Mood disorders Archives - Page 2 of 2

Dealing with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder

Your Mind Matters on 01/10/2018

Woman walking her dog along a leafy Melbourne street in autumn, talking with her brother who listens closely beside her

Bipolar Disorder is a mood disorder characterised by episodes of depression and mania. You may know this condition by its former title, “manic-depression”.

Like any physical health condition, sharing a diagnosis of a mental health condition with family and friends is of paramount importance. Given the nature of bipolar disorder, where depressive episodes may contribute to isolation and manic episodes may lead to impulsive decision making, open communication can not only help better manage your symptoms but also reduce stigma. Here are some suggestions to better communicate your diagnosis:

Educate family and friends: Important people in your life may have limited knowledge about bipolar disorder and are likely to have some misconceptions around the condition. Educating them will not only address any myths around the condition but will create a better support network. Remember to remain calm and avoid being defensive. As frustrating as it can be that your loved ones may not understand your illness, keep in mind that at first, it probably took you a while to understand it. Direct your friends and family to important websites where they can learn more and talk to them about your treatment plan. If you feel you need their support to cope with the condition, openly share these feelings with them. Your ability to educate them will normalise your diagnosis and open gates of further communication. Give them the official definition, and credit the source, rather than relying on misconceptions and myths, your family and friends will turn to you to clarify and ask questions.

Support and space: people you trust look out for you during episodes of depression or mania, and agreed boundaries mean you do not feel always watched

Telling the people close to you: stay calm and try not to be defensive, share trusted websites, talk them through your treatment plan, and tell them what support you need

Create a support team: Decide a list of people who you think will benefit from knowing and understanding the diagnosis. Openly share your symptoms with your support team and let them know what type of support you may need. Preparing them will only ease the process of receiving support.
Building acceptance & setting boundaries: Acceptance from others that you may not be able to make sound judgements during episodes of depression or mania can ease the process of asking for support. You could benefit from using your support network and have people looking out for you. But it’s equally important to set some boundaries so that you don’t feel that you are always being watched. Hence why openly talking about creating a plan around acceptance of your condition and setting boundaries with loved ones will help better manage your condition.

It’s important to remember that bipolar disorder can be a lifelong condition and therefore is likely to involve ongoing conversations. However, remember that with better treatment, and learning new coping skills, the effects of bipolar disorder will diminish in your life. It’s best not to feel frustrated by constant questions about what it’s like to live with bipolar disorder, the ones that ask probably ask because they care. The more you embrace it, the easier it becomes to communicate about it.

If you are going through difficulties and need support, why not give us a call today? Our team of highly skilled and well-experienced Psychologists are here to help.

If you need support right now

If this is an emergency, call 000. For 24-hour support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14. More options are on our resources page.

Aanchal Sood smiling, in a portrait photograph

Our Blog Author
This post was written by Aanchal Sood, Senior Psychologist and Supervisor at Your Mind Matters. Aanchal works with adolescents, adults and couples on anxiety and mood disorders, grief and loss, trauma, adjustment and relationship difficulties, and is fluent in Hindi and Punjabi. Meet our team.

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World Suicide Prevention Day

Your Mind Matters on 07/09/2016

Two friends sitting together on the back step of a house in late afternoon light, one listening to the other with a hand on his shoulder

This post was first written for World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September 2016 and was updated in October 2026 with the most recent published figures. Sources are listed at the end of the post. The support services listed were checked in August 2026.

The World Health Organization estimates that around 727,000 people die by suicide each year.

Facts about suicide in Australia

Suicide is the leading cause of premature death in Australia
In 2024, 3,326 Australians died by suicide, around nine people every day
Over three in four people who die by suicide are men
In a 12-month period, 3.3% of Australians aged 16–85 seriously thought about taking their own life, 1.2% made a plan and 0.3% attempted to take their own life
Worldwide, suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15–29

A message that reads: you don't have to get through it on your own. Talk to someone you trust, such as a friend, family, your doctor, another health professional or a telephone helpline. Lifeline 13 11 14, crisis support 24 hours a day. In an emergency, call 000.

The tragic ripple effect means that there are many, many more people who have been bereaved by suicide or have been close to someone who has tried to take their own life, as well as those struggling to manage suicidal ideation.

World Suicide Prevention Day is marked every year on 10 September. To find an event near you in Australia, visit Suicide Prevention Australia’s World Suicide Prevention Day page. To see what is planned across the globe, visit the IASP World Suicide Prevention Day events calendar.

If you need help

Getting through difficulties on your own can be difficult. Talk to friends, family, your doctor, other health professionals or a telephone helpline. The services below can provide support and point you in the right direction if you need further help.

Emergency services 000 – if life is in danger.
Lifeline 13 11 14, or text 0477 13 11 14 – crisis support and suicide prevention, 24 hours a day.
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 – free professional counselling if you, or someone you know, is feeling suicidal. Available 24 hours a day for people aged 15 and over.
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 – free counselling for children and young people aged 5 to 25, about anything that is going on in life.
Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 – support for anxiety, depression and related concerns, 24 hours a day.

More options are on our resources page, or you can call the clinic on (03) 9802 4654.

Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Causes of Death, Australia, 2024; ABS, National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020–22; World Health Organization, Suicide fact sheet.

Our Blog Author
This post was written by the team at Your Mind Matters. If you are struggling, or worried about someone, our psychologists are here to help. Meet our team.

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Coping with Bereavement

Your Mind Matters on 04/08/2016

An older man with grey hair walking barefoot and alone along the water at St Kilda beach in the early morning, holding his shoes, the pier in the distance

Bereavement affects people in different ways. There’s no right or wrong way to feel.

Experts generally accept that people usually move through four stages of bereavement:

accepting that your loss is real
experiencing the pain of grief
adjusting to life without the person who has died
putting less emotional energy into grieving and putting it into something new (in other words, moving on)

You may go through stages, but you won’t necessarily move smoothly from one to the next. You may even get stuck at a stage. Your grief might feel chaotic and out of control, but these feelings will eventually become less intense….with time How long you ask? Good question, and there is no answer; grief is experienced differently among individuals, and unique to each loss.

Six feelings that are common after a loss: shock and numbness, overwhelming sadness, tiredness, anger, guilt and forgetfulness

You might feel:

Shock and numbness (this is usually the first reaction to the death, and people often speak of being in a daze)
Overwhelming sadness, with lots of crying
Tiredness or exhaustion
Anger, for example towards the person who died, their illness or God
Guilt, for example guilt about feeling angry, about something you said or didn’t say, or about not being able to stop your loved one dying
Some people become forgetful and less able to concentrate.

The four stages of bereavement: accepting the loss is real, experiencing the pain of grief, adjusting to life without the person, and putting energy into something new

Coping with grief

We all cope with grief differently, and what is helpful varies from person to person. You may try:

Talking and sharing your feelings with someone is often the most helpful thing you can do. You may speak with friends, family, colleagues, or a healthcare professional (e.g. psychologist, psychiatrist, GP).
For some people, relying on family and friends is the best way to cope, But if you don’t feel you can talk to them much (perhaps you aren’t close, or they’re grieving too), you may benefit from engaging in self-care activities. These may include: exercise, pampering, going for a long walk, visiting a much-loved place, reading a book, walking the dog. Self-care is all about you, and doing what you enjoy or find relaxing.
If distraction works well for you, get busy and productive!

Most importantly, be patient and compassionate, with yourself and others.

If you are having trouble with a loss, give our team a call and arrange a consultation with one of our psychologists.

Our Blog Author
This post was written by the team at Your Mind Matters. If you are finding a loss hard to carry, our psychologists are here to support you. Meet our team.

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