<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Bipolar UK News </title><link>https://www.bipolaruk.org</link><description></description><ttl>60</ttl><item><title><![CDATA[ Big Mood ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/big-mood ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/big-mood ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ 25 March 2024
The first episode of Big Mood - the eagerly awaited six-part comedy - is due to air on Channel 4 on Thursday 28 March. Behind the scenes, Bipolar UK has been working with the production team to help guide authenticity around the storyline.
Written and created by Camilla Whitehill, the story follows Maggie (played by Nicola Coughlan [Bridgerton, Derry Girls]) and Eddie (played by Lydia West [It&rsquo;s A Sin, Inside Man]) through a series of chaotic events after Maggie&rsquo;s bipolar makes an unwelcome return.
Here, Big Mood Director Rebecca Asher (Dead to Me, Brooklyn Nine Nine) and Executive Producer Lotte Beasley Mestriner (The Young Offenders) sit down with Bipolar UK for an exclusive Q&amp;A.
How much does Maggie's diagnosis of bipolar influence the storyline of 'Big Mood&rsquo;?
Asher: At its heart Big Mood is about deep female friendship between two complex characters.
At the time we meet Eddie and Maggie, Maggie&rsquo;s bipolar disorder is one of the big iss... ]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:14:57 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Bipolar UK's response to new blood test findings ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/bipolar-uks-response-to-new-blood-test-findings ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/bipolar-uks-response-to-new-blood-test-findings ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ 26 October 2023
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have identified a new 'proof of concept' for a blood test that identifies biomarkers to indicate bipolar.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
If a simple blood test is introduced into the pathway to diagnosis, it would be ground-breaking for our community, significantly lowering the number of people who are misdiagnosed with unipolar depression and reducing the average delay to diagnosis from its current 9.5 years. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Currently, bipolar can only be diagnosed by a psychiatrist after a full assessment to ask about current symptoms, previous symptoms, medical background and family history of mental illness. A blood test alongside this assessment would mean quicker and more accurate diagnosis.
&nbsp;
Why quicker diagnosis is so important  
Earlier diagnosis is vital because a delayed diagnosis of bipolar often means years of living with untreated, often debilitating symptoms, which can disrupt education, work, and social and fami... ]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 21 Mar 2024 22:42:27 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Bipolar UK's response to Sir Patrick Vallance comments ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/bipolar-uks-response-to-sir-patrick-vallance-comments ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/bipolar-uks-response-to-sir-patrick-vallance-comments ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ Sir Patrick Vallance&rsquo;s reference to &lsquo;bipolar&rsquo; when referring to Boris Johnson&rsquo;s decision-making is misleading and damaging

Statement from CEO of Bipolar UK, Simon Kitchen
We are disappointed and saddened by the flippant and damaging reference to bipolar by Sir Patrick Vallance in one of his diary entries when referencing Boris Johnson&rsquo;s decision-making during the coronavirus pandemic. 
As the government&rsquo;s chief scientific advisor at the time, we would have expected a better understanding of the bipolar community and the challenges they live with on a daily basis. 
His comments published in the UK media stating &lsquo;it&rsquo;s like bipolar decision-making&rsquo; show a lack of understanding and respect for the bipolar community who manage sustained periods of mania, stability and depression. 
It is worrying that a medically trained senior government advisor with a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery would misuse ... ]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 21 Mar 2024 22:42:44 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Bipolar UK's response to the Major Conditions Strategy ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/bipolar-uks-response-to-the-major-conditions-strategy ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/bipolar-uks-response-to-the-major-conditions-strategy ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ 15 August 2023
Yesterday The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) published their Major Conditions Strategy: case for change and our strategic framework. There are many positive take-aways that people affected by bipolar could potentially benefit from, but a specific commitment to the condition is sorely lacking and a major omission.
A joined up approach
The Major Conditions Strategy replaces the previously planned Mental Health Strategy update which had already been extensively consulted on. The new approach makes sense as it takes account of the significant co-morbidities that many of the NHS&rsquo;s biggest users are living with. This is particularly true for people with bipolar who are more likely to have cancer, and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, which are all identified in the strategy, and who die 10-15 years earlier than the general population. A more joined up approach to treatment and support is very welcome and will hopefully deliver improved outcomes.
T... ]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 26 Mar 2024 16:09:09 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Bipolar UK's response to Met police announcement ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/met-police-response ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/met-police-response ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ 30 May 2023
Bipolar UK is desperately concerned by the Met Police&rsquo;s decision to withdraw the police from attending emergency related mental health incidents by the end of August. The withdrawal of such crucial support will leave a huge gap in provision and only add to the chaos and confusion that someone in a mental health crisis is already experiencing.  &nbsp; We agree that a police response stigmatises someone who&rsquo;s experiencing a mental health crisis. Support from a fully trained &lsquo;crisis&rsquo; team is usually more appropriate. The reality is, however, that psychiatric services are significantly under-resourced and would not be able to reconfigure and scale up in two months.  &nbsp; In the strongest terms possible, we agree with the concerns raised by the Royal College of Psychiatrists that this withdrawal is unwise because &lsquo;the police are the only service to hold certain legal powers to convey a disturbed person from public places to a place of safety&rsqu... ]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 21 Mar 2024 22:42:02 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Sign up for our eNewsletter ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/subscribe-to-bipolaruk-enewsletter ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/subscribe-to-bipolaruk-enewsletter ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ Keep&nbsp;up to date with all the news from Bipolar UK HQ, the latest advice and support, our exciting events, our campaigning work and ground-breaking research from around the world.

 ]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 29 Jun 2023 12:21:06 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Expert health advice for anyone taking lithium ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/testtubeshortage ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/testtubeshortage ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ If you&rsquo;re taking lithium, it&rsquo;s important to have regular blood tests to check the level of lithium in your blood is in the right range. This is because if the level is too low, the medication won&rsquo;t be effective, and if the level is too high you are at risk of getting some unhelpful side effects.
The NICE guidelines, which all healthcare professionals in England and Wales follow, recommends that anyone taking lithium has a blood test every three to six months, but with the current global shortage of test tubes it&rsquo;s possible that your regular blood test may be delayed. This isn&rsquo;t necessarily anything to worry about. Just keep taking your regular dose of lithium as prescribed.
However, if you are taking lithium and you haven&rsquo;t had a blood test for more than six months, Professor Allan Young from the Centre for Affective Disorders at King&rsquo;s College London, says you need to contact your healthcare professional and ask for a blood test as soon as p... ]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 01 Sep 2021 11:15:51 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ App for monitoring lithium use ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/new-app-now-available-for-monitoring-lithium-use ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/new-app-now-available-for-monitoring-lithium-use ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ Pharmacy Services at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust (SWLSTG) have developed an innovative free app for individuals who have been prescribed lithium.
Lithium is a common treatment for bipolar but requires close monitoring with individuals using lithium attending medical checks.&nbsp;The app will assist with safely prescribing, administering and monitoring lithium.
Pharmacy Services spoke with a number of people who take lithium, including individuals who attend Bipolar UK Support Groups. These participants&nbsp;wanted information about lithium to be available in an electronic format, leading to&nbsp;Pharmacy Services&nbsp;developing the app with&nbsp;mobile technology developer Incentivated.&nbsp;
Dee Evans, Pharmacist at SWLSTG, said:
"I hope that all those who download the app will find it a really useful addition to their mental health wellbeing by allowing easy recording of vital test results, setting reminders for forthcoming test dates and recording ... ]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 13 Jul 2022 11:13:07 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Better care needed for people displaying first symptoms of bipolar disorder ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/better-care-needed-for-people-displaying-first-symptoms-of-bipolar-disorder ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/better-care-needed-for-people-displaying-first-symptoms-of-bipolar-disorder ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ Better care and more research into treatments for people experiencing a first manic episode are urgently needed, according to researchers at the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre.
A new study, published today in The Lancet Psychiatry by a team of international experts, describes patchy and inconsistent care, widespread failure to detect bipolar disorder early enough, and a lack of guidance on how to treat people experiencing mania for the first time.
The researchers reviewed current evidence to illustrate the prevalence and health burden of bipolar disorder, the typical progression of illness, evidence for a range of interventions and the content of international guidelines.
Calling for clearer treatment guidelines and targeted care within existing services, they describe how people experiencing first episode mania have been overlooked by health services, despite evidence for effective treatments. They say that care is inconsistent and that few trials have examined interventi... ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2021 20:18:44 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Genome-wide association study identifies 30 genes linked to bipolar disorder ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/genome-wide-association-study-identifies-30-genes-linked-to-bipolar-disorder ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/genome-wide-association-study-identifies-30-genes-linked-to-bipolar-disorder ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ A global team of researchers have identified 30 areas of the human genome where variations in genetic code can increase the risk of developing bipolar disorder.
&nbsp;The study, conducted by the Bipolar Disorder Workgroup of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, compared genetic variations in over 29,000 people with bipolar disorder, including more than 4,000 from the Bipolar Disorder Research Network (BDRN), and 160,000 people who do not have the condition.
This involved the systematic analysis of hundreds of thousands of genetic markers in order to find chromosomal regions associated with risk of bipolar disorder.
Genetic differences between bipolar 1 and bipolar 2
Dr Arianna Di Florio, Clinical Senior Lecturer at Cardiff University&rsquo;s MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics said, &ldquo;Our analyses pointed to genes relevant to the nervous, immune and metabolic systems.
&ldquo;We also found differences in the genetic makeup between individuals with bipolar I d... ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2021 20:19:07 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Results of the advance decision making survey ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/results-of-the-advance-decision-making-survey ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/results-of-the-advance-decision-making-survey ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ The idea that people with severe mental illness should be able to plan in advance for periods of illness as a means of enhancing autonomy has been long debated and is increasingly being enshrined in codes of practice and mental health legislation. It has been argued that the ethical imperative for this is especially pronounced in bipolar, a condition in which those living with the condition often experience episodic crises interspersed with periods of wellness. However, there is a paucity of published research investigating experiences of advance decision making (ADM) in people with bipolar disorder or their attitudes towards it.
 An online survey of Bipolar UK's mailing list was conducted. 932 people with bipolar disorder completed the survey (response rate 5.61%). Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were conducted to compare experience of with attitudes towards ADM and variables associated with interest in ADM.
 You can see the findings of the survey here.
Please also s... ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2021 18:37:23 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ NHS to test new rapid care measures ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/nhs-to-test-new-rapid-care-measures ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/nhs-to-test-new-rapid-care-measures ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ People who arrive at A&amp;E experiencing a mental health crisis will receive emergency care within one hour under NHS pilot schemes aimed at improving care and saving more lives.
Read more on the NHS website ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2021 18:37:59 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Research opportunity: Bipolar disorder, pregnancy and childbirth ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/research-opportunity-bipolar-disorder-pregnancy-and-childbirth ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/research-opportunity-bipolar-disorder-pregnancy-and-childbirth ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ Take part in bipolar research
While it is well known that the risk of experiencing a recurrence of bipolar illness is especially increased following childbirth, we currently know very little about the causes of these episodes and which women are likely to be at greatest risk following delivery.

Though many women do remain well in the postpartum period, most expectant mothers still face difficult decisions about how to best manage their illness during pregnancy, in particular, whether or not to continue taking medication. Being able to predict risk of postpartum relapse, based on a woman&rsquo;s individual circumstances, would clearly carry significant benefits when making these important decisions.
For these reasons, we are conducting an ongoing study into bipolar disorder, pregnancy and childbirth (Bipolar Disorder Research Network). Our research aims to learn more about the factors that make women with bipolar disorder more or less likely to experience episodes of illness in the... ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2021 18:01:46 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Join the Recovery Space campaign ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/join-the-recovery-space-campaign ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/join-the-recovery-space-campaign ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ Over 20,000 people were battling problem debt whilst in hospital for their mental health last year in England alone &ndash; with thousands more struggling at home.

The Government is introducing a new &lsquo;Breathing Space&rsquo; scheme, to give people in problem debt a window without fees or charges, and where they won&rsquo;t be pursued by creditors if they seek debt advice.
But this won&rsquo;t support the tens of thousands of people in mental health crisis who are too unwell to either manage their finances alone, or to seek debt advice.
A campaign by Money and Mental Health is calling on the Government to extend the Breathing Space scheme to allow people in mental health crisis space to recover. We&rsquo;re supporting them and back their call for #RecoverySpace.
Find out more and add your name to the campaign ]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Apr 2021 14:05:37 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Help the Money & Mental Health Policy Institute with research ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/help-the-money-mental-health-policy-institute-with-research ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/help-the-money-mental-health-policy-institute-with-research ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ Martin Lewis and our friends at Money and Mental Health are looking for people to share their experiences to inform groundbreaking new research about the links between mental health and money.

Everyone is invited to join the Money and Mental Health Research Community, where you can share your experiences and have your say through private surveys, quick polls and online discussions.
4,000 people have signed up already, but the Community is short of men to share their experiences. Can you help?
By joining in, or sharing this with a someone who can, you&rsquo;ll be helping to break the link between financial difficulties and mental health problems.
Click here to join the community today ]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Apr 2021 14:06:37 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ One in four people from BAME communities don't share their mental health issues ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/1-in-4-people-from-bame-communities-dont-talk-about-their-mental-health ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/1-in-4-people-from-bame-communities-dont-talk-about-their-mental-health ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ One in four black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) people who have struggled with their mental health keep their issues to themselves, believing they don't know anyone that would understand.
Research from mental health charity Mind also found that 50% don't speak about mental health as they don't want to burden someone with their mental health issues. However, 84% of people surveyed said they felt good about themselves when they are there for people they care about.
Peer support groups offer a space to share experience of mental health and Bipolar UK has been working with Mind and other peer support projects funded by Big Lottery. The Side By Side programme has been exploring the benefits of peer support, such as support equally given and received by a group of people with mental health issues.

Bipolar UK has been offering Support Groups and Mentoring services as part of Side By Side in three areas:

Rugby, Coventry and Northampton
Blackpool, Blackburn, Darwen and Fleetwood
St... ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2021 18:14:18 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Update on REACT: A new research programme for family and friends ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/react-a-new-study-for-family-and-friends ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/react-a-new-study-for-family-and-friends ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ Bipolar UK is delighted to have supported a research programme&nbsp;from Lancaster University, exploring the effectiveness of a toolkit to support family member and friends of individuals affected by bipolar.

Researchers, clinicians and family members from Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, Lancaster University, Liverpool University and University College London are developing an online toolkit called REACT. REACT, or the Relatives' Education and Coping Toolkit, contains information, coping strategies and personal stories to support family members and friends impacted by bipolar.
The website will also put family members and friends in contact with a REACT Supporter, someone trained and with personal experience of caring for someone with bipolar. The REACT Supporter can provide extra support and will monitor the website during office hours. An online forum, REACT Group, also lets family members and friends talk to other individuals in a similar position.
The new research study w... ]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 07 Sep 2021 05:48:29 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Bipolar UK announces new research partnership with BDRN ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/bipolar-uk-announces-new-research-partnership-with-the-bdrn ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/bipolar-uk-announces-new-research-partnership-with-the-bdrn ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ The Bipolar Disorder Research Network (BDRN) is looking for people to take part in their latest research and join their mood monitoring system, True Colours.

True Colours enables individuals to monitor their mood in an active way by completing quick and simple questions about their mood every week. It should only take a maximum of five minutes.
The system has been designed at the University of Oxford and will help BDRN to learn more about how moods symptoms change over time for individuals with bipolar. It will also help to show how mood is affected by changes in our routine, such as sleep.
Participants can also create personalised questions to match up with their known triggers and early warning signs.
If you'd like to find out more or would like to join True Colours, visit the BDRN website or contact the team directly on 01905 542 880 or moodresearch@worc.ac.uk. ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2021 20:19:51 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Mental health carers at risk due to lack of support from banks ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/mental-health-carers-money ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/mental-health-carers-money ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ New research from the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute reveals mental health carers are using risky workarounds for people they care for because of lack of support from banks.

16.4 million people know someone else's PIN number - nearly 1 in 3 people in the UK. This is even more common for carers, who support individuals who need help with finances.
The Institute's research found:

52% of mental health carers know someone else's PIN
27%&nbsp;of carers have used someone else's contactless card
23%&nbsp;of carers know someone else's online banking passwords

Individuals with mental health issues often have carers who can help with budgeting, paying bills, limiting spending, and communicating with banks. Lack of support from banks means carers often have to take risks to be able to assist the people they care for.
The Money and Mental Health Policy Institute researches and develops policies for financial services to help individuals with mental health issues to protect t... ]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 Apr 2021 14:08:17 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Bipolar UK welcomes inclusion of bipolar within official statistics ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/bipolar-uk-welcomes-inclusion-of-bipolar-within-official-statistics ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/bipolar-uk-welcomes-inclusion-of-bipolar-within-official-statistics ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ New report from NHS Digital and National Statistics includes statistics about bipolar for the first time.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing in England&nbsp; report&nbsp;is the result of a series of surveys &nbsp;to investigate the mental health and wellbeing of people living in England. The survey is crucial as it includes much-needed information on the prevalence and impact of bipolar.
The NHS Digital survey reports that 2% of the population screened positive for bipolar. However, the majority (60%) of people screening positive for bipolar weren't receiving appropriate medication or therapy at the time of the interview. 1 in 8 individuals had unsuccessfully asked for treatment in the past 12 months.

These surveys are carried out every seven years and provide the most reliable insight into mental health in England.
Rates of bipolar were found to be higher in young people aged 16-24. People living alone, who were unemployed or who receive Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) were ... ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2021 20:20:45 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Top ten research questions about bipolar published ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/top-10-research-questions-about-bipolar-published ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/top-10-research-questions-about-bipolar-published ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ The top ten research questions about bipolar have been published by the James Lind Alliance following a two-year project.

The James Lind Alliance and Bipolar Priority Setting Partnership&nbsp;(PSP) have worked alongside Bipolar UK since September 2014.&nbsp;An initial national survey gathered nearly 14,500 questions from patients, families and health professionals. After these were longlisted to 71 questions, another survey resulted in the top 35 potential research questions.
A workshop then helped to select the top questions for potential future research into bipolar. You can find out more and see the full list of 35 questions&nbsp;here.
The top ten research questions are:

What causes bipolar?
How can treatments be tailored to individuals?
What is the most effective combination of self-management approaches, therapy and medication?
What are the best ways to manage suicide risk among people with bipolar?
What could be done for people who do not get better with treatment?
W... ]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 07 Sep 2021 05:47:52 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ Money and Mental Health launch new report on crisis spending ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/money ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/money ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ The Money and Mental Health Policy Institute have launched In Control, a new report&nbsp;into how mental health affects spending.

New research from Money and Mental Health shows six different ways mental health can impact spending, including manic spending and comfort spending.
The Institute also found that 93% of individuals spend more when they're experiencing mental ill health while 88% revealed they were at least two months behind in paying bills.
Following the launch of the In Control report, Money and Mental Health will start a consultation with financial services and retail industries to find better ways to support individuals with&nbsp;mental health conditions.
Martin Lewis, Founder and Chair of Money and Mental Health and MoneySavingExpert.com, said, "The relationship between money and mental health is toxic. Every day I hear from people who struggle to control their spending in periods of poor mental health...We're already looked at mechanisms for self-restricting acces... ]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 07 Sep 2021 05:52:30 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ New toolkit launched to ensure women better informed on valproate ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/new-toolkit-launched-to-ensure-women-better-informed-on-valproate ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/new-toolkit-launched-to-ensure-women-better-informed-on-valproate ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ A new toolkit has been launched to ensure women and girls are better informed about the risks of valproate during pregnancy.

Valproate is a medication used to treat bipolar as well as other mental health conditions and epilepsy. It is associated with a risk of birth defects and development disorders in children born to women who have taken valproate during pregnancy.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has strengthened warnings about the risks of valproate. The new toolkit will ensure women and girls are better informed by health professionals. Up to 1 in 4 babies are at risk of developmental disorders and around 1 in 10 are at risk of birth defects if valproate is taken during pregnancy.
Developed with healthcare professional and patient groups, the toolkit includes a credit card-sized patient card to be given out by pharmacists, booklets for healthcare professionals and patients, and a checklist of questions that doctors can use to guide discussions wi... ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 05 Jul 2021 14:02:01 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[ James Wade joins Bipolar UK as a patron ]]></title><link><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/james-wade-joins-bipolar-uk-as-a-patron- ]]></link><guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[ https://www.bipolaruk.org/News/james-wade-joins-bipolar-uk-as-a-patron- ]]></guid><description><![CDATA[ We are delighted to announce that James Wade, winner of eight major Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) titles, is joining us as patron of the charity.

James has supported Bipolar UK for a number of years and he shared his experience of being diagnosed in his late 20s in the&nbsp;30 Years of Bipolar&nbsp;booklet.
James was diagnosed in his late 20s, having had breakdowns and been hospitalised. He says, "I think if I had help when I was younger, life would have been different."
In the UK, it takes an average of ten and a half years to reach a correct diagnosis of bipolar, making James' experience familiar to many.
Becoming a patron
James says: "I feel privileged to have been asked to become a patron for Bipolar UK. I was diagnosed as having bipolar four years ago and I am committed to increasing awareness of the illness.
I believe that with help and support people with bipolar can lead a full and active life like myself and achieve any goal that you set your mind to."
It is fa... ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 21 Jun 2021 20:34:31 GMT</pubDate></item></channel></rss>