Mental health charity Bipolar UK is launching a student-focused version of its “Maybe it’s bipolar?” campaign ahead of Freshers’ Week. The initiative targets students in secondary and higher education, who are among the groups most vulnerable to living with undiagnosed bipolar disorder.
Higher education students account for 6.5% of the UK population, meaning more than 90,000 students could be living with the condition. Bipolar UK plans to work with universities and attend Freshers’ Fairs to improve understanding of bipolar disorder and help reduce delays in diagnosis.
1 in 50 people in the UK lives with bipolar disorder. More than half report experiencing symptoms before the age of 21 that significantly affected their choices and experiences in higher education.
While university offers opportunities for fun, career development, and stability, it can also introduce known triggers for bipolar episodes. These include leaving home, exam stress, financial independence, alcohol and drug misuse, a lack of routine, and a lack of sleep.
Without proper treatment, the consequences can be severe
- Suicide risk: Suicide attempt rates are more than 50 times higher among young people with bipolar disorder than among those without the condition.
- Interrupted studies: A 2022 survey of 865 people with bipolar disorder revealed that while nearly three-quarters had attended college or university, one-third left early.
- Career impact: In a broader survey of 2,571 people living with bipolar disorder, 43% reported leaving a job or their studies because of delays in diagnosis.
An estimated 56% of people with bipolar disorder remain undiagnosed. Over the last 30 years, the average age at diagnosis has increased from 26–34. On average, it takes 9.5 years to receive a diagnosis after first reporting symptoms to a healthcare professional.
As a result, many students enter higher education experiencing symptoms without knowing their cause, while others may be misdiagnosed and given incorrect treatments.
Bipolar mood swings are far more extreme than typical everyday mood changes. Individuals may experience periods of stability, but they can also swing into deep depression or experience hypomania, mania, and psychosis. Hypomania can present as overspending, a reduced need for sleep, irritability, risk-taking, and highly stigmatised hypersexual behaviour.
Bipolar UK is urging students experiencing these symptoms to take its online bipolar test to help them decide whether seeking formal support may be appropriate.
Rosie Phillips, Deputy CEO of Bipolar UK, highlighted the goal of the campaign: “An estimated 56% of people with bipolar do not have a diagnosis, and the average time it takes to get one (after reporting symptoms) is 9.5 years.”
“While it might feel scary to consider that you have bipolar, the reality is that with the right support, medication and lifestyle changes, you can live a great life and pursue the career path and opportunities you’d like to.”
“We want to use this opportunity to educate students and their peers about the symptoms of bipolar and signpost them towards the relevant resources and, ultimately, a diagnosis.”
The charity emphasises that the earlier individuals access support, the brighter their future can be.
Personal accounts from former students demonstrate the deep impact of living without a diagnosis, as well as the difference early care can make.
Caitlin, aged 23, shared her experience: “I had clear symptoms of depression from quite a young age. I first noticed what felt like an inability to feel as happy as everyone else at the age of 10, which followed me into my teenage years.”
“Far less easy to describe were the periodic episodes of hypomania I experienced. It was totally bewildering. I had no idea what was going on with me: the boundless energy, the paranoia were so unlike me.”
“When I was around 15 years old, I went to my GP about problems sleeping and depression, but I was told that I’d probably get over it and it wasn’t taken any further. The symptoms didn’t go away, and in fact got a lot worse.”
“Following a break-up in my second year of uni, I was flung headfirst into depression and put on antidepressants, which then triggered a destructive manic episode. I remember sobbing down the phone that my feelings were so”