Bipolar Care Tips:
My Self Help for Mania and Self Help for Depression can help families living with bipolar sufferers
understand and cope better.
With bipolar as your state of mind and emotional states change they also
affect your family and the people you love. Caring for the person is easy;
caring and supporting the bipolar disorder is hard work. Keeping them safe and
been there for them becomes top priority.
People living or caring for someone with bipolar starts with understanding what bipolar disorder is? During episodes of mania and
depression relationships are likely to feel the tension and trauma of living
with bipolar. Family, friends and carers of people with bipolar are likely to
see and experience some or all of the following:
·
Mood changes - happy highs and sad lows
·
Mania – Energetic, Impulsive, Risky Behaviour, Over
confidence
·
Depression – Sadness, Self Doubt, Self Loathing,
Fatigue, No Motivation
·
Anti Social behaviour, aggression, violence which
may result in police involvement
·
Trouble with overspending, inappropriate purchases
and debt
·
Missing work, unemployment or needing time off
school.
·
Weight issues
·
Alcohol and drug abuse to relieve pain and distress
·
Self harming and suicidal thoughts
·
Side effects from medication
All these place heavy
demands and stress on relationships with bipolar people. Sometime relatives and
friends are fearful, guilty and unsure what to do for the best. A person with
bipolar or any mental illness can possibly damage the mental health of their
family. For this reason caring and supporting the family of a mental health
patient needs considers to prevent living with the condition from harming them
too.
Education, bipolar awareness and having a plan is the key to reducing the pressure and worry of those living with bipolar. Recognising bipolar symptoms, spotting any trigger events and acting early may aid stabilisation and prevent bipolar people going over the edge. It’s important to listen and let them share their feelings and strange thoughts.
The stress, strain and mounting pressure can cause marriage and bipolar relationship problems. Health professionals, therapists and counsellors can help you both get the support and resources you need. Don’t be afraid to ask or think you have to support someone with bipolar by yourself. Everyone affected by bipolar should receive the support they need including family members.
Education, bipolar awareness and having a plan is the key to reducing the pressure and worry of those living with bipolar. Recognising bipolar symptoms, spotting any trigger events and acting early may aid stabilisation and prevent bipolar people going over the edge. It’s important to listen and let them share their feelings and strange thoughts.
The stress, strain and mounting pressure can cause marriage and bipolar relationship problems. Health professionals, therapists and counsellors can help you both get the support and resources you need. Don’t be afraid to ask or think you have to support someone with bipolar by yourself. Everyone affected by bipolar should receive the support they need including family members.
It’s important when living with a bipolar sufferer
that you try and support them as best you can. Giving them the care and
attention or the space they need. Bipolar carer’s strength, loving support and
encouragement is paramount in overcoming a bipolar episode.
Here is my supporting bipolar relationships advice:
· Bipolar affects the family so understanding the
condition and its effects on a person's mood and thoughts is the first step.
Learning when certain situations or events may trigger an episode, spotting the
symptoms and learning how it is treated will make living with bipolar easier
for family members.
· In frantic states people with bipolar get confused
and overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings. Help them get organised, make sure
they take their medication and remind them to attend any appointments with the
doctor and therapists. Make them feel comfortable and don’t overload them with
work or duties they aren't able to cope with at this time.
· People with mood disorders have irrational thinking
and overreact to situations due to a chemical imbalance. Sufferers can easily
get angry and feel provoked therefore its important family members try and stay
calm to avoid hostile conflict. Family must be prepared and lookout for
impulsive acts. During high risk periods keep a close look out for self
harming or silly and dangerous behaviour. During bipolar depression it will
make them feel vulnerable, immobilised and fragile knowing what to say or do is
tricky for family members.
· During depression there is a higher risk of
suicidal behaviour and during mania there are risks of people hurting
themselves or others because foolish decision making. Desperation and
hopelessness can turn to suicidal escape and suicidal intentions so be aware of
the suicidal signs. Signs and threats of suicide include talking about death or
a discussing a plan on how to commit suicide, writing a will, talking risks
with the intension to cause self harm or death, disappearing into isolation or
hearing voices about hunting themselves. Also do they have a family history of
suicidal behaviour? If you witness these signs and feel that constant
supervision would prevent injury or death then seek immediate help from doctors
or take the sufferer straight to the hospital. You should remove car keys, any
dangerous weapons, drugs and medication which could be used for overdosing.
· When you live with bipolar you can find your social
network and social circles decreasing. People may feel embarrassed and
reluctant to take you out with them or introduce sufferers to new friends or
work colleagues in case of poor behaviour. People with bipolar may get excluded
and not invited to events and gathering because people worry about any trouble
they may cause should they attend. Exclusion only adds to the isolation and
loneliness so ensure you make everybody feel included in activities and events.
· Don’t be tempted to label all their moods as
depression or mania. Everybody can have ups, downs and “bad days” so don’t
treat them as being ill whenever you see a flare up of excitement, energy,
foolishness or anger. Likewise don’t think that they are feeling down if they
are tired and withdrawn. When they do experience an episode be understanding
and show you care. Help them combat the negative thoughts in depression and
calm them when in a manic state. Avoid criticising and nagging them when their
mood changes.
· Be and show patience for the bipolar patient. An
episode can take time to pass before they return to normality and their mood is
back stable again. Returning to normality during and after treatment can be a
slow process building up motivation and social interaction again. Failed
treatments, medication side effects and relapses can also lead to further
disappointment, stress and low expectations. The correct medication and therapy
can take several weeks and months to make a positive impact.
· If you don’t have any backup savings then mood
disorder can cause financial hardship as income drops through sickness or even
job loss. Prolonged periods of unemployment and sickness usually place
additional money worries on the family looking after the mentally ill resulting
in bills becoming unaffordable. The loss of your job can trigger low
self-esteem and depression as well damaging your career record making is harder
to find work again. Financial support for bipolar and Bipolar
Spending & Manic Money Management can help and reduce the money
burdens.
· Under the UK Mental Health Act 1983 if things “turn
ugly” and risky for relatives and the sufferer is a danger to themselves and
others then bipolar sufferers can be sectioned and detained in hospital. This
may be a valid course of action to protect the family and be in the sufferers
best interests.
· Work out a plan of how the family will cope in
times of depression and mania, especially if the family member becomes suicidal
or put their life in danger in a manic state. Write your plan down along with
important emergency contact numbers.
Family and friends may have troubling watching a mood disorder take over the people they care about. Bipolar relationships cause feeling of failure, guilt, anger, embarrassment and shame. Symptoms can cause emotional and relationship problems to surface as aggression, anger and even violence which is directed at people who are closest to them.
Parents and children are also concerned that they may inherit the illness through genetic transfer and face living with bipolar in two family members. If you spot the signs in your daughter or son speak to them about how they feel. They may seem fine now but that’s not to say that bipolar may not raise its head and impact further on family relationships. This is something worth discussing with your children when they at an age to understand.
