Bipolar Disorder Daily News Blog

Psychiatric Advance Directives - Information Center

With bipolar disorder, and other mental illnesses there are frequently periods during which the person is thinking clearly and capably, and other times when they are not.

During the periods when the person who suffers from bipolar disorder is thinking clearly it may be valuable to work out a plan that should be enacted for those times when the person is not as healthy. These plans can be made legal documents in the US using what is called a Psychiatric Advanced Directive. This document might also be valuable for people who are at high risk of bipolar disorder - but who do not have it (so the family can easily get help for the person should they ever develop the disorder).

You can learn more about Advanced Directives at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law web site link below:

National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advanced Directives