Bipolar disorder can affect not only the life of the person with the illness, but also their close family, partners and friends.

If you are a family member, partner or friend who is 18 years or over and a primary source of support for a person with bipolar disorder, this guide was designed for you. It involves information and suggestions about:

Bipolar disorder, how it is managed and treated and helpful resources.

Ways that you can help a person with bipolar disorder who is 18 years or over (bipolar disorder can present in different ways in childhood and adolescence).

Ways to cope with the personal impact of the illness and to take care of yourself.

The information and suggestions in this guide resulted from a study that combined the latest research with the opinions and consensus of international panels of caregivers, people with bipolar disorder, clinicians and researchers, all with experience and expertise in dealing with bipolar disorder.

This study was conducted at the University of Melbourne as part of a PhD project by Lesley Berk under the supervision of Professor Anthony Jorm, Dr Claire Kelly and Dr Seetal Dodd in consultation with Professor Michael Berk.

The full guide can be downloaded here