Having a bipolar family member can be tough. It never stops hurting to see your loved one in so much pain. Because though it’s a mental illness, the bipolar disorder takes a heavy toll on a person’s body, on his or her emotions and life. Not to mention the strain it puts on your family. But unfortunately, you can’t get rid of this bipolar disorder overnight. The only thing you can do is support your loved one. And maybe spend some crafty times with them. It will surely count as fun. With love and patience, you can make things better for you and your loved one. There are Ways to Deal with a Bipolar Family Member and that is How you can Help Someone with Bipolar Disorders.
Ways to Deal with a Bipolar Family Member | How to Help Someone with Bipolar Disorders
What is Bipolar Disorder?
It is important for you to know what is bipolar because it is only after getting to the roots of the problem can you find the solution for it. Bipolar is a mental disorder and not a character flaw! What? There are people who think like that so just to clear it out let me rephrase: being bipolar doesn’t make the person any less human and neither does it mean that the person is weak. It’s just a mental illness that is treatable. In bipolar, a person experiences extreme changes in mood, behaviour thoughts, and energy. It is a manic depression in which a person’s mood dangles between two “poles” – highs (mania) and lows (depression). It can affect both men and women and can begin in either stage of life; however, it usually begins in late adolescence. This disease is even stubborn than your old wallpaper that would come off with these smart steps.
Bipolar Disorder – Symptoms and Treatments
Being a Bipolar is not a Crime
With mental illness, there are too many stereotypes attached that a person with a mental disorder can seriously get misjudged. And that is not fair to the person. One thing that we need to know that anyone can be affected by depression and anyone can suffer from highs and lows. So we should never criticize the person suffering from mental illness or look down upon him or her. So if you have any such person around your loved one suffering from bipolar, it’s time to tell them to stay away. And fill the home with these plants for a pleasant aroma. It will soothe the mind for sure.
Show Support
A person is diagnosed with a disease. The first thing we do is buy some flowers and visit the said person and offer them our tremendous support. The people diagnosed as bipolar deserves the same treatment.
Help them in the Treatment
With proper medications and treatment, a bipolar can be cured but it is a long process. That is one path full of bumpy rides with extreme highs and lows that come with being bipolar. So the path to recovery can break a person. In that time, you have to be there for your loved one. Find a good doctor for them, encourage them to keep taking treatment and medication, and track their progress.
Don’t Ridicule Them
First most important Ways to Deal with a Bipolar Family Member is understanding that it’s not their fault that they are bipolar. A person can’t control such diseases and its high time that everyone understands that bipolar is one such mental illness beyond our control. So don’t speak harshly with them. Words are such a powerful tool that one can be healed with them and one can get worse as well.
Be There for Them
Being bipolar is a curse but watching your loved one suffering from it can be a lot worse. Because at that time you feel helpless since you think that there is nothing you can do. But that’s where you are wrong. Just being there for your loved one can build their morale. Include them in your activities like maybe take their suggestions in furnishing your little studio.
Listen and Encourage Them
Sometimes a bipolar just wants to be heard. In such times, you can be the precious ear that they need. Just tell them that you are there for them whenever they want to talk. Encourage them to talk to you. Things wouldn’t jump start right away but in a month or more, you will definitely get a call from him or her. Gardening can be good for the state of mind. Why don’t you help them in the growing of these plants?
Make Good Memories
Just because he or she is a bipolar it doesn’t mean they can’t live the life normally or to its fullest. They too can go for a movie, coffee and other normal things like that. So spend such good quality time with them. Treat them as normal people because that is what they are. Help them in Christmas decoration. That’s one way to have some good fun.
Stay Calm
Things can get too tough at times. During a mania, you can find one outrageous and too arrogant person for your loved one and in the time of depression, you can find a nasty person instead. In such times when your own anger is building up, make sure to stay calm and remember that this isn’t the person you love but the illness making him or her do such stuff. Also, don’t lose your cool if your kids return with stubborn stains on their clothes. You can get rid of them with the help of these ideas.
Keep an Eye
You should monitor your loved one with keen eyes so that you can know if it’s mania or depression this time. Sometimes they will act or cheery and great but you wouldn’t even know and there would be a mood change coming right in the next moment. Changes in behaviour like acting reckless, sleeping less, being reclusive, and feeling weak, etc. all these are the signs of an upcoming episode. You can stop that with being positive around him or her and if the things still don’t look good then you should give a call to the doctor. They are like succulent plants. You have to monitor them to make sure they thrive.
Music and Exercise
There is a reason why they call music a therapy. Music can lighten the mood at times. So try setting your loved one on that. But make sure you the music isn’t one of the triggers for your loved ones. Because with different people, the triggers vary as well. Exercise is always good for a person. Help them relieving their stress with some sort of exercises or meditation. Join yoga classes together and it will encourage them to attend it. Fill the home with positive vibes using these Feng Shui tips.
Think About Yourself
Unless you are in a good condition, you can’t practice these Ways to Deal with a Bipolar Family Member and help your loved one suffering from bipolar. So, make sure you, too, are in a great health, mentally and physically. The bipolar disorder can affect your own mental state and you might feel depressed or stressed at times. And that’s why you need to take care of yourself as well. To de-stress, why don’t you try something like reading about some amazing decor ideas. It helps!
To sum up the things up on Ways to Deal with a Bipolar Family Member, I’ll just say that support your loved one and help them deal with this mental illness together. Things go smoother when there is a companion on a long journey to lend you support to rest on and shoulder to cry on. And then there are good times as well to celebrate together. With determination and heart full of love, you can beat this together. Learn to stay on a strict schedule and keep everything organized and you will do a better job.
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