The most important thing to remember if you or somebody you care about is suffering from a bipolar disorder is that the mental health issue does not define the person. Some of the symptoms of this condition can have a serious effect on your wellness and it can be hard to see past it at times.
If you are involved in a relationship with someone suffering from a bipolar disorder, it can be hard to cope with the misunderstandings that occur because the person’s behaviour is beyond their control. Your own wellbeing can become adversely affected by trying to navigate your way through the illness and its triggering factors.
One way of coping is to understand a bit more about the disease, including what causes it and what the main symptoms are, as well as the treatments and how to deal with the more difficult aspects.
Bipolar disorder generally starts with alternating episodes of depression and mania (high levels of energy and extreme high moods). Mania is not just an ‘up’ or happy mood, it can also lead to episodes of anger and aggression, brought on by the elevated energy levels. It can lead to the sufferer making poor decisions or taking part in destructive behaviour. It can be hard to diagnose someone during the manic phase, and most bipolar disorders are diagnosed during the depression phase, where symptoms include crying, low moods, lack of interest in life and so on.
During a severe attack of bipolar syndrome, patients can even experience delusions and hallucination and in these severe cases there is a risk of them harming themselves or having suicidal thoughts. On occasions, these patients may need to be hospitalised, or have medication increased.
Family support is vital to patients suffering from bipolar disorder as the encouragement and emotional support can help the efficacy of any treatment. Medication is usually necessary for this disorder, and families can help support patients in their commitment to taking this medication.
Patients must also be keen to make changes in their lives to help their own condition – eating well, taking exercise and getting enough sleep at night are key things that you can do to help ease the symptoms of a bipolar condition.