Former Mayor and mental health champion talk about life in lockdown with Bipolar

MEMBERS of Warrington Bipolar Support Group are bidding to be one of the first groups to return to face-face meetings after being hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Warrington Support Group, Co-facilitated by former Mayor Geoff Settle and mental health champion Mark Moran, has asked BipolarUK if they can be one of the first groups in the UK to return to the successful monthly face-to-face meetings and get them back up and running at the Gateway.
They are also asking the people of Warrington help play a part by getting vaccinated asap and to follow the COVID-19 guidelines to help return to some form of normality, whatever that might be.
They know what it’s like to isolate and they don’t need any encouragement from the government when they are suffering from a dark episode of the illness.
Often when a depressive episode strikes all they want to do is stay indoors and hide away trapped in a depression. Some can’t even get out of bed for several days and experience suicidal thoughts. For them, there is no vaccine quick fix, no cure for the lifelong illness that can strike without warning, last from hours to months and takes on average 10 years to receive a diagnosis.
An episode can be like a black heavy cloud weighing down on them or a manic kite dancing and flying high in the sky giving them a great feeling of euphoria.
Co-facilitator Mark, who set up mental health support group Rise in the town, said: “Members of the group try and mitigate their illness by taking their medication and using the tools and techniques found on the BipolarUK web site. They deploy distractions and hobbies backed up by support from family, friends, and the NHS family.”
With group meeting suspended they are missing the friendliness, warmth, humour, comfort, hugs, and tears that are an effective feature of the BipolarUK support groups.
Former Mayor and co-facilitator Geoff said: “Locally we have tried using Zoom for our group sessions, but the virtual support is just not the same. We used to have up to 18 members attending the face-to-face monthly meetings at the Gateway but now we are down to one or to on-line.
“On a positive note, we still have monies raised from my Mayoral year in 2016, fundraiser at Golden Gate Shopping Centre and the Hadrian’s Wall Walk to fund the group.”
Members continue to use Bipolar UK’s (www.bipolaruk.org) excellent online web site, participation in its webinars, secure online Q&A, the extremely popular Friday Zoom Q&A meetings with the CEO, Simon Kitchen and much more.
Geoff added: “However when an episode strikes none of us has a simple on-off switch. My episodes can last for up to a year at a time but at least I now have the toolset to help mitigate the condition.
“My mood swings can often last for months, I use to have a bad year followed by a good year. Other people “rapid cycle” with episodes occurring within days or hours which horrifies me.
“For the 12 months, we haven’t be able to offer the group levels of support that we have done for the last four years. For whatever reason Zoom doesn’t suit us. As a retired IT employee, I feel that I should have done better but I hadn’t realised the impact that isolation was having on me and my confidence.
“However, two weeks ago, after 6 years of painful legs, I’ve had a total hip replacement. Almost overnight I bounced back full of energy from a gloomy disposition to one of renewed optimism, the cycle was broken but I must take care that it doesn’t turn manic. I will be listening to what my wife says about my behaviour. I tend to be more open and honest and say what I think.
“Prior to the operation, I was under 14 days of strict house isolation. Inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore I turned to garden walks for exercise and sitting down to tackle three Christmas presents and read the latest Lee Child novel. Examples of distractions that work for me.
“My trip to the hospital was an escape from the house and an experience that I felt safe with. I felt very privileged and relieved to receive fantastic care and encouragement.
“Like Bipolar the COVID-19 and its variants are not going to go away any day soon. On behalf of the Warrington Support Group and my fellow co-facilitator Mark Moran, we ask people to follow the scientists and government advice. Please sign up for the vaccine and take responsibly for your actions. Relieve the pressure on the NHS by acting safely and don’t put other people’s physical health and mental wellbeing at risk.
“We are all in this together like it or not, hopefully, I’ll see people at Mayor’s Corner for the umpteenth year at the Victoria Park Run later this year without my sticks. And who knows jogging around again, I now know why I was slowing down and unable to pick things up”.