Not forgetting your daily medication that must be taken, bipolar support groups allow those who share a common diagnosis or interest to gather for a common purpose. The main idea of these people coming together is to share ideas on how to cope, and offer emotional support. Most support groups are usually administered by someone who has some experience in these kinds of dialogue, but this must not dishearten you because it is not an important factor. To come together to just SHARE IDEAS. With the right tool you as a mother or a patient can form a bipolar support group and help those that are interested.
Finding Suitable Place
Every group must have a place to meet and it can be in your garage, a hall or even inside your house. One important factor here is that it must be comfortable and available when you as a group need it. And your ideal sitting set up would be to sit in a circle rather than a church style setup.
Rules to be followed
There are some important points that must be emphasized every time you meet, beside the ones you as a group will make later on:
Confidentiality: everything shared inside MUST stay inside.
No other sources: quoting from the bible or famous people must not be allowed into your meetings and everything shared must be from personal experience.
No preaching: not be tolerated are words such as don’t do this or don’t do that.
Offer suggestions: it is good to offer suggestions with all suggestions be from personal experience like; Use non threatening suggestion I went through the same experience and I did this or my child had that same thing and I did this.
No gossip: If you don’t allow anything to get out, you must not allow anybody to drag somebody’s name down in these meetings.
JUST LISTEN: Most would come to a meeting not to have their problem solved but to have an opportunity to put out of their system all the frustrations of being involved with this mental illness. This cannot be emphasized enough.
First Goal
Ensuring no one living with bipolar disease or this mental condition feel alone again, the primary goal of most bipolar support groups is to provide important emotional support. Support groups can improve the physical health and well being of those taking part and a safety net for patients and caregivers.
Other Functions
In some places bipolar support groups, also called special interest groups (SIG), form an integral part for many health organizations and a critical foundation for those trying to cope with the disorder. Support groups help fill the emptiness between medicine and the daily everyday struggles. It generally helps patients to cope and also serve as educators and inform about the new advancements in bipolar treatment or therapies available.
Online bipolar support groups
With modern technologies at our doorsteps, many have found online support a great help. This type of support network is ideal for those living in rural areas or those who are scared of leaving the security of their homes. Many use online support as a backup to their existing bipolar support groups in their community.