Self Management
Self Management is built on the following key principle: people with mood swings can become the experts on their own mental health. A key resource to be used in achieving this is the personal experiences and knowledge that each person brings to the course. Our aim is to develop new strategies, monitor mood states, link thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and develop alertness to mood variations.
MDF The Bipolar Organisation has been running Self Management Training (SMT) for people diagnosed with bipolar disorder (manic depression) since 1998 and the research we have done on the programme shows that it has been very helpful for a number of people in controlling mood swings. So far about 450 people have attended the training across the country.
STEADY
(Support and Training for Elation and Depression in Youth)
Although the existing SMT course is open to all ages we are aware that younger peoples experiences of mood swings can be very different from that of older people who may have had the diagnosis for a number of years. Also, some people have expressed a preference for sharing their experiences with people their own age.
MDF the Bipolar Organisation recruited an advisory group of people under 25 years old with the diagnosis to act as consultants on STEADY. The advisory group devised a wish list of topic areas that they would like more information on, which formed the foundation for this course. In addition they worked on specific areas of the course such as the Triggers and Warning Signs Section to provide insight into the experience of extreme mood swings from a younger perspective. The advisory group continues to meet regularly to decide how STEADY is to develop. STEADY initially secured funding from a London charitable trust to pilot the project. STEADY was then funded by Princess Diana Memorial Fund and Comic Relief and is now funded entirely by private donations.
