A support group for bipolar disorder helps those affected find solace in each other

Time of India

a day ago

Pune: For a woman in her 50s, life after divorce became an unbearable struggle. Constant mood swings left her irritable and anxious.
It was only after she sought professional help that the root of her turmoil could be detected – a mental health condition called bipolar disorder that causes extreme changes in mood, energy, and activity levels.
Joining Samtol, a Pune-based support group dedicated to those navigating the complexities of this often-misunderstood condition, became a turning point in her life. Accompanied by her octogenarian mother, she found not only the necessary medical guidance but also a community that understood her struggles. Her mother too, educated about the condition through the support group's weekly meetings at Nivara Old Age Home in Shivajinagar, learned to recognise and manage her daughter's mood swings.
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Another Samtol member, a father of two, found himself trapped in a cycle of reckless spending, plunging his family into debt. His erratic behaviour culminated in a desperate escape to Nepal after abandoning his family, where legal troubles forced him to confront the consequences of his actions. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder, he embraced treatment with medication and talk therapy, finding stability in his life as he rebuilt trust with his family and secured a steady job.
This support group for people with bipolar disorder, founded by Viren Rajput, who was diagnosed with the condition in the 90s, provides safe haven for individuals and their families grappling with the health condition.
"I founded this support group to help those affected by the condition to draw support from each other. There were days and sometimes weeks at a stretch when I could not go to our shop and help my brothers with the family business.
I had long phases of depression. But after diagnosis, I followed my doctor's advice, routinely took my medicines and found some stability with my wife's help," said Rajput, who also volunteers with Connecting NGO, a suicide prevention helpline.
Started with just 7-8 members in Jan last year, the support group now has over 100 members.
Dr Ulhas Luktuke, a psychologist who provides expert advice to Samtol members, said, "Bipolar disorder is a problem with the constitution of the brain, so it is difficult to control or modify it.
It presents differently in different people. This is where the support group has been thoroughly helpful, where not only the person suffering from the condition gets insight into it, but also their caretakers learn what to watch out for and how.
The condition requires a doctor, patient, and caretaker to work together."
Luktuke observed that the first thing that members realise when they come for a meeting is that there are others who have gone through similar difficulties.
"Most people don't understand our condition. We are isolated or labelled as difficult or quarrelsome," said a widowed senior citizen, who has found support from other senior people in the group.
Dr Sujala Watve, former national supervisory psychologist for Mensa India and an advising psychologist for Samtol, said, "Initially, there was debate about taking oral medication for the condition due to misconception and fear of side effects. It took a while for members to understand that this is a life-long condition and that they will have to take medication based on the type of bipolar disorder they are diagnosed with.
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