Support

learn: support services

Services to make a difference

Learn

use our information to explore your condition, learn privately at your own pace

Research

keep abreast of the latest news, research and developments relating to bipolar

find solidarity with others and make a difference by sharing your own experiences

Friends

make a friend, perhaps somewhere else in the world, but sharing the same affinity

learn: support for sufferers

Getting Help

The first step is usually to speak with your GP. Keeping a record of your moods can help both you and your healthcare provider understand patterns and changes—our mood diary and mood scale are available in the downloads section to help with this.

While only a qualified psychiatrist can formally diagnose bipolar disorder, your GP can refer you if you’ve experienced depression alongside periods of extreme excitement or loss of control lasting four days or more.

Your community mental health team (CMHT) can also make referrals. If there’s a risk of mania, severe depression, or danger to yourself or others, your GP should make an urgent referral.

Key points to remember:

Speak with your GP early and track your moods to help with assessment.
Only a psychiatrist can provide a formal diagnosis, but your GP can make the referral.
Seek urgent help if there’s a risk of mania, severe depression, or danger to yourself or others.

Bipolar disorder can be hard to diagnose because it affects each person differently. Its symptoms can overlap with other mental health conditions, so it may take time to receive an accurate diagnosis.

learn: support for carers

Care for Another

Understanding a person’s symptoms, treatment, and self-management can make it easier to support someone with bipolar disorder.

It’s important to know what to do if you’re concerned about their mental state, and to have contact details for their GP or mental health team readily available.

Check whether your relative has a crisis plan, or help them create one if they don’t.

As a carer, you can be involved in care planning. While you don’t have a legal right to this, the medical team should encourage the person you care for to share information with you.

Within our learning portal, you can find more information on:

Supporting someone with a mental illness
Getting help in a crisis
Supporting someone with suicidal thoughts
Responding to unusual behaviour
Confidentiality and information sharing

learn: support for carers

Care for Myself

You can speak with your own GP or healthcare practitioner about the impact of your caring role.

You should be offered an assessment through your healthcare provider or local mental health services to understand how caring affects your health and wellbeing. This helps identify the support you may need, such as practical or emergency assistance.

Other options to consider include:

Joining a carers support group
Requesting a carer’s assessment from your local authority
Reading and learning about the condition
Applying for welfare benefits for carers
Finding a carers’ support group in your area

Above all, remember that your own mental wellbeing comes first—you can’t effectively support someone with bipolar disorder if you’re struggling yourself.