Bipolar disorder is a chronic psychological condition that can be difficult to live with. The situation is manageable with proper care, and people can generally live everyday life. You can make the life of a loved one with bipolar a little easier by doing the following for them;
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1. Educate Yourself On The Condition
It is the most important thing you can do when you have a loved one with bipolar. To help a loved one with bipolar, you first need to understand what they are going through and what to expect. Consult with doctors and other sources to get enough information on the illness.
2. Mind Your Activities
Bipolar is a cyclic condition with many highs and lows. During the depression period, your loved one may keep to themselves, but there will be times they will be hyper and in the mood to participate in various activities. When your loved one is willing to engage in activities, be strategic with the kind of activities you do together.
Minimize the type of activities that may trigger or extend a manic episode. Encourage your loved one to participate in activities that are helpful to their condition, such as therapy. You can offer to attend group therapy sessions with them.
3. Document Their Moods and Behaviors
With their approval, you should take note of the various mood changes and how or when they happen. The information would be helpful to doctors to help them better manage their medication. Knowing what affects their moods is also important to you for future reference.
4. Alert Them When You Notice Alarming Signs
One of the biggest problems bipolar people face is that they may not know when they are experiencing an episode. It would greatly help your loved one if you had the arrangement to notify them when you start noticing the onset signs of an attack.
Use your proximity and knowledge about the loved one to identify an episode before it happens. Early detection would help to maintain a possible situation before it escalates.
5. Take Care Of Yourself
It would be impossible to assist a loved one with bipolar if you are completely burnt out. Understand that the condition affects you too, and you may be unable to handle it alone. When the need arises, seek advice and counselling from qualified personnel.
6. Set Boundaries
It would help if you had clear boundaries and consequences once they are crossed. It may not be easy to manage a bipolar person during an episode, but having prior rules may help them contain their psychosis.
7. Have a Simple And Clear Plan For The Bad Times
With a bipolar person, bad times are always around the corner. You need to be adequately prepared for when an episode hits. Discuss with your loved one how you can help when an incident occurs. Have unique words and phrases that both of you can use, even in public, to de-escalate an incident.
Sometimes in extreme cases, the police may get involved. Have a card that clearly explains your loved one’s condition to avoid overzealous police officers taking drastic measures.
You can get more information and help on how to support a loved one living with bipolar by visiting https://psychspecialties.com.
