An important part of the OXTEXT project is to develop ways to maximise any gains felt by people who use True Colours to self manage.  We believe that there may be simple techniques that can increase the benefits and promote wellbeing. These are techniques a person can use in conjunction with True Colours to identify features of their day to day life that increase and decrease their mood instability. If a person adjusts their lifestyle towards habits that promote stable mood and away from factors that cause instability, they may get more control over their symptoms and begin to build a better life. We’ve recorded these in a manual which has been written with the collaboration of bipolar people who have personal experience with True Colours and self management. So the content of the manual reflects a combination of the clinical expertise of mental health professionals and the practical knowledge of bipolar people. None of the advice or suggested techniques is unduly complex or daunting. Self management is not rocket science. What might be a surprise, though, is how useful such techniques are when used in connection with True Colours.

But before any self management manual can be introduced as a treatment, evidence is needed that it actually works. This is where the clinical trial – known as OXTEXT-6 – comes in. In this trial we will compare different ways of presenting the self management manual to participants. Trial participants will be divided into two groups on a random basis. One group will simply be given the manual and all supporting materials. The second group will meet with a facilitator who will lead them through the materials. We will monitor the progress of each group to see whether we can detect any benefits of having a facilitator deliver the material. We will be looking in particular for signs of an improvement in depressive symptoms.

Would you like to be a part of the clinical trial? Once you sign up for OXTEXT and get used to using True Colours, we will automatically contact you to ask if you are interested. You can decide then whether or not you want to be a participant in OXTEXT-6.