Praise for 'godsend' bipolar support group

A bipolar support group in Devon has celebrated supporting those living with the condition for 30 years.

Torbay's Bipolar Support Group is among those nominated for the Partnership Category with the Pride of Devon Partnership NHS Trust Award, which is due to be held on Tuesday.

Simon Kitchen, chief executive of Bipolar UK, said the the group was run by people with bipolar, a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings.

He said the group was a way for people to share experiences and "feel like they're not going through living with bipolar by themselves".

Mr Kitchen said the condition affected about 2% of the population.

He said the extreme highs and lows of emotion could last a "couple of hours, or can sometimes even last for weeks or months at a time".

"Untreated it can be very debilitating," he said.

Angie Lidman, who has been a member of the group since June 2023, said it had given her the chance to get advice and support in a safe and confidential setting.

"I've been able to get quite specific support and techniques," she said.

She said music was very important to her but she was unable to join a band due to her condition.

"The group have really helped because they've encouraged me to bring a guitar from time to time and sing," she said.

"Just being able to go to the group with the guitar, in a relaxed environment, has been a godsend to me really."

Mr Kitchen said the group offered a sense of community.

"The Torbay group is quite an amazing group in and of itself," he said.

"They are quite an exceptional group of people and they have got really good links with the local authority that support the group which we're really grateful for."

Bipolar UK's Torbay Support Group meets on the first Thursday of every month at Central Church in Torquay.

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