Bi-Polar

What is Bi-Polar

Manic Depression is a serious mental health problem involving extreme swings of mood (highs and lows). It is also known as bi-polar disorder. Both men and women, of any age from adolescence onwards and from any social or ethnic background, can develop bi-polar disorder. It often first occurs when work, study, family or emotional pressures are at their greatest. In women it can also be triggered by childbirth or during the menopause.

The illness is episodic (occurs in phases). It is possible to remain well for periods. Severe and/or untreated episodes of bi-polar can be very damaging for all affected.

Everyone’s bi-polar is different; the challenge is learning to understand your own unique pattern.

• Some people are more affected by depression with just the occasional period of mania. For others, it is the other way around.
• Some people experience extreme mood swings only occasionally, with long periods of stability in between; others experience them more often – sometimes called “rapid cycling” bi-polar disorder.
• For some people mood swings seem to be triggered by stressful events in their life, for others they appear to “come out of the blue”.
• For some people, the highs and lows are relatively short; for others they may last many months.
• Some people have just one or two mood swings; others have many mood swings for many years, but these often get less severe as you get older.

Typically the key to coping with bi-polar disorder is an early diagnosis and acceptance of the condition. From this point, self-management, health care, therapy and medication can be taken up as appropriate.

How can we help?

Meets
Second Thursday of every month
At 7pm – 9pm

Burton & District Mind
87 Wood Street
Burton on Trent
Staffs
DE14 3AA
Tel: (01283) 566696

Burton Bi-Polar Explorers are a support group open to all people personally affected by, or with a special interest in Bi-Polar Disorder.

AIMS

• Support, Share Knowledge, information and Experiences
• Develop a well functioning organisation that can provide workshops, lectures, self management training.
• A library for videos, DVDs, books and the latest research information.

We have an open door policy, there is no formal referral system or assessment procedure, people come as individuals, or as often or as infrequent as they wish.

RULES

Confidentiality, respect, responsibility of actions, the members shall adhere to the Burton Mind House Rules displayed on Mind Premises.