The relationship between social support and personal recovery in bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Mood symptoms may impact on personal recovery and psychosocial functioning in bipolar disorder (BD). This study aimed to explore whether recent mood symptoms were associated with recovery and social support from friends, family, and partners.

METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 312 participants who self-reported a confirmed diagnosis of BD and were recruited through social media.

RESULTS: A series of one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted. Those who reported depression (52%) or hypo/mania (47%) reported lower recovery scores. Those who reported seeing family and >1 friend reported higher recovery scores along with those who were employed, did not receive benefits, and had higher education. Recent hypo/mania symptoms were associated with less family contact.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Friends and family may be conducive to recovery, however recent symptoms may have an impact. More research is required to understand how hypo/mania symptoms may influence accessing family support. (PsycINFO Database Record