Croydon and Sutton. The Bipolar UK peer support team offers support via phone or email and online.
Camilla Leach, Bipolar UK’s Partnerships Development Manager, said: “Stress is often a key trigger for those living with bipolar.
“The current cost of living crisis is having a major impact on many of those living with bipolar.
“Self-management courses, and peer support groups, give people an avenue to discuss their concerns, as well as discuss how to manage their money, lowering stress levels and reducing the likelihood of mood changes and the need for NHS support.”
Bipolar UK is the only national charity dedicated to empowering individuals and families affected by bipolar. Peer support is at the core of its work. The charity empowers about 1,000 people a month to stay well.
As well as providing peer support with the courses and groups, it gives the voice of the community, striving to change public attitudes and build a society that enables people affected by bipolar to live well and fulfil their potential.
More information about bipolar is available on the Bipolar UK website.