Background: Research suggests that psychoeducation, relapse prevention and recovery are all the key aspects of psychological treatment for bipolar disorder and the common components of self-management programmes.

Aims: This review traces the origins of self-management interventions as it appears in physical health research and evaluates the current evidence associated with self-management interventions for depression and more specifically for bipolar disorder.

Method: Literature review.

Results: Despite significant clinical and cost benefits associated with self-management programmes for physical and mental health problems, to date there has been less progress in the development of self-management interventions for bipolar disorder. Preliminary evidence indicates that people with bipolar disorder will engage with self-management support.

Conclusion: The rapid development and evaluation of self-management programmes for bipolar disorder is an important research and clinical priority.