Tjena! (a friendly Swedish hello) I’m Carl, and over the summer, I will be a CREST.BD trainee in Vancouver, Canada. I have been studying public health in Malmö, Sweden, for the past year and I’ve become increasingly interested in the services that are available in Sweden to support people living with bipolar disorder (BD). On this, the week of World Bipolar Day, I’d like to share a few examples of what I’ve found. I’ll then draw your attention to the online resources developed by CREST.BD that can be used by people with experiences of BD and by healthcare providers alike, irrespective of country of residence.

Spanning across 11 regions, Balans aims to represent, support, and empower individuals affected by BD. While often politically involved, it functions to raise awareness of BD, to reduce stigma, and to inform individuals and healthcare providers of the best available practices. Their webpages are particularly useful, and offer readers a collection of tips, advice, and articles, including information on rights, and of external supports that may be contacted. Most of its resources are readily accessible through their local networks. For instance, in the county of Skåne, LIBRA organizes biweekly support groups and monthly lectures, and loans out reading materials from its library. Other unique opportunities and related social events are frequently posted online.

Intresseföreningen bipolär sjukdom, or IBIS for short, is a Gothenburg-based advocacy group that promotes the interests and livelihoods of people who have BD. It strives to improve the knowledge surrounding the condition, and organizes weekend cafes, educational workshops, and self-help groups for individuals to share experiences and to learn more about living with BD. A wealth of related information is published online, and specific pages for relatives and friends are available.

In Malmö, Affektivt centrum is a valuable resource that provides BD specific diagnostic and management services. Alongside medication therapies, evidence-based group activities are offered, and individuals are able to connect with staff and peer supporters to learn more about medications, self-management, and other strategies to prevent future episodes. Relatives are also welcome to participate.

No matter which city you live in, connecting with others with BD is possible online. Bipolarna is an online platform that serves as a discussion board for all things bipolar. With nearly 4,000 members, individuals are able to post questions and comments, and then receive feedback from other users who might have had similar experiences. Topics vary, but examples include issues surrounding lifestyles, relationships, finances, and therapies. Similarly, individuals may access Bipolärguiden online. As the name may suggest, it offers a practical how-to guide on living with BD and touches on several topics including self-management, medication, and where to find professional support.

For people with BD who may be interested in helping advance research, a national patient register, BipoläR, is available. With about 13,000 participants to date, researchers are now able to better monitor and evaluate treatment options and outcomes, and hopefully improve the quality of care experienced by people with the condition.

CREST.BD has developed a set of online tools that are available for individuals with BD and for healthcare providers worldwide. The Bipolar Wellness Centre is a collection of evidence informed resources that promote effective strategies for self-management across fourteen quality of life areas. A series of videos, webinars, and text resources are available to empower individuals to better manage and improve their health and quality of life in each respective area. Healthcare providers may also find useful materials to sharpen their skills, and to better support their patients. Similarly, the Quality of Life (QoL) Tool is the first quality of life assessment scale specific to BD, covering the fourteen related areas. Users are able to create profiles and track changes in their quality of life over time. Each time the tool is used, users are provided with visual representations of their scores, and receive individualized information and self-management strategies for the areas that may require more care. Healthcare providers may use the QoL tool with clients in order to mutually define treatment and outcome goals and to evaluate the impact of therapies.

We plan on translating and validating the QoL scale in Swedish, so if you would like to participate, please do get in touch and provide your name and email below. Alternatively, feel free to contact by email at cragazan@alumni.ubc.ca

Tack så mycket!

Version available in Swedish (svenska).

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