This condition is also known as "manic depression". It affects almost 2 million people annually in the US. Genetics and positive family history increase the risk of bipolar disorder. People suffering from this disorder experience constant variations in their mood. These mood swings include episodes of “highs (mania) and “lows” (depression). The length of such episodes varies in each individual and can last from a few hours to many months. In most cases, due to variations in the length of these mood swings, people suffering from this disorder are not even aware that they have it.
Patients with this illness do not have control over their emotional states and almost always feel helpless and hopeless. Living with someone who has bipolar disorder can be extremely demanding and challenging. As patients cannot be blamed for their irrational behavior, it is best for supporters to equip themselves with knowledge about this condition. If you know about the different treatment options, you could suggest these to the person with bipolar disorder. You need to be positive, as by not having control over their emotions, they are asking for your support.
When it comes to communicating with a bipolar person, the best practice is to listen to them. Do not be judgmental and try not to reply with provocative responses. Try to avoid debating or arguing with bipolar individuals. Even if you feel that you are not welcomed, first give them their due space and later try to offer you company and support. Ask your loved one with bipolar disorder what could comfort them at those moments of distress. Do not give up on them and keep in touch with such friends. They mostly realize that their actions are not justified, but during the manic or depressive episodes their actions and thoughts are simply not under their control. Try to relax, and give humor a chance to lighten things up, as it is also known to pave the road to communication.
Keeping stress to a minimum is very crucial in people with bipolar disorder, as it can act as a trigger point for manic or depressive episodes. You can accompany your bipolar friend or relative in practicing different relaxing techniques like yoga and meditation. Make sure that the affected person is your priority and try not to postpone or delay your mutual leisure activities as this can make them feel neglected. Make note of any activity, surrounding or stimulus, which triggers their low or high episodes and try to avoid them. It is necessary to also keep track of your own stress levels, whenever you find it possible, try to unwind yourself.
As much as bipolar disorder affects the patient, it can equally alter the definition of normal life for friends and family members of the patient. While adjusting to the requirements of the ill person, you need to rewrite the rules for yourself. Comments, questions and behaviors which used to be unacceptable under normal circumstances need to be taken more considerately. You should keep telling yourself that, no matter how irrational your friend or family member is behaving, he or she does not do this on purpose. During the normal phases, such people are very much aware about how wrong they have been during their manic or depressive episodes.
Living with a person suffering from bipolar disorder can significantly increase the levels of stress everyone else in the house could face. Apart from dealing with the symptoms of this mood disorder, family members are usually found to have feelings like anger, guilt and fear. Due to these reasons, it is necessary to establish some rules and limits in the house for yourself and the patient. It helps a lot to establish a few facts — like that bipolar disorder can be improved to a great extent, but this condition does not subside. Hence the carers should keep in mind that their responsibility is to provide support and not to force their decisions or propositions onto the person with a mood disorder. These patients do not have much control over their lives and could feel that choosing to seek treatment or not is the only thing they can control.
Just like any other mental disorder, patients suffering from bipolar disorder do not accept their treatment options straight away. The support and love of their family or close friends is what it takes to make them realize they need help. Such individuals can be made aware of different treatments available by actively involving them in the exploration process. You can encourage them to convey their concerns to you and the medical professionals. Due to the nature of some of side effects of medications used to treat this condition, the support of life partners in choosing the treatment options is very important.
It is very important to give appropriate companionship to people with this mood disorder. It could be either in the form of a family member or a friend spending time with them on a regular basis or the patients seeking new relationships on their own. Relationships give you a sense of responsibility and hope, which can provide the patient with enough motivation to opt-in to a behavior support program. Doing things together will also give you and the bipolar person new chances to adjust to each other’s needs.
Develop a regular routine for daily physical activities with the affected person. Following a fixed pattern of daily activity can reduce mood swings. Try to accompany the bipolar person to daily exercise, meditation and socializing, which can help to ease up the nerves. Sleep patterns are altered during mood swings and bipolar patients are unable to have a full night’s sleep. In such cases if the person is able to take short naps during the day then make sure that they are not disturbed. The carers or companions of bipolar individuals can accompany them to their therapy sessions and group meetings. Look into laughter therapies, as humor is known to cure in...
It is very important to give appropriate companionship to people with this mood disorder. It could be either in the form of a family member or a friend spending time with them on a regular basis or the patients seeking new relationships on their own. Relationships give you a sense of responsibility and hope, which can provide the patient with enough motivation to opt-in to a behavior support program. Doing things together will also give you and the bipolar person new chances to adjust to each other’s needs.
Develop a regular routine for daily physical activities with the affected person. Following a fixed pattern of daily activity can reduce mood swings. Try to accompany the bipolar person to daily exercise, meditation and socializing, which can help to ease up the nerves. Sleep patterns are altered during mood swings and bipolar patients are unable to have a full night’s sleep. In such cases if the person is able to take short naps during the day then make sure that they are not disturbed. The carers or companions of bipolar individuals can accompany them to their therapy sessions and group meetings. Look into laughter therapies, as humor is known to cure in so many different ways. Humor also aids communication, which is crucial for a lasting relationship.
People with bipolar disorder can demonstrate destructive or somewhat irresponsible behaviour during the flare up of their mood swings. Due to the unpredictable nature of this condition, it is extremely important to have an agreed action plan. You can take advantage of the normal phases and try to negotiate what you should do if things get out of hand at some stage. You can define certain situations (like three straight days of an extreme manic episode, or four days of not getting out of your bedroom, 5 days of consistent weeping during a depressed episode etc.), in which you would take charge of the household, car, credit cards and finances of the house or will definitely take the patient to see the doctor.
Caring for someone with bipolar disorder is extremely demanding and wears the nerves out very easily. If you wish to keep yourself calm and stress free while caring for your bipolar loved one, then you also need to consider different therapies for yourself. You could join a support group for carers, where you will get the chance to speak your mind and share experiences with others. The national alliance for mental illness is one of such societies in the US. You can learn many different strategies that other people have been using to deal with their own bipolar dependents.
In severe cases, bipolar disorder has the potential of causing such extreme mood swings that they could become life threatening. Keeping the worst case scenario in mind, the carers of bipolar patients should plan ahead. Their emergency preparedness should include a list of contact numbers for emergency services (ambulance, police and fire department etc.), the doctor who sees the patient, the nearest hospital and any friends or family members that you could call in a time of need. If you reside in a country where you keep health insurance, it is best to familiarize yourself with the terms and conditions of your insurance company (if it covers treatment for bipolar disorder).
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