Supporting People with Bipolar Disorder

Aim: The Bipolar Lift CIC provides holistic support for those living with bipolar disorder and their family and friends.

I was a successful business development manager before being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2016. I was then given Lithium and a whole host of drugs to manage my episodes. DVLA took away my driving license, my company car was taken off me and then I lost my job. I searched everywhere for help and support but couldn't find the help I needed... So I set up The Bipolar Lift CIC, a non profit community interest company to provide all the help and support I was looking for at the time.

Since our conception in 2019, we have worked with over 500 sufferers and their families and, by providing a holistic support package, we have proven that this approach is highly successful in reducing feelings of isolation and alienation. With your funding we will be able to provide a better coherent service and allocate more time and resources to our clients. As an organisation we will be better resourced, and which will enable us to capacity build.

We work with people with bipolar disorder individually and in groups and devise individual tailored support self help plans looking at the individual’s mental health history. We look at the strengths and weaknesses of the individual and look at coping mechanisms and any potential triggers. We look at any potential risks historical or current, suicidal behaviours, self-harming, self-medicating i.e., alcohol/drug abuse and signposting into the relevant agencies for example primary or secondary care and crisis team intervention and safeguarding. We support them, with our partners, through the cost of living crisis and financial wellbeing and debt advice, and look at the individual's support network, carers, family, and friends and ensure that we give the contact numbers of the Crisis team and any other emergency numbers in the event of a crisis.

Despite the political focus and increased awareness of mental health, bipolar disorder is still especially stigmatising, often resulting in discrimination at work and social situations. As a result, many sufferers hide their illness and don’t receive the appropriate care and support needed to achieve mental wellbeing. There is a need for our holistic service which is not replicated elsewhere. We are not involved in offering medical care or advice, concentrating solely on providing a wrap-around practical and emotional support mechanism for sufferers. As such, healthcare professionals continue to manage and support their patients while the support that sufferers are offered through The Bipolar Lift aims to reduce burden upon the NHS by offering emotional and practical support which reduces the burden of their illness upon their lives. 

Our work with health agencies and both voluntary and community organisations has indicated that our offering is absent from the support offered from other organisations. This is further evidenced by the number of referrals we’ve received which is gradually increasing month on month.