Mental health of friend: I need to help her, advice!

cazac71

chilli_dog wrote: »

hey gwen,

there was a lady on five live today who had been diagnosed with Bi-polar.
I believe more people are being diagnosed with it and its replacing some of the manic depression diagnosis.

hope your friend gets well she is lucky to have a mate like you.

http://www.bipolar.com/

Manic depression and Bi polar are the same thing

charlie1000_2

OP - I can sympathise with you on this one. I have been bipolar for the last 10+ years and no first hand the effects it can have on relationships with families and friends. There is a lot of info on

www.mdf.org.uk

HTH:o

gorgeous_gwen

Just wanted to update: got a phone call from my friend today, this morning she got a letter from the mental health services saying she has got an outpatient appointment. It seems on the basis of her last GP appointment, the GP has re-referred her and the questionnaire she filled in about bipolar was copied and forwarded with the referral request so success!

She spent some time with her oldest this week and she thinks she may be able to cope with having the oldest one back soon with her. She sounded happy today, optimistic, funnily I think her knowing she's got this appointment has almost helped her mood!

Quiet_Life

Gwen, hope things start to look up for your friend. Moosetastic, been there, done that have LOADS of the t shirts!!!!!16 plus years & counting my husband has had depression & it is AWFUL for him, the family & me. You expesssed it so well....

gorgeous_gwen

Just been reading about depression and bipolar. It's all very interesting. If anyone has any good links for either of these would be really useful! Thanks charlie and cazac already, have looked at those sites you mentioned.

jay11_2

There are loads of sources of information online, 2 decent ones are:
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Factsheets/ (scroll down to bipolar)
and:
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinformation/mentalhealthproblems/bipolarmanicdepression.aspx

good luck, I echo that she is lucky to have you

Jules66_2

Hi

These are the specific links to the Mind website

Understanding depression:
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Understanding/Understanding+depression.htm

Understanding bipolar disorder (manic depression):
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Understanding/Understanding+manic+depression.htm

the information is easy to read and understand.

This may also prove useful to you in your role as 'carer' for your friend, the fact that you do all you can to help whenever you can definitely puts you in that category

How to cope as a carer:
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/How+to/How+to+cope+as+a+carer.htm

It will have some useful tips that will help you to help your friend, and please don't forget to look after yourself especially your mental wellbeing, because if you get too involved and become ill yourself you won't be able to help her. That wasn't meant to sound harsh and if you read the information on the link you'll see where I'm coming from.

Hope this helps.

Jules
Mental health support worker

Jules66_2

Just thought of something else that may be useful to both of you

http://www.mind.org.uk/Mind+in+your+area/

link for you to search for your local Mind association (LMA)

They are really easy to access and you don't need to be referred by anyone else, you can ring them and arrange to go in, honestly it is that simple.

Workers there offer a wide range of information, support, guidance and help on a wide range of things for people who suffer from any form of mental ill health and also to carers as well. They won't judge your friend and it usually helps people to know that they are much less formal than other health services - it certainly made a huge difference when I was using their services!

I have to admit to being biased about singing the praises of LMA's as mine offered me a much needed safe haven when I felt all alone and was struggling to cope with my own mental illness. I used the service for over 10 years and then they gave me a job, which I privileged to have. I still suffer and am currently off sick as I'm having a very bad bout of depression again now, but can't stop trying to help others which is why I started posting on this site recently, because I'm lucky and really love my job.