Skip over main navigation
  • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
  • Accessibility
  • Contact Us
Bipolar UK
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
 Urgent help  Media Donate
Menu
  • Our services
    • Join our eCommunity
    • Find a support group
    • Speak to our Peer Support Line
    • Work and learning
    • Track your mood
    • Crisis help
  • About Bipolar
    • Pendulum: stories and information
    • Information resources
      • Information leaflets
      • Video library
      • Our social media
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Useful links
  • Support Us
    • Fundraising
      • Find An Event
      • Run for Bipolar UK
      • Tandem Skydive
      • Virtual challenge events
    • Partnerships
    • Giving In Memory
    • A gift In Your Will
    • Volunteering
    • Donate
  • Research
    • Our Reports
    • Bipolar Commission
    • Bipolar research
    • Research Partnerships
  • eCommunity
  • Videos & Podcasts
    • lets talk bipolar podcast series
    • Facebook live
    • women & bipolar webinars
    • Conference 2022
    • Conference 2021
  • About us
    • Meet the team
      • Staff
      • Trustees
      • Ambassadors
    • What we do
    • Working for us
    • Our Story
    • Annual report
    • Policies
  • Admin
    • Log in
    • Accessibility
    • Contact Us
  • Basket: (0 items)
  1. FAQs

Family, carers and friends

A diagnosis of bipolar can be disorientating for family and friends. Being a carer can be demanding - read other people's stories and learn how to help and support your loved one who is living with bipolar.

Family and Friends

Helpful links to other websites and organisations that can offer help and support to family, friends and carers.

Expand
6e69e060-9c21-441b-81a1-4ffb65ceb70c

Carers UK
Help and support for people who are looking after other people.


Young Minds
Support and information for people caring for a young person with a mental health condition


Family Action
provides specialist mental health and wellbeing services for adults, working with the individual directly affected as well as their children and families.


SOBS - Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide
Aims to meet the needs and break the isolation of those bereaved by the suicide of a close relative or friend.


Cruse Bereavement Care
Offer support, advice and information to children, young people and adults when someone dies, and to enhance society's care of bereaved people.


Home-Start
Helps families with young children deal with whatever life throws at them. They support parents as they learn to cope, improve their confidence and build better lives for their children.


Family Lives
Runs a 24 hour Confidential helpline on 0808 800 2222, Live online chat, Email support service, Parentchannel.tv, Forums, Online parenting courses, In your area


National Family Mediation
Provide free family mediation now available for separating couples. Help and support everyone involved.


Relate
Counselling for adults with relationship difficulties.

Published: 1st September, 2015

Updated: 14th August, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Do I have to tell others?

Should I tell anyone about my bipolar diagnosis?

Expand
6e69e060-9c21-441b-81a1-4ffb65ceb70c

Bipolar affects every aspect of your life and your relationships, family and friends can all be put under stress.

To understand how bipolar affects you, and to manage the illness, you will need support. If you can speak to a family member, partner or close friend as this will assist you.

As part of your support network it's ideal if family members and loved ones can be involved in planning treatment. It can also help you if mental health professionals can consult them (unless you don't want them to).

Other questions in this section focus on when you might consider telling others outside of your immediate family and friends.

Published: 1st October, 2014

Updated: 14th August, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

If I am ill what powers do my family have?

Who can help with decisions when you are unwell

Expand
6e69e060-9c21-441b-81a1-4ffb65ceb70c

Under the Mental Health Act we all have a nearest relative who will be involved in decisions about whether we are hospitalised. We do not get to choose our nearest relative.

If you or your nearest relative are both unhappy about them taking on this role, they can write a letter naming another individual to act as your nearest relative. They should inform at least one of your doctors or other people responsible for your care.

Your nearest relative has several powers and responsibilities:

  • They can apply for you to be admitted to hospital.
  • The approved social worker must tell the nearest relative if they have applied (or are applying) for you to be detained under section 2.
  • The approved social worker must talk to the nearest relative if they plan to detain you under section 3 (unless it is not practical to do this or would cause unreasonable delay). Your nearest relative can object to the application to detain you. However the approved social worker can ask the court to appoint someone else as your nearest relative if the objection is unreasonable.
  • Your nearest relative can apply for you to be discharged from hospital. However the doctor in charge of the treatment can stop this.

Published: 1st October, 2015

Updated: 14th August, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

If I am detained in hospital can my friends and family visit me?

Who can see me when I am under section in hospital? Your rights as an inpatient explained

Expand
6e69e060-9c21-441b-81a1-4ffb65ceb70c

You have the right to visits from your family and friends. If the hospital or doctor do not think it is beneficial for you to receive visitors, they must have a very good reason related to your health and safety to stop visits.

If visits are stopped, the decision should be recorded and the record should be made available to the Mental Health Act Commission.

Published: 1st October, 2015

Updated: 14th August, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

I’m a carer for someone who lives with bipolar, am I eligible for the vaccine?

NHS arrangements for Covid-19 vaccinations

Expand
a1c4012d-1464-438a-a3e8-96cd13bdc4da

If you are an unpaid carer for someone who lives with bipolar you should also be offered a vaccine.

An unpaid carer is defined as:

“Those who are in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill.”

You can find out more on the Carers UK website

Published: 18th April, 2021

Updated: 5th July, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Back to top

Showing 10 of 5

Latest

  • No one is you… And that is your power’

    No one is you… And that is your power’

    Rachel runs a salon. As she writes living well with bipolar is about being honest about the condition itself in order to thrive.

  • Getting a diagnosis

    Getting a diagnosis

    Diagnosis page

  • Bipolar UK’s Mood Tracker app

    Bipolar UK’s Mood Tracker app

    Our new mood tracker app can make it much easier to record your daily mood, medications, emotions and how much sleep you’ve had

  • The Bee Gees got it right

    The Bee Gees got it right

    As legendary songwriter Nicky Chinn explains, survival requires a great deal of endurance and no small amount of courage.

Most read

  • Bipolar UK Mood Scale

    Bipolar UK Mood Scale

    Our mood scale can help you to keep track of your moods, and to spot your patterns, triggers and any early warning signs of a relapse

  • How do I know if I have bipolar?

    How do I know if I have bipolar?

    What are the common signs of bipolar disorder

  • Join our eCommunity

    Join our eCommunity

    Our eCommunity is an anonymous and supportive online forum for anyone affected by bipolar to chat and share experiences. it is also for those who think they may have bipolar.

  • Is there a  test for bipolar?

    Is there a test for bipolar?

    How can you get a confirmation of bipolar disorder?

  • What causes bipolar?

    What causes bipolar?

    Find out what we know about the causes of bipolar

  • Could mood swings mean bipolar?

    Could mood swings mean bipolar?

    An introduction to bipolar and how monitoring your moods and behaviour can help

  • Speak to our Peer Support Line

    Speak to our Peer Support Line

    Free support and information from our helpline which is staffed by people who are affected by bipolar.

  • If I experience mood swings does that mean I have bipolar?

    If I experience mood swings does that mean I have bipolar?

    How bipolar mood swings are classified using a the Bipolar UK mood scale

  • What is rapid cycling bipolar?

    What is rapid cycling bipolar?

    Read about rapid cycling, a type of bipolar disorder

  • Bipolar UK Mood Diary

    Bipolar UK Mood Diary

    Using this mood diary alongside our mood scale will help you keep track of your moods, allowing you to spot your patterns, triggers and any early warning signs of a relapse.

Tag cloud

Asian people Black people Creativity and bipolar Cyclothymia LGBTQ+ community Men and bipolar Mood diary Peer Support Services Pregnancy and childbirth Rapid cycling Self-management Stigma Suicide prevention Women and bipolar Work and learning Young people

Subscribe to our eNewsletter

* indicates required
Bipolar UK eNewsletter
Contact us

For queries not answered in FAQs

email: [email protected]

Helpful links


  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Notice
  • Terms and conditions
  • Image sources

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Find us


Registered Charity No. 293340
Registered Company No. 1955570

Registered office

Bipolar UK,
32 Cubitt Street,
London, WC1X 0LR


[email protected]