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Group discussion about the importance of mood monitoring and recognising Early Warning Signs.

Comedian Struan Logan joins us to discuss his personal journey with bipolar.

A presentation by Julie A. Fast, renowned mental health expert, on managing bipolar and relationships. May Meeting: Relationships & Bipolar In our recent all ages meeting, we were honored to hear from Julie A. Fast on the topic of bipolar and relationships. Julie is an internationally recognised expert in brain health and mental health, with a special focus on bipolar disorder, psychosis, depression, anxiety, and schizoaffective disorder. As the bestselling author of several

Presentation from Royal Edinburgh Hospital pharmacists on different medication treatments for bipolar disorder April Meeting: Medications For Bipolar This month, we were joined by lead clinical pharmacist Paul Maguiness and specialist pharmacists Jennifer Falconer and Morven Forsyth from the Royal Edinburgh Hospital to discuss bipolar medication. Their presentation explored the different medication types for bipolar treatment and how they are used for episodes of acute mania,

A discussion with our Penumbra peer support workers on the stigma around bipolar. March Meeting: Bipolar & Stigma Our recent all ages meeting included a lovely presentation led by Mary Anne and Gregor from Penumbra about the stigma that often surrounds bipolar. Stigma is the negative beliefs commonly held about a group of people because they are different. People with bipolar can face stigma externally at work and in relationships, but also internally through our own negat

A presentation from Dr. Robert Hunter from the University of Edinburgh on kidney health and the use of Lithium. February Meeting: Kidney Health & Bipolar We were happy to welcome Dr. Robert Hunter from the University of Edinburgh for his presentation on kidney health and the use of Lithium. An expert in his field, Dr. Hunter is an author of the NHS Lithium Handbook and currently conducting research at the University of Edinburgh aimed at better understanding the role of molec

A group discussion about the challenges of sleep for those living with bipolar. January Meeting: Sleep & Bipolar One of the key issues for people living with bipolar is sleep. Sometimes it’s the struggle to fall asleep or sometimes it’s the consequences of not sleeping that can make life difficult. At our recent all-ages meeting, we held a group discussion to share our challenges as well as what has worked for us. Challenges There are many factors that contribute to problems

A wonderful night of good company and festive cheer! December Meeting: Holiday Event Last week we came together to celebrate the holiday season with our annual December Fun Night, and it was truly a wonderful evening for everyone who joined us. The night was filled with delicious food, exciting raffle prizes, and a spirited trivia game that brought out everyone’s competitive side. It was the perfect way to come together and share some festive cheer. We’re also thrilled to sha

Lessons on nutrition that can benefit mental health from specialist dietician Katherine Paterson. November Meeting: Nutrition Our November meeting welcomed guest speaker Katherine Paterson, a specialist dietician from Norwich. Her highly informative presentation covers an overview of nutrition, the NHS Eatwell Guide recommendations for a healthy diet, and current research exploring types of diet and bipolar. The word 'nutrition', we learned, comes from the Latin root 'nutrire

Dr. Iain Campbell from the University of Edinburgh discusses the connection between metabolism and mental health.

Learn about advanced statements and how to advocate for the treatment you want when you are unwell. September Meeting: Advanced Statements At our September meeting we were joined by Kathleen Taylor, Engagement and Participation Manager at the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (MWC), and Gordon McInnes from the Glasgow Mental Health Network. Kathleen gave us a brief overview of the support available to individuals via the MWC and Gordon delivered a comprehensive presentat

Group discussion exploring the intersection of bipolar disorder and nurturing supportive relationships.

Arlene Astley from Advocard presents information on changes to welfare benefits and the kind of advocacy support they provide. July Meeting Summary: Advocacy & Welfare Benefits At July's all ages meeting, Advocard's long-standing benefits guru Arlene Astley gave us a run-through of the many changes to benefits that are occurring, and reminded us all that Advocard is here to help you for free. Advocard is an organization based in Edinburgh that provides individual advocacy for

We had a fascinating talk at last week's all-ages group meeting from Drs. Raahat Manrai and Duncan Swiffen from the AMBIENT-BD research project which is just starting at the University of Edinburgh's Division of Psychiatry.

We welcomed long-time self-management trainer Dorrie M. who picked a few examples of triggers and how to have an action plan ready to deal with them when they come up.