Bipolar Disorder and Relationships

Living with a person who has Bipolar disorder takes empathy, patience and most importantly time and understanding. When encountering a manic episode for the first time it is frightning to watch the person go through the exaggerated and volitile mood. During a depressive episode the person can become so unlike their usual self that it can bring out anger on the families part because they cannot understand what the person is going through or why.

Bipolar disorder is extremely debilitating on all who are around them and it may take years to be fully able to deal with the episodes. Medication regimes have to be kept up and helping the person during times of crisis is an art tht needs to be learned.

Living Bipolar and by Living Bipolar I mean having a healthy, stable and quality life, you will need some basic support. Emotional support, financial support and crisis support. You may also want care for children and pets, household help and accompaniment to appointments for when the depression can make daily living difficult.

Make a list of your support group you may want to share it with your doctor and treatment team if you become unable to take care of yourself or there is the need for hospitalization. Keep a copy of you dotors and heath professionals for your family and friends in an emergency.

You may choose not to disclose the details of your disorder to coworkers and emploer but it is wise to have one person aware that you have an illness and are actively seeking help this may keep your employment from jeopardy. But there are laws to protect you should you choose not

to.

Remember signs of your disorder have probably become noticiable to most of the people you have been in contact with already and telling them about your illness may relieve them of ideas such a substance abuse or some other type of problem. The decision to tell anyone about being bipolar is up to you the doctors and healthc care professionals cannot disclose anything about you to others so the choice of who and when to tell is up to you.

Living Bipolar is a lifetime commitment and for most a possibility for those who have to make drastic changes such as early retirement and disability the choice is still yours for some this is the only option but the majority of Bipolars live long and happy lives with treatment and diligence to their symptoms and a close relationship with a health care team.

More Bipolar Living

Open your mind to new ways of preventing future episodes. The mind holds infinite ideas and sensations at one time the ultimate computer the mind's thoughts travel with lightining speed through neurons which is seen in mania. Capturing those thoughts at times may be difficult but when you can channel your thoughts you can achieve calmness and relax your emotional state.

Think of stressors that trigger your moodswings and try to avoide them, find out your good times when you are not in the grip of a moodswing and try to capture the moment and revive the depressed mood or bring down your agitation to a more normal level.

Discuss with your doctor the side effects of your medication akathasia, sleepiness, lack of initiative and try new medications to control the side effects. Be honest with the doctor even if you feel that the high is good there will come a time when it will sour and your irritability and reckless behavior will win and you will lose control of the high.

Try practicing different cultural beliefs Buddism for one has practices for attaining patiece which every Bipolar knows is lost with a high practice the other cultures beliefrs without losing your own try to find a medium which is pleasant and meditate on it. This is possible and to still keep your own beliefs and Superior Power.

Return to your beliefs if you lave lost some of your faith. Religion is a medicine that never dies faith in your own Higher Power will be there with the hope that you may lose when the depression hits. Hold on to your God or Gods and let them heal you with your own faith whether it be prayer, laying on of hands or just reading a Bible minor miracles occur everyday and when you can focus on a single idea there is little chance for a barrage of ideas to take control.

Think of a phrase or pep talk that you can use to control the negativism of the depression, any thoughts that can get you out of the bed when severely depressed can bring you up and help you face the day . Whether it is to a workplace or just to make it through the hours of the day without letting your depression take control.

Keep a schedule that you do every day If you have to leave the house at 7am to be at work by 9 am then take a little time to be at work 5 minutes earlier and settle into the day's work relaxed without rushing to jump into the tasks envolved, Try not to travel with the rush hour traffic leave the house earlier enough so that the task of getting to work is not more stressful than the work at hand.

Stay on top of your moods and they cannot take control of your life Living Bipolar is just that finding ways to live a quality life with Bipolar disorder.