As the world marks World Bipolar Awareness Day on 30 March 2026, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) is calling on South Africans to listen to the voices of people living with Bipolar Disorder and to challenge the stigma that still surrounds Mental Health conditions. This year, SADAG’s focus is on lived experience sharing real stories from people across South Africa who are finding their way through life, work, family, and relationships while managing Bipolar Disorder. Through the campaign “Strength with Bipolar,” SADAG aims to shift the conversation away from labels and toward the people behind the diagnosis.
“A diagnosis does not define a person,” says SADAG Support Group leader for people living with Bipolar, Mogammed. “People living with Bipolar Disorder are mothers, fathers, partners, professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and community leaders. They are individuals with hopes, goals, and talents, and they also live with a Mental Health condition.”
Support Group member, Melissa shares, “I live with Bipolar Disorder, but I am also a mother and a professional. Learning how to manage my Mental Health has helped me rebuild my confidence.” Support Group member, Phindile adds, “Some days are harder than others, but with support and treatment, I am able to live a full and meaningful life.” A central message repeated throughout the campaign is: “Strength with Bipolar.”
Psychiatrist, Dr Alicia Porter shares, “Bipolar disorder is only one part of a person’s life, it does not define their identity, their worth, or their future. When we reduce people to a diagnosis, we silence their full story. It’s time we listen, understand, and recognise the strength it takes to live, work, love, and show up every day while managing this condition.”
Stigma remains one of the biggest challenges preventing people from seeking help. Many people fear judgment, discrimination, or misunderstanding when speaking about Bipolar Disorder, listen to lived experience stories with empathy, support not only family members but colleagues who may also be struggling, and help create environments where people feel safe to seek help.
For people living with Bipolar Disorder, or for family members who want to better understand how to support a loved one, SADAG offers support and access to care. SADAG encourages anyone who may need help to reach out for Free Telephonic Counselling and emotional support, Mental Health information and guidance, referrals to Mental Health professionals, and access to Support Groups where people can connect with others who share similar lived experiences.
Changing the conversation around Bipolar Disorder starts with all of us. Visit the SADAG website at www.sadag.org to access the Bipolar Awareness Toolkit, which offers valuable information, resources, and ways to start conversations around Mental Health. You can also get involved on social media by tagging @SADAG_Official when sharing posts to help spread the message, show support, and remind others that they are not alone.
SADAG encourages anyone experiencing symptoms of Bipolar Disorder, or who is concerned about a loved one, to reach out for support. Help is available 24 hours a day through the SADAG Suicide Crisis Helpline on 0800 567 567 or 0800 456 786. You can also send an SMS to 31393 for a Counsellor to call back or reach out via WhatsApp on 076 882 2775 (available 8am - 5pm, 7 days a week).
On World Bipolar Awareness Day, SADAG reminds South Africans that Mental Health conditions do not define a person’s identity or potential. SADAG's Operations Director, Cassey Chambers shares, “For over 30 years, SADAG has stood alongside people living with Bipolar Disorder fighting for their rights to fair treatment, access to care, and dignity within both the healthcare system and society. This Bipolar Awareness Day, we are calling on South Africa to look beyond the diagnosis and the statistics, and to see the person as someone with a story, a family, a career, and a future. Living with Bipolar Disorder is not a limitation of identity, but a testament to resilience. This year, we are changing the narrative to recognise the strength, humanity, and lived experiences of those navigating Bipolar Disorder every day.”