Objective: The research investigated how people diagnosed with bipolar disorder avoided episodes of illness and managed to stay well. The objective was to explore from the consumer perspective the diverse range of strategies that people with bipolar disorder use to prevent relapses of depression and/or mania.

Method: The design contained three (3) components: recruitment from general community, preliminary written questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. To meet the criteria for inclusion, the participant must have stayed well for the past two years.

Results: 100 people were eligible for inclusion in the study. The sample included 63 women and 37 men. The ages ranged from 18 to 83, with 86% over the age of 30. Duration of time since last episode of illness ranged from 2 years to > 50 years. In the sample, 76% of participants were in paid employment. In addition, 36% of participants were parents.

Participants actively managed bipolar disorder by developing a range of strategies to stay well. These strategies were based on participants’ individual needs and social contexts. The main analytical category ‘strategies to stay well’ contained a number of sub-categories. These sub-categories were acceptance of diagnosis, mindfulness, education, identify triggers, recognise warning signals, manage sleep and stress, make lifestyle changes, treatment, access support, and stay well plans.

Conclusion: Staying well involved participants being mindful of their illness, particularly their triggers and warning signals. This mindfulness enabled participants to develop an individual stay well plan, including intervention strategies to prevent episodes of illness. The strategies included education about bipolar disorder, identifying both triggers and warning signals, adequate amounts of sleep, managing stress, medication and support networks.