The Choices Method: helping people take control of their mental health

Helping people to understand what mental illness is and means to people who are affected by it can be difficult, but a set of resources has been developed by a person with bipolar disorder to help address the problem. The 'Choices Method' consists of a series of boards covering a range of mental health conditions which are designed to promote a free exchange of feelings and information between those experiencing mental illness and those supporting them. The method has been independently tested by a UK university and has been found to improve learning and knowledge retention as opposed to other methods. Future projects include the development of a board game for young carers which targets bullying and a board game for people with dementia which charts a day in the life of a person with dementia and those who care for them.