Manic depression: do people receive adequate support?

The paper describes a national survey of the membership of the Manic Depression Fellowship. The demographic characteristics of those with manic depression indicated that they were similar to that of community surveys of people with the disorder. Of the respondents, 89% reported at least one hospital admission. The results highlight the need for awareness of manic depression among ward nurses and the importance of community mental health nurses in the assessment and monitoring of suicide risk, the provision of information and help with vocational rehabilitation.