Bipolar Help: Self-Help For Bipolar and How to Help a Bipolar Loved One

Written by Natasha Tracy

Bipolar disorder is a recognized, treatable mental illness (treatment of bipolar disorder) that can be scary at first, but bipolar help is available, both for the patient and their loved ones. Once people learn about bipolar help, the illness is much more manageable and less frightening for all.

Read also: Living with Bipolar and Living with Someone Who Is Bipolar

Bipolar Disorder Self-Help

Once being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a whirlwind of activity often takes place. Psychiatrists and medications for bipolar are involved, sometimes there is inpatient treatment needed and the amount of information can be overwhelming. It has been shown though that those who have a factual understanding of their illness and the surrounding issues have fewer bipolar episodes overall, so obtaining educational bipolar self-help is critical. Bipolar help also comes in the form of support from loved ones and from formal bipolar disorder help and support groups.

Places to look for bipolar disorder self-help:

• Bipolar Books – many books are available about bipolar disorder, about people living with bipolar disorder and in the form of bipolar self-help workbooks. Books have the advantage of being available in your own home and can be worked through at any pace.
• National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) – NAMI offers support and resources to those with a mental illness and their loved ones. There are NAMI offices throughout the US. Find a local NAMI office¹ on their site.
• The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance provides bipolar self-help, education, support and advocacy services.
• The National Institute of Mental Health provides excellent self-help bipolar information and support mental illness research.
• Mental Health America provides mental health information and bipolar help resources.

Bipolar Help: Helping a Bipolar Loved One

Helping a loved one with bipolar disorder can be difficult at times. Often loved ones don't know much about bipolar disorder and are afraid of doing the wrong thing. Help is available for both the person with bipolar disorder and their loved ones though; no one has to support a person with bipolar disorder alone. Places to look for bipolar help of a loved one include all of the above resources as well as:

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• Find bipolar help near you by using the service locator provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: http://store.samhsa.gov/mhlocator
• National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health: http://www.ffcmh.org/
• Families for Depression Awareness provides resources and support for loved ones of people with depression or bipolar disorder: http://www.familyaware.org/

article references

next: Living with Bipolar and Living with Someone Who Is Bipolar
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