Family and Friends Helpful links to other websites and organisations that can offer help and support to family, friends and carers. Expand Carers UKHelp and support for people who are looking after other people. Young MindsSupport and information for people caring for a young person with a mental health condition Family Actionprovides 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 SuicideAims to meet the needs and break the isolation of those bereaved by the suicide of a close relative or friend. Cruse Bereavement CareOffer support, advice and information to children, young people and adults when someone dies, and to enhance society's care of bereaved people. Home-StartHelps 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 LivesRuns 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 MediationProvide free family mediation now available for separating couples. Help and support everyone involved. Relate Counselling for adults with relationship difficulties. Carers TrustDedicated support for unpaid carers including young carers through a network of local carer organisations. Last updated: 25 January 2023
Can I drive my car if I have bipolar? You must inform the DVLA of your diagnosis and your doctor will provide information on your fitness to drive which will determine and restrictions on driving Expand If you have bipolar, it may have implications for driving. You must inform the following about any medical condition you have that could affect your ability to drive: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) (Includes the correct form for doing so) Your insurance company. You must tell the DVLA no matter how long you have been driving; this includes during the application for your first licence and renewal of an existing licence. As soon as you become aware of your diagnosis or possible diagnosis of bipolar, you must alert the DVLA You should also be aware of the effects your medication has on your ability to drive. In addition to this, if you have a substance misuse issue, including alcohol, you are required to tell the DVLA about this. Your doctor or psychiatrist may be asked to provide information on your fitness to drive. Contact details for the DVLA More information about bipolar and the DVLA
What are the symptoms of hypomania and mania? Members of the eCommunity have compiled a list of symptoms, based on their experience Expand This list is compiled by members of our eCommunity. In our experience mania and its symptoms can be personal to an individual. Having insight is important so you can recognise a behaviour or reaction that is slightly out of the ordinary. That said, the border between having insight and losing it can be quite fine. The change can happen quite quickly. It can be hard to determine its threshold when you are in an episode. Keeping a mood diary can be a useful tool to be aware of your own triggers and mood patterns. Also having people around you who you trust and who can give you feedback on your mood and behaviour is helpful. Here are some symptoms we recognise: Activity Highly productiveSpinning lots of plates at the same time/multi-taskingSpending or overspending Cognitive/ways of thinking Making connections creativelyWord play and punningSuspicious thoughts moving to paranoiaMaking links with coincidences (a kind of benign paranoia)Religiosity, sometimes with delusions of being a higher being or saviourObsessive thoughtsPlanning schemes or projects that are never realisedOverlap with depressive black and white thinkingSecrecyAudio psychosisParanoia/Feeling like being spied onRacing thoughtsAnxiety about everything and nothingBeing super animatedShort fuse/extreme irritabilityHeightened senses/sensory overload - everything is magnified - brighter colours or sharper hearingTouch can feel tingly. I get goose bump feelings up my arms and on my scalp which can be heightened by music, laughing, other peopleExcited feelings like butterflies in tummy, rushes of energy and sensations through body of being connected to everything around you in a spiritual/energy sharingCan sometimes feel like blending into an object, like you can feel the texture merging with you which although may feel pleasant at first, very quickly becomes unpleasantThings are too bright, too loud, too close, clothes feel scratchy/weird or too tight Behaviour GrandiositySleep loss/no need of sleepMicro managing projectsTalking faster and/or louderNeeding lot of stimulation...YouTube, TV, conversationsOverbooking spare time, leaving no gaps to do nothingMore active on forumsOverspending - linked to secrecy as mentioned aboveDriving with too much confidence/more aggressivelyRepeated loss of spectaclesVery high sex driveRisky behaviourExtra-productive and creative eg songwritingActing out of the ordinary eg being disinhibitedBecoming childlike or a joker/buffoon - doing silly things like being silly with my kids (which they love!)Becoming arrogant with a sharp tongueExtreme anxiety as part of hypomaniaGoing into a catatonic state and becoming unresponsive
Travel Insurance & Travelling abroad Expand Are you thinking of travelling abroad? Similar to other severe illnesses, the only times you might be prohibited from travelling is if you are too ill to travel. If, for example, you're suffering from a manic or depressive episode (or have very recently had an episode) you are unlikely to be well enough to travel abroad. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have issued a guidance leaflet and a checklist that can help travellers better prepare for their journey and get help when abroad. Click here to find out more. Travel Insurance It sometimes can be difficult to purchase travel insurance from High Street insurers if you have a severe mental health condition. Understanding your insurance rights and shopping around to compare quotes can be a really good way of finding the right deal for you or your loved one.
Agreed Reasonable Adjustments Form A form for your to use at work and designed to be used with our Employee and Employer Guides To Bipolar. Expand How to apply for reasonable adjustments at work The form below is designed to be used with our Employee's Guide to Bipolar and our Employer's Guide to Bipolar If you live with bipolar the provisions of the Equality Act (2010) apply and you are entitled to ask for reasonable adjustments at work to support you and help you stay well. Everybody's adjustments will vary but this form and our guides offer a template to help your write out what you would like. Download this form as a PDF
What are the most common symptoms of bipolar depression Members of the Bipolar UK eCommunity share their experiences of depression Expand This list has been compiled by members of the Bipolar UK eCommunity and documents their experiences of the symptoms of bipolar depression: Symptoms of depression Cognitive Executive function issues ie concentration, memory, decision makingForgetfulness/memory problemsForgetting medication or taking it more than the normal daily doseInability to explain your feelings to othersLoss of concentrationSlow or muddled thinkingDifficulties concentrating Feelings/emotions A feeling of emptinessA feeling of hopelessnessAnhedonia (lack of enjoyment)AnxietyApathyFeeling sadFeelings of guilt or that you are responsible for events (usually bad ones)Ideas that you are bad/evilIdeas that you are dislikedImpending sense of gloom that won't shiftIrritability with self and othersLack of motivationLethargyLow self esteemMoaning (serious constant moaning)ParanoiaPsycho-motor agitation, wringing hands, pacing etc.Remembering unpleasant past eventsSuicidal thoughtsTearfulnessThoughts of self-harmKeyed upWishing that the sun won't come up the next day - cannot handle the idea the tomorrow is going to comeCertain give-away statements like "I'm just waiting here in my apartment to die, really" Physical symptoms A feeling of being unwellAgitation, irritability and anger but usually when mixed or psychotic depressionNot wanting to leave houseSudden, unexplained weight lossUnexplained aches and pains/minor ailmentsWeight gain or increased appetite as well. It can go either way Self care Lack of appetiteLack of self-care/self-neglectLack of self-worth Self sabotage Engaging in deliberately self-destructive behaviours Sleep Changes in sleep patternsDisturbed sleep (waking multiple times in the night)Early waking Social Cancelling all upcoming appointments, ignoring responsibilities, shunning friends and family: and feeling guilt about all this at the same timeInability to ask others for helpLack of socialisingNo libidoSocial withdrawal
Medications for mood stabilisation Mood stabilisers commonly used in the treatment of bipolar disorder Expand The following medications are used as mood stabilisers or for mood maintenance. Each acts in a different way in the brain to prevent your mood becoming unstable. They may also act to improve your mood if depressed or calm you down if high. Lithium Carbamazepine Divalproex Valproic acid Olanzapine Quetiapine How do they work? Their exact mechanism is not known and they probably work in different ways. They may have a common action to change the level of mood changing chemicals and boost levels of a “brain fertiliser hormone” called Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). This is boosted particularly in critical areas of the brain responsible for mood regulation, or an area known as the limbic system and prefrontal cortex. Blood Monitoring Many of the mood stabilisers require some kind of regular blood monitoring to check the drug’s plasma level. Lithium can affect organs such as the kidney, thyroid and liver. Regular blood tests can monitor this. Physical health When you start on a mood stabiliser or antipsychotic you may have tests before and then at regular intervals afterwards. Olanzapine and quetiapine can cause changes in your metabolism leading to weight gain, diabetes or raised cholesterol. Initially your weight gain, blood pressure and blood will be tested every three months for the first year and then each year thereafter. It is important that these tests are done to detect changes early so any problems can be picked up and treated.
Is bipolar a disability? Under the Equality Act 2010 bipolar disorder can be considered a disability. This mean that you can request reasonable adjustments at work and have other protections Expand A disability is defined under the Equality Act as: A ‘physical or mental impairment’ which has a ‘substantial and long-term adverse effect’ on an individual’s ‘ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. Bipolar will be considered a disability under the Act if it satisfies this definition, which is sometimes different to common perceptions of disability. Find more information about how the Equality Act can help and support you in our Employees' guide to bipolar and employment
Should I tell my employer, line manager or work colleagues? Disclosing you bipolar diagnosis to your employer and other work related topics Expand Telling your manager and work colleagues about your illness is a personal decision, but you have to ensure you remain within the law and your contract of employment. If, for example, your employer specifically asks about any illnesses then you should disclose if you have a diagnosis of bipolar. Bipolar is covered by the Equality Act (2010) which allows you to ask for reasonable adjustments in the work place that help support any disadvantage you might be experiencing. If you do not tell your manager, you cannot expect your employer to make reasonable adjustments. Download our guides Bipolar UK produces two employment guides for employees and employers which can be downloaded for free What reasonable adjustments can I ask for? When considering reasonable adjustments to ask for you need to think about what triggers an episode of bipolar in the work place and how you and your company might consider changing that particular situation to avoid an episode. The adjustments need to take away the disadvantage you are facing and be of benefit to you. Our employment guides provide useful advice in this regard.
Medications used for bipolar depression Some of the established medications used for bipolar depression Expand The following drugs are established treatments for bipolar depression: Lithium Lithium plus antidepressants Lamotrigine Olanzapine and fluoxetine Quetiapine There are many groups and types of antidepressants, too many to list in completeness here. Those commonly prescribed today are the SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and include fluoxetine, paroxetine and citalopram. They work by altering the balance of the brain chemical serotonin in parts of the brain. Antidepressants alone without a mood stabiliser are avoided in bipolar depression as there is a risk of inducing a hypomania or rapid cycling. Other treatments, but with less scientific evidence for effectiveness in bipolar depression, include valproate, carbamazepine, aripiprazole and gabapentin
Bipolar in children and young people A leaflet for family and friends supporting a young person with bipolar Expand A leaflet for family and friends supporting a young person with bipolar The specific needs of young people affected by bipolar can be very different to those affecting adults. Download this leaflet as PDF
Bipolar disorder, pregnancy and childbirth A leaflet about bipolar disorder in pregnancy for people who who are considering having a baby. Expand A leaflet for people with bipolar who are considering having a baby. Having a baby is a major event in the life of any woman. For those with bipolar disorder, there are even more issues to think about. Download this leaflet as a PDF
I have overspent in a manic episode and I'm unable to pay my creditors It is a feature of bipolar for some people to overspend when hypomanic or manic. Be brave and face your creditors Expand The first step in acknowledging you are in trouble is sometimes the most difficult of all. The old adage that a problem shared is really important as it is often easier if you can talk with a member of your family or a friend about the challenges you are facing. A number of local Citizens Advice Bureaux may also have a debt counsellor. Although there is often a waiting list, many service users have explained it is well worth the wait. The key in trying to pave a way forward is communication between you and your creditors. In the first instance you should write to your creditors explaining the difficulties you are facing in terms of spending when in a manic episode and that you are unable to pay the current repayment schedule. Ask if they might consider alternative ways of paying off the debt. They will then have to consider and work out a way to solve the problem. As is often the case you will likely find organisations differ in their flexibility, but you are keeping the lines of communication open and some may assist you and help reduce the enormous stress you are both facing. See our list of useful links to organisations that can help with financial concerns
Medications used for associated conditions Supplementary medications that you may take alongside bipolar medication Expand Sleeping tablets From time to time people with bipolar suffer from sleep difficulties. Managing your sleep by keeping regular patterns and habits will aid good sleep. This is essential in keeping your moods stable. Avoiding stimulants like coffee in the afternoon and evening is a good example. If you are struggling to sleep it may be wise to take a sleeping tablet with your doctor’s agreement as when you have bipolar you can become more sensitive to sleep loss. Your doctor may be cautious about giving you too many sleeping tablets too often as they can become addictive. When stopping them you may have difficulty sleeping for a night or two and have vivid dreams. The most commonly used sleeping tablets are zolpidem and zopiclone. Anxiety medications Anxiety problems with bipolar are common. Generalised anxiety, panic attacks and social anxiety are all more common in people with bipolar than in those without the illness. Anxiety problems are more likely just before, during or after a period of instability of mood. Most of the medications used to treat bipolar may help anxiety. However some of the side effects may make it worse or may seem like anxiety. For example some antipsychotics can induce a restlessness called akathisia (Greek for “can’t sit still”). It is important to report your symptoms in detail to your doctor so he/she may provide the right treatment. There are many psychological and other non-medication treatments for anxiety. Commonly used medications include antidepressants, beta-blockers, valproate and gabapentin. How do they work? They have a varied mechanism but benzodiazepines act like a key on large receptors on the surface of brain cells causing the cells to be less likely to activate, therefore mildly sedating them
Do I have to tell others? Should I tell anyone about my bipolar diagnosis? Expand 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.