Standing by someone with bipolar disorder
Bivela is their own app. This page says what a family sees of it and what it does not, and what to do in a crisis.
In a crisis
- 115 — Medical emergency
- 123 — Social emergency
- 1480 — Behzisti counselling line
If they talk about death or harming themselves, or their life is at risk, do not leave them alone, put dangerous objects out of reach, and call. Coverage and hours depend on the region.
What does a family see of Bivela?
Nothing, unless they want you to. Bivela's data is on their phone and in their encrypted backup, and Bivela sends none of it to family or a caregiver, except the reports they turn on for their caregiver (below).
They can open a report of their mood, notes, medicines and safety plan and share it themselves, by hand, with you or their therapist.
Reports to a caregiver, if they want it
They can connect you as their caregiver in Telegram: they send you a one-time link, you open it in Telegram, and they confirm in the app the name Telegram shows for you. Then they choose what comes to you — each check-in, questionnaire results, an alert when their entries show a risk sign, or the daily and weekly summaries — and can end it at any time. So can you, by sending /stop to the bot.
Bivela's alert is not an emergency service and may come late or not at all; if their life is in danger, do not wait for a message: call the numbers below.
The safety plan
In Bivela's safety plan, the person writes down beforehand their own warning signs, ways of coping, and the names and numbers of people they can talk to. If your name is there, it is worth talking it through together: when they would call, and what you would do.
To read
The articles appear here once a psychiatrist has reviewed them.