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support for family of bipolar person
where can I find support group for myself and the family of my son who is diagnosed bipolar.
You can also ask the psychiatrist as sometimes they offer support groups through their offices or at least know of good places to go. Here ours in independantly run by consumers (I hate that word for the MI - but it is what they use) but located at the Canadian Mental Health society. In another city I was in it was endorsed by the health region and run out of a church basement.
My experience with these groups is mixed. The first one I went to was great. Very supportive. Full of people really wanting to get better. Mostly people with bipolar but the occasional family member stopped by. The second one I went to wasn't very good. They had a major 'something' (they never told me what) happen and the group was reorganised and the new format isn't very condusive to good discussion. You go around the table and talk about how your week went but nobody is allowed to offer input or suggestions. It may be good if you are newly diagnosed and just want a place to talk where you'll be understood, but for us long timers it was simply boring.
The other thing you may want to check into is bipolar education classes. Here there is an eight week, two hours a week, course that goes through all the bipolar basics. Meds will take you part way to healthy, but full recovery takes a lot of self work. Things like learning and knowing your triggers. Family members and those with bipolar are encouraged to come together so it builds a team of support.
I go on an online sight called moodgarden.org. There is a forum there you can post questions to. It is very well moderated and more like a community than this site is. You really get to know the people. They also have blogs so you can read people's stories about their daily life, get to know them as people first and people with bipolar second.
My experience with these groups is mixed. The first one I went to was great. Very supportive. Full of people really wanting to get better. Mostly people with bipolar but the occasional family member stopped by. The second one I went to wasn't very good. They had a major 'something' (they never told me what) happen and the group was reorganised and the new format isn't very condusive to good discussion. You go around the table and talk about how your week went but nobody is allowed to offer input or suggestions. It may be good if you are newly diagnosed and just want a place to talk where you'll be understood, but for us long timers it was simply boring.
The other thing you may want to check into is bipolar education classes. Here there is an eight week, two hours a week, course that goes through all the bipolar basics. Meds will take you part way to healthy, but full recovery takes a lot of self work. Things like learning and knowing your triggers. Family members and those with bipolar are encouraged to come together so it builds a team of support.
I go on an online sight called moodgarden.org. There is a forum there you can post questions to. It is very well moderated and more like a community than this site is. You really get to know the people. They also have blogs so you can read people's stories about their daily life, get to know them as people first and people with bipolar second.
NAMI has good support groups including family and friends support groups. There should be one in your area.
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