Rethink Mental Illness. Staying well with bipolar. 1

Staying well with bipolar.

Your guide to dealing with the ups and downs.

2 Rethink Mental Illness. Staying well with bipolar.

Who we are

RethinkMentalIllnessisacharitythatbelievesabetterlifeispossibleformillionsofpeopleaffectedbymentalillness.For40yearswehavebroughtpeopletogethertosupporteachother.WerunservicesandsupportgroupsacrossEnglandthatchangepeople’slivesandwechallengeattitudesaboutmentalillness.

Contents

7 Key Things 1

Research study: Ups and Downs 2

Spot early warning signs 3

Look after your wellbeing 5

Be in control 7

Do what works for you 8

Make decisions about medication 9

Talk to people who really listen 10

Get support from family and friends 11

Acknowledgements

Thisguidehasbeenwrittenby:RogerSmith,AliceHicks,JulieBillsborough,PeterMailey,RuthSayers,ChrisGriffiths,NaomiClewettandJohnLarsen.

ThestudywasfundedasanindependentprogrammethroughasponsorshipgrantfromAstraZeneca.

Rethink Mental Illness. Staying well with bipolar. 1

Ups and Downsusedevidencefrom27peoplewithdirectandindirectexperienceofbipolardisorder.

7 Key Things

More for you online

Ifyou’rereadingthisonline,clickheretowatchthefull17minfilmandshorterclipsonYouTube.

ThevideosweremadebyAliceandRoger,whobothhavepersonalexperienceofbipolar.Oryoucantypethisintoabrowser–bit.ly/upsanddownsstudy

AndstayintouchwithallourUps and Downs resourcesinoneplacewww.rethink.org/upsanddowns

What’sthebestwaytostaywellwhenyouhaveadiagnosisofbipolardisorder?Basedonourresearch,wefound7keythings:

• Spottingearly warning signs

• Lookingafteryourwellbeing

• Beingincontrol

• Doingwhatworksforyou

• Makingdecisions about medication

• Talkingtopeoplewho really listen

• Gettingsupportfromfamily and friends

2 Rethink Mental Illness. Staying well with bipolar.

Research study: Ups and Downs

Doesthesupportpeopleneedwhentheyare‘up’differtothesupportneededwhentheyare‘down’?

What we did

Weinterviewed16peoplewithbipolardisorderand11otherpeoplewhohaveaninformalsupportiverole(carers,familyandfriends).

We asked:

• Whatwashelpfulandunhelpfulwhen‘up’or‘down’?

• Whatsupportwasreceived?

• Whogavethesupport?

• Whatsupportwouldbeidealineithersituation?

About the researchers

Fiveresearcherswhohadpersonalexperienceofmentalillness,andthreeacademicallytrainedresearchers,workedtogethertodeveloptools,collectandanalysedata,andreportfindings.

Theresearcherswithpersonalexperienceconductedalloftheface-to-faceinterviewswithpeoplewithexperienceofbipolardisorder,aswellasthecarers,friendsandfamily.

Weusedanapproachwhichmadeactive use of the researchers’ personal experiences and insightsindevelopingandanalysingthefindings.

Inthisresearchpaperwehavedescribedthemethodandourfindingsindetail:Billsborough,J.etal.(inpress)`Listen,empowerusandtakeactionnow!’:Reflexive-collaborativeexplorationofsupportneedsinbipolardisorderwhen“goingup”and“goingdown”’,paperacceptedforpublicationinJournal of Mental Health.

Rethink Mental Illness. Staying well with bipolar. 3

Spot early warning signs

Clickheretowatchthe‘Spot early warning signs’video.

Earlywarningsignsareactions, thoughts and feelingsthatshowyoumaybebecomingunwell.Forsomeitissmokingmanycigarettesorbeingmoreintenselyabsorbedinreligiousideas–buttheyaredifferentforeachperson.Ifyoulearntobeawareofyourownwarningsignsyoucanmoreeasilypreventacrisisanduseself-managementandcopingstrategiestomakeyourselffeelbetter.

Beingabletoidentifyyourearlywarningsignscanhelpyouexperienceyourlifeasmoreorderedratherthanchaotic,andmoremeaningfulratherthannonsensical.Thismakesiteasierforyoutobeincontrol,whichislinkedtobettermentalhealth.

Spottingtheearlywarningsignsmeansthatyoucantakeactionyourself,orseekhelpearlyon.Thisleavesmoresupport,treatmentandcareoptionsopentoyouandcouldpreventacrisisorahospitaladmission.

Your own personal warning signs

Everypersonhastheirownuniquemixofearlywarningsigns.Thereisnoonewarningsignthathasthesamemeaningforeveryone.Youcanlearntobecomeawareofyourwarningsignsbyreflecting on the times you became unwell in the past–didanythinghappenordidyoufeelorbehaveincertainwaysthatmayhavewarnedyouthatyouwerestartingtobecomeunwell?

Others can help

Tofindoutaboutyourpersonalwarningsignsyoucantalktopeople who know you wellandaskifthereisanythingthattheynoticedbeforeyoubecameunwellinthepast.Carers,friendsandfamilycanoftenhelptodetectearlywarningsigns,andacttopreventcrises.

Onemotherdescribedhowshehelpedherdaughternoticeifshewasbecominghigh:

“We’ll say to her, ‘you’re gabbling, you’re overexcited, can you try and bring it down a little bit for us?”’

Itcanalsobehelpfulifforexamplefriendsnoticeyouarebecomingsociallywithdrawnandthatcanbeawarningsign.Forexample,intheresearchweheardaboutfriendsnoticingthatapersonhadwithdrawnfromonlineactivities(suchasFacebookandemail)andpointedthisouttothefamilytohelpthemtakeaction.

Youcanaskmentalhealthprofessionalsiftheyperhapscanhelpyoutofindoutaboutearlywarningsignsandwhichsignsyoumighthave.Timingiscrucial.There may be only a short window of opportunity to do something topreventadevelopinghighorlowbecomingacrisis.

Readmoreinformationaboutbipolardisorderonourwebsiteatwww.rethink.org/bipolar

4 Rethink Mental Illness. Staying well with bipolar.

Up vs. down

Manypeoplelearnovertimetoidentifytheirearlywarningsigns,butitcanoftenbemoredifficulttorecogniseandacknowledgesignsofbecomingmanic(uporhigh).Somepeoplearenotawareofgoingupbecausewhentheyfeel‘high’,theydonotexperiencethisasbeing‘unwell’.

Whileyoumaynotpersonallyfeelunwell,othersmaynoticethechangeandexperienceitasaproblem.Amongthepeoplethatwespoketofortheresearch,allofthe11peopleina‘supportrole’weintervieweddescribedmanicepisodesasbeingproblematic;however,5outof16peoplewithbipolardisorderdidnot:

“It’s like a fix... you feel much better, it makes you feel in control... you can do anything you want to do.”

Ontheotherhand,earlyinterventioncanbecrucial,andonemanpointedouttheneedforhealthservicestostepintosituationswhenheisbecomingmanic:

“I need a psychiatrist who’s going to spot the early warning signs before things get too bad, because I find that once[...] I go deep into an episode its very, very difficult to get out.”

If you miss the signs…

Itisveryimportanttolearnaboutyourpersonalwarningsignsasitwillmakeiteasiertotakeactionbeforebecomingacutelyunwell.Althoughinthebeginningitmayfeellikeapositive‘high’somemaylosetouchwithrealityandthiscanbeverydangerous,astheymaydoriskythingsthattheywouldnotdoundernormalcircumstances.

Ifyouacttoolate,youmaynothavesomuchcontroloverwhathappens,forexample,whenreachingacrisisandneedingtobehospitalised.

Rethink Mental Illness. Staying well with bipolar. 5

Look after your wellbeing

Themostimportantthingyoucandotoavoidbecomingmanicordepressedistolookafteryour wellbeing in your everyday life.Ifyoucanremainwellandpreventacrisisitismuchbetterthanfindingwaystorespondtoacrisisthatisalreadydeveloping.

Manypeoplewithbipolardisorderhavelearnttotakeanactiveroleinmanagingtheirownwellbeing.Thisinvolvesdevelopingdifferentcoping strategiesincluding:

• Ensuringhealthydailylivingroutines

• Keepingmooddiaries

• Developingwellnessplans

• Anactionplantobefollowediftheybegintomovetowardsanupordownstate

Suchcopingstrategieshelppeopletokeepwellandpreventorminimisetheeffectsofextrememoodstatesandcrisissituations.

“[I] have to exercise, I have to eat well, I have to monitor my sleep. I actually have quite a lot of control over my medication, so I have a set amount of sleeping pills that I take because if I suffer with insomnia for too long, then it triggers a bit of an episode. So, I have to monitor my sleep, which my doctor and my psychiatrist let me do, and try and be very conscious of spending time doing [...] self-care.”

Clickheretowatchthe‘Look after your wellbeing’video.

‘Going up’ self-management techniques:

• Avoidtoomuchstimulation

• Pause,taketimeout

• ‘Stopandthink’(beawareofyourownsituation)

• Keepajournal(describeandreflectonwhat’shappeningtoyou)

• Avoidtoomuchsocialcontact

• Talktosomeonewhowilllistentoyou

• Eathealthilyandhaveregularmeals

• Exercise(to‘burnoff’excessenergy)

• Havequickaccesstoaprescribertochangemedicationasneeded

‘Going down’ self-management techniques:

• Usemindfulnessormeditation

• Havearoutine

• Avoidpressure

• Relax

• Keepactiveandbusy

• Beinvolvedinenjoyableactivities

• Exercise(toliftyourmood)

• Haveagoal–futureorientation

• Talktosomeonewhowilllistentoyou

• Seekaffirmationyouarecaredaboutandvalued

• Receivegentleencouragementtoengageinpositiveactivities

Theseareexamplesfromourinterviewees–youmayhaveothertechniquesthatworkforyou.

6 Rethink Mental Illness. Staying well with bipolar.

Environment is important

Surroundingsandenvironmenthaveaneffectonyourmood.Thisisthecaseinrespecttothe physical environment,forexamplebuildings,decoration,light,noise,furnishings,acoustics,colours,materials,cleanliness,etc.Alsothesocial environmentisimportant,suchaswhoisaroundyou:carers,family,friends,professionals,and/orstrangers;andthetype of communication:expressedemotionsornot,communicationstyles,friendliness/unfriendliness,etc.Ingeneral,calmersurroundingsandenvironmentarelikelytoleadtocalmermoods.

Yourenvironmentcanmakeabigdifferencetoyourwellbeing.Havinga‘home’,aplacetocallyourown,givesafeelingofbeingindependent,andmanyfindthatitsupportstheirwellbeingandhelpsthemtomanagetheirmoodsbetter.Inourresearchpeoplespokeabouttheimportanceof‘freshair’andoutdoorbasedactivities.Sometalkedaboutwantingacalmer,lessstressfulenvironment,andtheimportanceofhavingtheirownspaceawayfromotherpeoplebothwhentheyweredownandwhentheywereup.

“I like my own space and I like everything to be quiet around me when I’m a bit low.”

“When I began to get things back on the straight and narrow, I took on an allotment, so I was getting out in the fresh air and getting exercise far more.”

Hospitalscanhelpapersonwhentheyareincrisis,butpeoplewespoketointheresearchdescribedthehospitalenvironmentasunpleasant,traumaticandnottherapeutic.Inhospitalyouareinanunfamiliarplaceandwithunfamiliarpeople,anditcanbedifficultforyoutofeelateaseanddothethingsthatyouusuallydo.Someofthepeoplewespoketomentionedcrisis or recovery housesasofferinganalternativeandpossiblymoretherapeuticenvironmentthanahospital.

Thisbeingsaid,thereareofcourseexamplesofpeoplebenefitingfrominformalpeer support in hospital.

Physical activity and keeping busy

Differenttypesofself-managementandcopingstrategiesmaybeusefulwhenupordown.Ifyouarefeelingdownyoumayfeelbetterifyoutakepartinpositiveactivity.Ifyouareupitcanbehelpfultoavoid triggerssuchasstressfulsituationsandtoomuchstimulation.Physicalexercisecanbeusefulbothwhenyouaredownorup:whendowntohelptoliftmood,andwhenuptoburnoffexcessenergy.

Agoodbalancebetweenactivityandrelaxingishelpfulforgeneralwellbeingandcontrollingmoods.Havingaroutineandkeepingtoit,inspiteofchangingmoods,canhelptoreducethe‘pull’ofanuporadown.

Start with something simple

Itisusefultostart with something simplewhenyoubegintodevelopyourpersonalcopingstrategiesandgetcontroloveryourwellbeing.Oneofthepeoplewespoketointheresearchexplainedhowhestartedonhispersonalrecoverythedayhedecidedtotidyuphissockdrawer.Thiswassomethingthathefelthecouldmanageatthetime,andthesuccessofhavingdonethismadehimconfidentthathecouldtakeonotherthingsinhislife.

FIND OUT MOREGetmoreresourcesabouthavingasupportiveenvironmentandphysicalactivityatwww.rethink.org/upsanddowns

Rethink Mental Illness. Staying well with bipolar. 7

Be in control

Support and encouragement

Otherpeoplecanhelpyoutofeelmoreincontrol.Theymayhelpyoutofindoutabouttriggersinthepastortheycanpointouttoyouifyoustartdoingthingswhichmaymeanthatyouarebecomingunwell.Sometimesitisnoteasytospottheearlywarningsignsyourself.

Itcanbeusefultohavesomeonewhogivesyouencouragementtodothingsifyoufeellowandunmotivated–forexampleseeingpeopleorjoiningactivities.Receivingandactingonsuchencouragementcanmeanthatyoufeelmoreactiveandalive,andincontrolofthingshappeninginyourlife.

Clickheretowatchthe‘Be in control’ video.

Self-managementtechniquesandcopingstrategiescanhelpyoutobemoreincontrol.Feelingmoreincontroloveryourlifeandyourmentalhealthinitselfhelpsyourmentalwellbeing.

Ways of taking control

Therearedifferentwaysinwhichyoucanlearntotakemorecontroloveryourownlife.Somefindithelpfultokeepa‘mood diary’wheretheywriteabouttheirmoodandwhathelpsthem.Thiscanhelpyoutobetterunderstandyourmoodandhowitisinfluencedbythingsinyourlife.

Hereisaresourcethatcanhelpyoutokeepyourownpersonal‘mooddiary’:www.aware.ie/help/information/mood-diary/

Knowingyourearlywarningsigns,havingeffectivecopingandself-managementstrategiesandhavingrealchoiceoveryourowntreatmentandsupportareallwaysinwhichyoucanbeincontrol.

Hereisaresourcethatcanhelpyoutodevelopyourownpersonal‘strategiesforliving’:Strategies for Living fromMentalHealthFoundation.

Learning from the past

Agoodwaytodevelopagreatersenseofcontrolinyourlifeandoveryourmoodswingsistolearnfromwhathappenedinthepast.Thingsthattriggeredacrisisforyouinthepastarelikelyalsotoinfluenceyouinthefuture,soknowingaboutthesewillhelpyoutolearnhowbesttoavoidfutureupsanddowns.

Thereisguidanceavailableonhowto

offersupportandencouragementto

someonewithmentalillness.

Supporting someone with a mental

Illness fromRethinkMentalIllness.

8 Rethink Mental Illness. Staying well with bipolar.

Do what works for you

Clickheretowatchthe‘Do what works’video.

Everyoneisdifferent,whilstyoucanlearnthroughtheexperienceandknowledgeofothersyouneedtofindoutwhatworksforyoutokeepwell.

Finding your own way

Itcantaketimetofindoutwhatworksforyouandhowyoucantakeanactiveroletokeepwell.Discoveringandusingyourself-managementtechniquescanprovideyouwithagreatersenseofself-worth.Healthprofessionalscanadviseyouonpossiblecopingstrategiesandhelpyoutodiscoverwhatworksforyou.

Search our list of factsheets and other online resources www.rethink.org/resources

Stay in touch

Howeveryouarefeelingitisimportanttostayintouchwithyourcarers,friends,familyandhealthcareprofessionals.Thesearepeoplewhocanlistento,support,andhelpyou.Thereareofcoursesituationswherewaysofrelatingandcommunicatingincertainrelationshipscanmakeyoufeelworse,andyoumayneedtoprotectyourselffromthese.However,trytodeveloppositiverelationships.Isolatingyourselfcanputyouatgreaterriskofcrisisandmeanthatyouarenotabletodrawonyoursocialsupportwhenyouneedit.

Ifyouhaverelationshipswithfriendsorfamilythatyoufeelaredifficulttoengagewithwhenyouarebecomingunwell,thisguidancemaybehelpfulforthemtomaintainanddevelopasupportiverelationshipwithyou.

GuidanceonDealing with unusual thoughts and behaviours.

Peer support

Someofthepeoplethatwespoketofoundthathavingsupportfromotherpeoplewithexperiencesofbipolardisordercanbeveryhelpfulinmaintainingtheirwellbeing.Peoplewithsimilarexperiencescanprovideyouwithasensethatyouarenotaloneinhowyouarefeelingandwhatyouarethinking.Theycansharestrategiesofhowtheycopeandmaintaintheirwellbeing,andtheycanpointyouinthedirectionofusefulknowledgeandlocalresources.

“There’s help there, there’s people to talk to, have a coffee, and I can think, I haven’t got two heads anymore.”

Yourownknowledge,strengthsandexperiencescanalsobenefitothersinsimilarsituations,whichcanprovideyouwithasenseofachievementandgreaterself-worth.

Peersupportcanbeaccessedthroughlocalpeersupportgroups,onlinecommunitieslikeRethinkTalk orbyjoiningbipolarassociations.Itcanbechallengingtogotoaface-to-facesupportgroupforthefirsttimeandyoucanperhapsgetsupportfromacarer,friend,familymemberorhealthcareprofessionalwhocangowithyouthefirstfewtimes.

Rethink Mental Illness. Staying well with bipolar. 9

Make decisions about medication

Being in control

Yourmedicationneedsarelikelytochangeovertime,andthemedicationcurrentlyprescribedmayormaynotbethebestoptionforyou.Itmaybethecasethatyouneeddifferenttypesofmedicationtotakedependingonhowyoufeel,andifso,youmayneedadviceabouthowtomanagethis.

Havingaconversationwithyourprescribinghealthcareprofessional(GP,psychiatristornurse)abouttheeffectsofmedicationthatyouaretakingcanbeusefulforyouandthemtohelpmakedecisionsaboutmedication.

Inourresearchpeoplerecognisedthedifficultyinfindingthe‘right’medicationanddosage,anddescribedtheimportanceofbeingabletocontacttheirprescribinghealthcareprofessionalquicklytobeabletomakechangestomedicationtomaintaintheirwellbeingandpreventacrisis.

Formanypeopletakingmedicationwasakeypartofmaintainingtheirwellbeingbutforsomepeoplebeingfreeoftakingmedicationwasakeygoal,becausetheywantedtoremovesideeffectsandwantedtotakebackcontroloftheirownlives.Onepersonsaid:

“Well I was on this one for about 15 years, the same milligrams as well. And they weaned me off it and I’ve been 10 times better.”

Butdorememberthatsuddenlystoppingtakingsomeformsofmedicationcanleadtoworsesymptoms.Gradualwithdrawalwiththesupportofotherpeoplemayenablesomeonetoremainwellduringwithdrawal.

Always speak to your prescribing healthcare professional about medication changes.

Clickheretowatchthe‘Do what works’video. Clickheretowatchthe‘Decisions about medication’video.

Medicationoftenplaysanimportantroleasonewayofmanagingtheupsanddowns.Itisimportanttoconsiderhowyoucanhavechoiceandcontrolinrespecttomedication,ratherthanfeelingcontrolledbythemedicationprescribedbyyourdoctor.

Value of choice

Peopleinourresearchhighlightedtheimportanceandvalueofbeinginvolvedinchoosingtheirmedication.Havinganunderstandingoftheeffects(and‘sideeffects’)canallowpeopletomakeachoiceastowhichmedicationmightbenefitthemthemost.Havingchoiceovermedicationallowspeopletotakeownershipandbemoreincontrol;itcanraiseself-esteem.

Forchoicetobemeaningfulyouneedtohaveaccesstorelevantinformation,andsometimesasecondopinionfromaprofessionalcanbeuseful.

10 Rethink Mental Illness. Staying well with bipolar.

Talk to people who really listen

Clickheretowatchthe‘People who really listen’video.

Itisextremelyimportanttohavesomeonewhoisabletoreallylistentoyou.Itcanbedifferentpeople:carers,family,friendsorprofessionals.

Professionals who listen

Oneofourkeyfindingswasthatpeoplevaluedprofessionalswhoactivelylistenedtothemandmadethemfeelheard.Onepersonthatwespoketowasveryhappywithhiscareteamwhohadlistened,takenhimseriouslyandgivenhimchoices.Anotherpersonsaidthathecouldnotbe‘talkedout’ofacrisisbutcouldbe‘listenedout’ofacrisis.

Mentalhealthprofessionalswhodoactivelylistenarebetterabletounderstandapersonandtheirparticularconcerns,andtheyarebetterabletodecidewhatactionoradvicemightbeneededtopreventcrisis.

Wefoundthatwhenpeoplefeltlistenedtobyahealthcareprofessionaltheyweremorelikelytofollowtherecommendedaction.Itmaybeusefultotellhealthcareprofessionalswhoworkwithyouwhetheryoufeelasthoughyouhavebeenheardornot.

Coachingisanapproachtoworkingwithandlisteningtopeople,puttingtheirconcernsatthecentre.ThebookletEmpowering Peopledescribesthisapproach,andyoumaywishtomentionittoyourmentalhealthprofessional.

Sharing things with different people

Youmayfindthatitcanbeusefultohavedifferentpeopletotalktoaboutdifferentthings.Somethingsyouperhapsfeelmorecomfortablesharingwithafriend,otherswithaparent,orasibling,oraprofessional.Itcanalsobeusefultobenefitfromthedifferentperspectivesthatdifferentpeoplecanbring.

Sharingyourthoughtsandfeelingswithcarers,family,friends,peersandhealthcareprofessionalscanallowtheotherpersontogainabetterunderstandingofyourlife.Thiswillmakethembetterabletoprovidefeedbackandadviceandaffirmthattheyvalueandbelieveinyou.

“I think [what helped me] was being able to talk to somebody on their own, at a very, very, deeply personal level.”

Simplytalkingtoanotherpersonwhoisactivelylisteningcanbetherapeuticinitself.Itcanmakeyoubetterunderstandhowyouarethinkingandfeeling,andthiswillmakeiteasierforyoutomakedecisionsandtakeactionsinyourlife.

Rethink Mental Illness. Staying well with bipolar. 11

Get support from family and friends

Clickheretowatchthe‘Support from family and friends’video.

Peoplewhoareclosetoyoucanplayanimportantroleinpreventingupsanddowns.

Spotting changes in mood

Carers,friendsandfamilyoftenspendalotoftimewithyou,andtheirknowledgeofyoucanbeveryuseful.

Theycanspotsubtlechangesinyourmoodorbehaviourandletyouknowiftheyareconcerned.Inourresearchpeopledescribedtheimportanceofhavingpeoplewhowerethereforthem,coulddemonstrateloveforthem,whowerenon-judgementalandprovidedemotionalsupport.

Ifcarers,familyandfriendsareawareofyourearlywarningsignstheycanprovideyouwithfeedbacksothatyoucanuserelevantcopingstrategiesandseekhelpifneeded.

Encouraging (and discouraging)

Whenyouaredownitcanbehelpfulifcarers,familyandfriendsofferencouragementtodoactivitiestheyknowyouenjoyandfindhelpful.Itisimportantthatsuchencouragementisgiveninasensitiveway.Asonepersonstateditcanbeusefultohavethings:“togetupfor–thingstofocuson.”

Discussingwithyourcarers,familyandfriendswhatsortsofencouragementmayworkisusefulandcanprovideagreedstartingpoints.Inourresearch,carers,friendsandfamilytoldusabouthowtheyprovidedpositiveencouragement:

“(I’d give) encouragement to get out of bed, helping her to focus on things, that she will get through it, keeping her going so she doesn’t get too low.”

“I’d run baths for him, and [...] then he’d feel a bit better after he was clean, because you do. Or, and I would try and make sure that he came out for a walk with me, even if it was only for 10 minutes.”

Somepeopleexplainedthatwhentheywere‘up’theyneededtobediscouragedfromengaginginactivitieswhichweretoostimulatingandthattheyneededtobeencouragedtoengageinactivitiesthatinducedfeelingsofcalm.

Support for families and friends

Yourcarers,friendsandfamilymayneedtheirownsupport.Thiscanbecrucialtohelpthemmaintaintheirwellbeingandtocontinuetoprovideeffectivesupportforyou.Theymayhavequestionsandbeunsurewhattodotohelp.Theymayalsobenefitfromconsideringthingstheyneedtodointheirownlivesnottofeeltooburdenedbytheirsupportiveorcaringrole.

Ifyoufeeltheyarenotgettingtheinformation,adviceandsupporttheyneedthenyoucandirectthemtothiswebsitewherethereisinformation,adviceandsignpoststosupport:www.rethink.org/carers

Stepping back sometimes

Whileitisusefultohavecarers,familyandfriendswhocanhelpmonitoringyourwellbeingandofferencouragement,guidanceandadvice,itcanalsoattimesbefeltas‘smothering’.Sometimesbeingallowedtotakemoreresponsibilitycanmakeyoufeelmoreincontrolofyourlife.

Also,providingsupportforyoucanbestressfulanditcanbebeneficialforthepersonprovidingsupporttotakeastepback,givingyoubothbreathingspaceandallowingtimeforreflection.Havingabreakortakingaholidaymaintainswellbeingandputschallengesintoperspective.

12 Rethink Mental Illness. Staying well with bipolar.

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