At least 0.3% of Indians live with bipolar, according to India’s National Mental Health Survey 2016. Bipolar is a disorder in which people go through extreme mood swings, experiencing episodes of severe depression and episodes of mania. Mental illnesses are stigmatised because references to disorders such as bipolar and schizophrenia are still rare in India, according to experts. Stigma and lack of awareness around the disorder have a harmful effect of those living with bipolar who routinely face discrimination.

There is also a lack of access to healthcare in India. Though the country’s laws mandate that insurance companies provide coverage for mental health, they rarely do. To make matters worse, India has just 0.75 psychiatrists per 100,000 people.

The group Bipolar India was started by Vijay Nallawala. He set up a website for Bipolar India, after blogging about his own struggles with bipolar disorder. The site creates awareness about the disorder, provides resources, and gives others with the condition a place to share their personal experiences.

Dr Milan Balakrishnan, a consultant psychiatrist and former secretary of Bombay Psychiatric Society, said: “Such groups have a powerful impact because they provide support and check in on different situations, say if medication is stopped, or if people are experimenting with substances that can trigger relapses. Caregivers burn out very fast.”

Today it has more than 500 members - the group is also open for caregivers to join. Nallawala wants the group to provide a sense of community, offering emotional and sometimes financial support for those living with bipolar. Dr Balakrishnan has said that groups such as Bipolar India can go a long way in changing people's attitudes.

Image from bipolarindia.com