Support National Bipolar Awareness Day
It's the UK's first National Bipolar Awareness Day - a day to raise awareness and fight stigma surrounding the severe mental illness affecting hundred of thousands of people across the nation.
To help raise awareness, I'm giving away free Kindle copies of my short story, On the Rocks.
If you don't have a Kindle, you can find On the Rocks in my paperback Seesaw, which has a recurring bipolar theme.
I am also auctioning off a bumpy clay seagull used on the cover of Pompomberry House. 50% of proceeds will go to Bipolar UK.
You can also donate directly to Bipolar UK from their Just Giving page.
What is Bipolar Disoder? (From Bipolar UK)
1% to 2% of the population experience a lifetime prevalence of bipolar and recent research suggests as many as 5% of us are on the bipolar spectrum.
On average it takes 10.5 years to receive a correct diagnosis for bipolar in the UK and and before bipolar is diagnosed there is a misdiagnosis an average of 3.5 times.
Compared to other health problems, treatment of bipolar is still badly affected by misunderstanding and stigma.
Suzanne Hudson, Chief Executive of Bipolar UK, said: "A delay of this length has a significant impact for individuals and families with sometimes devastating consequences as bipolar has the highest risk of suicide of any psychiatric illness.
2 comments
Bipolar is so little understood. I heard of someone who performed well at the peak of creativity and then suddenly his performance slipped (as he fought depression). Owing to this inconsistency in performance he was termed as irresponsible.
Bipolar is so little understood. I heard of someone who performed well at the peak of creativity and then suddenly his performance slipped (as he fought depression). Owing to this inconsistency in performance he was termed as irresponsible.