Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Living with a loved one with bipolar disorder is not easy and requires perseverance and compassion. To live in harmony with your loved one's disorders, you need to support them, take care of themselves physically and mentally, and learn about bipolar disorder.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Supporting your loved one

1. 

   Understand that the behavior of a loved one is related to the disorder. For example, a person who chatters selfishly or arrogantly is often seen as being arrogant or self-centered. This behavior in a person with bipolar disorder is a sign of mania, as well as other risky behaviors that are bothersome. Realizing this is a symptom of the illness, and not the intentional behavior of a loved one, will help you understand their condition. However, you should be careful not to associate all of your loved one's feelings with the illness; people with bipolar disorder can still be excited or sad in a healthy direction.
   • To effectively find out about a loved one's condition and support them, simply ask about his or her experience with the condition. Before you try to intervene, however, you need to think critically and realize if they would be comfortable talking with you about this. If this seems risky, just ask about your loved one's condition and gather lots of information regarding the process they are going through.

2. 

   
   
   Support your loved one in psychiatric treatment. Bipolar disorder can be effectively treated with drugs and therapies, so it is important that you help your loved one during their treatment by participating in their psychotherapy. Family therapy is a way to support a loved one with bipolar disorder.
   • Talk to your family member's psychiatrist. If a loved one has signed a power of attorney to speak with the doctor, you can notify the doctor of any concerns or problems that arise. In addition, you can also get more information on how to support your loved one.
   • If your loved one is not getting psychiatric treatment, you can encourage or help them seek treatment. PsychologyToday.com and the American Psychological Association (APA) are helpful resources. You can look for a local therapist or psychiatrist who specializes in bipolar disorder. However, you should not force your loved one to treat them if they are not ready (unless they are in danger of harming themselves or others); This will scare them off and affect your relationship.

3. 

   
   
   Monitor patient compliance performance during treatment. People with bipolar disorder often do not take medications because the "euphoria" of the mania makes them feel good. If you notice that your loved one is quitting, the first thing you need to do is notify your doctor as soon as possible. The doctor will talk to the patient and inform you of the action. If you can't talk to your doctor, encourage your family member to take medication, or provide an incentive (such as a special gift or doing activities they enjoy) if the loved one agrees. Adherence.
4. Adhere to treatment. Always remember that compliance with a treatment regimen is more than a simple matter of taking medicine or not. Medicines commonly used to treat bipolar disorder can cause significant side effects such as amnesia, drowsiness, digestive symptoms, excessive sweating, significant weight gain, hair loss, and floating. skin rashes, sexual problems and other unpleasant and terrible symptoms.
   • If the person you care about has stopped taking it or wishes to stop it, you should ask why they want to. In addition to the simple "I feel better and don't need the liquid" reasons, they can also have other compelling reasons. Someone says that they like the euphoria during mania and don't want to take medication to stop the jitters.
   • Serious side effects usually occur when a person starts a new drug or increase the dose, but they also happen at any time during treatment and can cause discomfort or sadness. significantly frustrating for the patient. If your loved one does not comply with the medication due to these side effects, encourage them to talk to their doctor about dosage and frequency, or to switch to another remedy that can ease or minimize the dose. problems so that it is within the patient's tolerance.

5. 

   
   
   Help your loved one go through manic or manic episodes. If you are aware that your family member is experiencing this, you need to persuade them to reduce the potential harm.
   • Communicate with patients to minimize damage from dangerous behaviors (gambling, wasteful spending, drug abuse, reckless driving)
   • Isolate patients from children, disabled people, and other vulnerable people to avoid disturbing them
   • Talk to your doctor or call the emergency line or kill yourself if a loved one is in danger of harming himself or others

6. 

   Make a plan to deal with a potential crisis. You need to work out a plan of action in an emergency to reduce the escalating crisis. Having contact information for important loved ones can help when needed, as well as doctor's phone numbers and hospital addresses. Do not just store this information on your phone in case the battery runs out; you should always write down your phone number on paper and carry it with you (such as a wallet or purse). Write down paper for relatives. You can make a plan with your loved one while they are in normal condition.

7. 

   Help your loved one stay away from the agents that cause bipolar disorder. Stimulants are behaviors or situations that increase negative consequences, in this case manic episodes, mania, or depression. Some potential triggers include substances such as caffeine, alcohol, and drugs. Triggers can also include negative emotions like stress, an unbalanced diet, sleep disturbances (sleeping too much or too little), and personal conflict. Your loved one has special triggers and you can assist by stopping them from engaging in these behaviors, or prioritizing their responsibility to reduce stress.
   • Critics and critics are two common triggers of bipolar disorder.
   • If you live with a loved one you can remove harmful substances such as alcohol from your home. You can also set up a relaxing environment by adjusting lighting, music, and energy levels.

8. 

   Show compassion. The more you learn about muscular disorder, the more sympathetic and accepting you will be. Living with a loved one who is sick is not easy, but you can take care to support them.
   • One way to show concern is to let your loved one know that you are there for them, and want to help with the recovery process. You can also listen if a family member wants to talk about your condition.
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Part 2 of 3: Take care of yourself

1. 

   Show empathy. Put yourself in the shoes of a loved one to understand their behavior and limit their emotions or negative responses to the loved one's mental health. Allow yourself to visualize the scene when you wake up without realizing that today is the day you will be depressed or excited.

2. 

   Take care of your mental health. Caring for a loved one with bipolar disorder can sometimes cause stress and symptoms of depression. Remember that you can only help others if you maintain your physical and mental health. Recognize your own behavior and potential feelings toward your loved one.
   • Give up controlling behavior. Be clear and remind yourself (verbally or thinking) that you cannot control your loved one's behavior. They have a situation that you cannot fully deal with.
   • Shift your focus to your needs. For example, you can make a list of personal goals and start working on them.
   • Use a variety of resources to deal with this problem. Resources to deal with are specific problems, and they are important in taking care of yourself. Coping strategies include activities you enjoy such as reading, writing, painting, listening to music, being outdoors, or exercising. Therapeutic activities that can also support self-care include relaxation techniques (such as progressive muscle relaxation), meditation, journaling, mindfulness, and art therapy. Other coping strategies include staying away from or getting out of stressful situations when they arise.

3. 

   Consider professional help. If you find you are having trouble coping with the symptoms of a loved one's bipolar disorder, seek treatment. Evidence suggests that family therapy, in addition to self-education, can help a person (especially a caregiver / parent) live with a loved one with bipolar disorder. advertisement

Part 3 of 3: Understanding bipolar disorder

1. 

   Recognize that bipolar disorder is a biological condition. This means that the disease is inherited and often occurs from generation to generation. So your loved one is not at fault for having this disease. Bipolar disorder is a condition that a loved one cannot control with just the strength of his or her will.

2. 

   Understand the symptoms of bipolar disorder. There are two main types of bipolar disorder, Bipolar Disorder I and Bipolar Disorder II. You need to identify the type of disorder in your loved one to understand the specific symptoms and behavior.
   • Bipolar I disorder is a condition in which a person experiences multiple episodes that usually last for a week or more. Some of the symptoms of arousal include: intensified / agitated emotions, overconfidence, not wanting to sleep, talking too much, being easily distracted, increasing purposeful activities, and engaging in risky behavior ( gambling or unsafe relationships with multiple partners).
   • Bipolar II Disorder is manifested by severe depression, accompanied by at least one mild manic episode (similar to mania, but less severe and lasting up to four days).

3. 

   Learn how to treat bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is often treated with a combination of medication and therapy. A psychiatrist or therapist can prescribe an emotion-conditioning medication such as lithium to relieve symptoms of bipolar disorder. Psychologists, Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT), and clinicians can assist patients with bipolar disorder in symptom control and management. Therapies include Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Family Therapy, and Individual Therapy.

4. 

   Learn about the typical family effects of bipolar disorder. Families with people with bipolar disorder often feel heavy and lack energy. In addition, a spouse with the disorder may feel a lack of support, and in many cases, not seeking help.
   • If a family member believes that a person with bipolar disorder is under control, it can lead to feelings of overwhelmed and dissatisfied relationships.
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Advice

• Understand privacy rights.Remember that you can talk to a loved one's psychiatrist if they are young and under your care or have signed an authorization to release information. However, if either of the above conditions is not available, the doctor will refuse to discuss it with you to protect the patient's privacy.

Warning

• If possible, in a crisis, you should call a health professional or suicide hotline before calling the police. There are many cases where the police intervene in the patient's emotional crisis, causing injury or death. Where appropriate, you should contact a specialist and training in handling a mental or psychological health crisis.
• If you or a loved one has thoughts of harming yourself or others, please call the emergency helpline 113. Also contact the hospital, doctor, or suicide hotline.