Be Patient And Stay Optimistic
Bipolar disorder is a long-term condition, so the symptoms will come and go throughout a persons life. The disorder is unpredictable, with symptom-free periods alternating with extreme mood episodes. For the sake of the person with bipolar disorder, try to stay patient and optimistic. This can help them stay on track to living a full, healthy life.
With Communication And Care Bipolar Marriages Can Work
Fred and Kristin Finn, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, describe their marriage as loving and supportive, despite that fact that Kristin was diagnosed with bipolar disorder as a teenager. Their teenage daughter has also been diagnosed with the disorder.
The pillars of their success, both say, are open communication and predictable schedules. Kristin says carving time out for her own sleep is crucial, as is making time for each other. “We make sure that every Friday night we set aside time for each other,” she says. “Every single Friday night he comes home from work, we turn on some music, we sit, and we talk. My family and friends knownobody calls us during that time period. Nothing can keep us away from our Friday night, because it’s our time to connect.”
For his part, Fred says he would encourage anyone involved with a bipolar patient to educate themselves as much as they can about the disorder. You may not always like what you learn, he warns, but keeping surprises to a minimum makes your relationship easier to navigate. For example, he says, he is worried about the long-term effects of medication on Kristin’s health. And while both his daughter and his wife comply with medication and therapy, neither is symptom-free.
This is a perfectly healthy stance to take, according to Karp. He urges people with bipolar partners to remember what he calls the “four Cs”: I can’t control it I didn’t cause it I can’t cure it. All I can do is cope with it.
Go To Couples Counseling
Couples counseling is essential for working through upset over a bipolar partners actions. Its common for someone with bipolar disorder to hurt and offend their partner. When someone is first diagnosed, there are often relationship issues that need to be addressed. Couples counseling can help you:
- Understand that theres an illness involved in the hurtful behavior.
- Forgive the behavior that happened during an altered mood state.
- Set boundaries with a partner about maintaining treatment.
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What Is Rage In Children With Bipolar
The nerve centers responsible for rage are located in the limbic system or animal brain that contains structures essential to our survival through the fight or flight response, explains George T. Lynn, MA, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Bellevue, Washington. To the child in rage, it is a life and death struggle. As the limbic system flares on, adrenaline spikes, the child becomes stronger, and the thinking brain shuts down.
Challenges Of Bipolar Disorder
When people with bipolar disorder go through mood changes, they usually experience severe changes in their energy and activity levels, sleep patterns, and other everyday behaviors. Psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions, may also occur during severe mood episodes. These can be frightening both for the person with bipolar disorder and for those around them.
Bipolar disorder is usually a lifelong condition. While many people with bipolar disorder may remain symptom-free for periods of time, their symptoms can return at any time. Sometimes those with bipolar disorder grow anxious during these symptom-free periods, unsure of when their next mood episode will occur.
Living with bipolar disorder isnt easy. But your support can make a positive difference in the life of someone with the condition, especially during mood episodes. Here are 10 steps you can take to help someone with bipolar disorder:
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Bipolar Disorder In Children And Teens Is Not Uncommon
Bipolar disorder is typically diagnosed during later teen years or early adulthood. However, symptoms of BD can often show up in young children.
It can be difficult to tell whether teens are experiencing normal mood swings or showing signs of a serious mental health condition.
Its important for parents, caregivers, friends, and family members to watch for mood swings that differ from typical behavior. Behavioral changes can be a sign of the onset of a mental health concern.
The most important thing to do if you are concerned is to ask for help. Even if the child is not diagnosed with bipolar disorder, there may be another mental health issue that needs to be addressed.
List Five Things You Can See
Turn your focus outward and list five objects you can see the next time your mind becomes overwhelmed, Dr. Chakrabarty suggests. Then acknowledge four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This 5-4-3-2-1 practice can help you focus on the present instead of any anxious thoughts, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center. You can do this even in the most ordinary environment, like your bathroom. For example, you might say, I feel the cool tiles under my feet, but if I shift to the right I now feel my old bath mat instead. Wow, I never noticed how plush the rug feels under my feet.
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Bipolar Disorder And Anger: Why It Happens And How To Cope
Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that causes unexpected and often dramatic shifts in mood.
During whats known as a manic period, these moods can be intense and euphoric. During a depressive period, they may leave you feeling sad and despairing. Thats why bipolar disorder is also sometimes called manic-depressive disorder.
The changes in mood associated with bipolar disorder cause changes in energy too. People experiencing a bipolar disorder episode often have different behaviors, activity levels, and more.
People with bipolar disorder often experience irritability. This emotion is common during manic episodes, but it can occur at other times too.
A person whos irritable is easily upset and often bristles at others attempts to help them. They may be easily annoyed or aggravated with someones requests to talk. If the requests become persistent or other factors come into play, the person may anger easily and often.
Keep reading to learn more about what may be behind this emotion and what you can do about it.
When Youre Married To Someone With Bipolar Disorder
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Learn more about bipolar disorder and relationships by reading our relationship blogs.
Bipolar disorder wears many faces. There are as many experiences with bipolar disorder as there are people with bipolar. These experiences run the gamut from wonderful and exciting to confusing, disappointing and devastating. This article addresses some of the issues that can arise when dealing with a spouse with bipolar disorder.
Like all individuals, people with bipolar disorder have many good attributes, but at times, they also display less desirable qualities, such as being withdrawn, irritable, moody, and depressed. They may be affectionate and loving sometimes and then cold and distant at other times. The person may welcome and enjoy sex one day, while rejecting affection the next day. These erratic behaviors can be quite challenging for all concerned, especially spouses.
At times the person with bipolar disorder may experience manic or hypomanic episodes during which they can be fun, interesting, talkative, upbeat and full of energy. At other times, the person may experience depression that effects them physically, spiritually and soulfully. The spouse might feel confused, not knowing how to deal with certain behaviors.
- Academic struggles
- Reckless behavior
- Extreme defiance
- Controlling behaviors
- Suicidal thoughts or attempts
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Avoid Caffeine Alcohol And Drugs
Alcohol and sedatives can provoke depression and drugs such as ecstasy and amphetamines can trigger mania. Any of these substances can also interfere with sleep and affect how medications for bipolar, anxiety, and/or depression work. Remember that even limited social drinking can upset your state of emotions and possibly spark a mood episode.
Can Bipolar Cause Abusive Behavior
Bipolar people can be abusive, but then, so can non-bipolar people. The potential for emotional abuse can flow two ways in relationships involving a bipolar spouse.
Typically, the abuser leverages the mental health issue as a way of achieving dominance and control over his or her spouse. In an abusive relationship, first it may start out innocently enough, but it doesnt usually remain that way.
The extreme mood shifts of bipolar disorder can have a disinhibiting effect on abusive impulses that would otherwise not get expressed. Also, if substance abuse is involved, as sometimes is the case, this would also have a releasing or disinhibiting effect.
A bipolar disorder may make it easier to be abusive even as the being bipolar probably did not cause the abuse.
Conversely, the partner who doesnt question their mental health, could be a party to abusive behavior too.
Here are some scenarios:
- What may start out as an expression of interest and understanding in ones illness may soon turn into a weapon of destruction. In no time, the husband, who doesnt have bipolar, doesnt recognize the wifes legitimate emotions and concerns and dismisses them as part of the illness.
- The bipolar spouse may begin being candid about her symptoms, although, it may soon turn into a justification for refusing to take personal responsibility. Often, the offending conduct has nothing to do with the illness or any other related condition.
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What If I Need To Legally Intervene
If your childs behavior is truly out-of-control, you might wonder howor even ifyou can step in to help. In cases where the behavior definitely looks like its leading to harm, Dr. Hamilton says you can seek involuntary treatment, putting your adult son or daughter in inpatient or outpatient treatment without their consent. Dr. Brister maintains this should only be done as a last resortand only when your childs, or other peoples, safety is an issue. You can also seek court-appointed guardianship if your child seems incapable of making competent decisions.
Can You Be Hypomanic Without Losing Control
Betty and John convey that Steve readily admits he hates the reality of his diagnosis. It brings a strong sense of shame and limitation. Hes able to function well enough when his mood is in mid-range or even mildly elevated. His overall attitude is that hell make the best of his good times, and try to ride out the bad ones. Ultimately, he finds this preferable than trying to fit into a more traditional societal role and the lifestyle that comes with it.
This would possibly be a viable choice if Steve were self-sufficient. But he comes in and out of John and Bettys home to get food and to borrow or use other home goods. When hes working and functioning more effectively, they see less of him as hes more able to provide for himself. But when his mood is unstable he becomes less consistent with work and more reliant upon parents. He can also become easily argumentative and volatile when his mood state is complicated by accompanying substance use.
The two vignettes are real though some facts have been altered. The painful reality is that they are not that uncommon. There are many people with bipolar illness who make healthy choices. But there are many others whose stories have a similar feel to whats portrayed in the two vignettes. The heartbreak and the dilemmas faced by parents of adults with untreated mental illness are real. Where are the choices for parents, particularly those that dont also carry substantial risk?
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How To View The Behavior
Think of it as reacting to a child who has diabetes and is in a state of agitation due to high blood sugar level. You would accept that his off-behavior temper is due to something medical and you would treat it with medication or food. Its important to remember that because your child has a brain disorder, it is the chemistry of their brain that drives their rage. That doesnt preclude setting boundaries, but its an important distinction to make, especially when there are other children in the household without bipolar symptoms and require different parenting techniques.
Look For Patterns Or Signs
Be on the lookout for signs that you may be entering a period of depression or mania. Besides a shift in your mood, be aware of changes in sleep, energy levels, alcohol or drug use, sex drive, concentration, and self-esteem. If youre in tune with subtle warning signs of an episode, youre that much closer to heading it off.
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Dealing With A Depressive Episode
Learn More About Bipolar Disorder
If youre newly diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the first thing you can do is become an expert on your condition.
Learning more about your diagnosis will provide you with the tools to manage your symptoms and advocate for yourself.
Theres a wealth of information out there about bipolar disorder including the basics, the research, and lived experiences.
Not all information you find will be useful, though. Look for trustworthy websites that provide accurate and research-based content, or advocacy groups such as the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance .
While youre digging in, consider taking notes on:
- Symptoms of bipolar disorder. This will help you recognize your symptoms and understand them better. You wont experience all possible symptoms, but taking note of them may come in handy if you develop new symptoms down the line.
- Symptom triggers. What types of things can trigger mood episodes or symptoms? You can compare the triggers you find in your research with what youve experienced first hand.
- Treatment options available. Knowing your options means you can play a more active role in choosing the treatment plan thats right for you. It also means that if your treatment needs to be adjusted at some point, youll have knowledge ready to discuss with your healthcare team.
Information is empowering. Educating yourself on everything related to bipolar disorder will help you recognize what you can and cant control.
This means you can do two important things:
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Know When To Ask For Help
You might need to use a few different strategies from your self-soothe kit to ground yourself. Sometimes the emotion is really big, so its going to take a few different things , Dr. Potter says. She recommends trying three different skills to manage your anxiety. If you still feel anxious and are worried about triggering a mood episode, then you might want to reach out to your psychiatrist or psychologist if you have one. They could suggest changing your medication, trying a new medication, or incorporating more therapy sessions, depending on your situation. We cant ignore the fact that getting help isnt easy right now. People are struggling financially, but there are a few potentially more accessible options, like reduced-fee therapy sessions. Alternatively, the Health Resources & Services Administration database lists federally funded health centers that offer sliding scale or free care. Even joining an online support group, which connects you with others who can understand your specific concerns, may help you through this time. You can visit the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance for a list of groups in the U.S. These groups arent a replacement for professional help, but they can help you feel less isolated. Were all experiencing loss and grief on some level, in addition to fear and anxiety, Dr. Guerrero says. There are a lot of intense emotions. And you might have an easier time dealing with this intensity with a little support.
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Does Bipolar Disorder Ruin Relationships
Like all individuals, people with bipolar disorder have many good attributes, and at times, they also display less desirable qualities, such as being withdrawn, verbally abusive, irritable, moody, and depression.
They might feel affectionate and loving sometimes and cold and distant at other times. The person might welcome and enjoy sex one day, while rejecting affection the next day.
Its tricky when neither of you knows if its bipolar disorder behind the tension and trouble between the two of you or not. The individual may not realize they have bipolar disorder.
First, seek to understand what your spouse is going through and listen closely to the answer. The list of symptoms between Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2 are clear.
If your spouse refuses treatment, learn to protect yourself and any children from misconduct. This can take the form of:
- Verbal offense
- Financial misuse
- Emotional abuse
- Physical abuse
However, when your spouse fully accepts the diagnosis and resolves to get treatment, its a sign you can begin working together and develop your marriage stronger than ever.
Many people with bipolar disorder have happy, successful marriages.
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