Dealing with Bipolar Disorder: A Family Member's Guide

Bipolar disorder (herein: BPD), once known as manic-depression, is a mental disorder that causes cyclical manic and depressive periods. It affects more than 10 million individuals, an estimated half of which never receive the treatment that they need for a healthy lifestyle. You have learned that someone you love has the disorder and are looking for more information and how you can help.

Treatment

Bipolar disorder is a consuming disease which affects all areas of the individual's life. It can never be cured and does not decrease with age. Rather, uncontrolled bipolar disorder tends to worsen with age due to deterioration in central brain nodes. Bipolar disorder must be treated in order to rid the individual of their symptoms and their treatment is a life-time commitment.

In this regard you must take care never to speak lightly of your loved one's treatment. You must never discourage or disparage their medication. People are naturally hesitant to take prescription medications and an estimated 50% of depression sufferers reportedly either do not take their medication or do not take it correctly. Therefore, it is important that you have a positive attitude about the medications which will protect and preserve the areas of the brain which are being inhibited by the BPD. Only by use of medications can be BPD be subdued.

Sleep patterns

For a person with BPD there is a strong need for regularity in their life. High levels of stress are one sure way to trigger a bipolar episode. By making healthier lifestyle choices it is possible to reduce BPD symptoms 10 to 30%. Sleep is a particularly important area. Individuals with BPD are best served by maintaining a very regular sleep cycle beginning between 10 and 11 each evening and lasting 8 hours. Giving in to insomnia is one of the worst things a BPD sufferer can do. To help show your support you must not make suggestions or plans with them that will throw off their sleep cycle. To the contrary, support them when they make appropriate lifestyle changes.

Alcohol and Tobacco

Alcohol is another factor which can make BPD more difficult to control. It impairs your ability to control the way you think, which is in direct conflict with the treatment goal of a BPD sufferer: to control their thought process and emotions. Even as little as one or two drinks a day can make a person virtually untreatable. BPD medicationalmost universally carries a warning against alcohol usage. However, it is worthy of note that many individuals lose their desire to drink once medications take effect and the causes in their life that makes them drink begin to disappear . For this reason it is imperative that you congratulate your loved one for overcoming alcohol and do not encourage them to use it.

Tobacco usage can make it more difficult for the body to absorb medications. This is true whether it is cigarette, cigar, pipe, or dip. Encourage your loved one to kick the bad habit and they may see a reduction in their symptoms.

Career

Job related stress is quite difficult to deal with. It is recommended that the bipolar individual insure that they have the most stable job possible, which is to say that the activities are comfortable and the daily activities are pleasant; that they prioritize their own health over their job performance, and that they do the job they are called to do. The extra hours and work that being a "workplace hero" entail are quite stressful and could be quite detrimental.

As you and your loved one continue your lives together you must realize that they are going to depend on you for a great deal of moral support. Understanding what they are going through and offering your encouragement could prove the pivotal element in getting them healthy. Join a forum or pick up a book to learn as much as possible about BPD and those who have it.

Source: "The Bipolar Handbook"; Burgess, Wes, M.D., Ph.D.