How to Help a Loved One With Bipolar Disorder

Watching a loved one struggle with bipolar disorder is undoubtedly challenging. What makes it worse is the feeling that there’s nothing you can do about it. The periods of depression and mania that accompany bipolar disorder can prove challenging to the friends and loved ones of those who have bipolar disorder. Unpredictable mood swings and behaviors, canceled plans, financial difficulties, and substance use can increase tensions among close friends and family members. However, before abandoning all hope, there are several things you can do to help a loved one who has bipolar disorder.

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a mental health disorder characterized by extreme changes in mood and behavior. Bipolar disorder is episodic, meaning it consists of intense periods of depression and mania that alter an individual’s mood, energy, self-confidence, and wellbeing. While in a manic episode, a person with bipolar disorder may partake in risky, impulsive, and potentially harmful behaviors such as excessive spending, substance use, and unsafe sexual encounters. While in a depressive episode, someone struggling with bipolar disorder may wrestle with extended periods of listlessness, emptiness, fatigue, and an unstable sense of self. Bipolar disorder can be easily misdiagnosed, as some of its symptoms mirror other mental health disorders.

Listen to Your Loved One

It seems obvious, but often individuals who suffer from bipolar or another mental health disorder just want someone to listen to them. Suffering from bipolar disorder can be an isolating experience, and it can be challenging for someone to find someone who genuinely and actively listens to their thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

Even if you don’t agree with or understand your loved one, it is essential that you communicate with them that you are there to listen to them and their needs. Use validating and affirmative statements such as, “I can imagine why that would be challenging,” “Your thoughts and feelings are valid, but that doesn’t always make them true,” “This must be so hard for you,” and “I may not understand what you are going through, but I’m here for you.”

Most importantly, don’t try to sugarcoat their experience with unnecessarily optimistic truisms like, “it’ll all get better soon,” or, “taking your medication will make your symptoms go away.” The truth is, you don’t know the outcome of your loved one’s disorder. By trying to paint a pretty picture over their cares, you invalidate the truth of their experience.

Do Your Research

Bipolar disorder is a complex mental health disorder. Treatment for bipolar disorder often takes the right combination of prescription medication, psychotherapy, and accountability. You can aid in your loved one’s treatment by learning all you can about bipolar disorder. Read legitimate mental health resources, buy clinical books, listen to podcasts on mental illness, read op-ed pieces or other informative articles, follow prominent national mental illness organizations, and find your local NAMI chapter. Learn all you can about what your loved one is going through. Education is the first step to empathy.

Encourage Proper Treatment

Sometimes, individuals with bipolar disorder may resist treatment. One of the best things you can do is become their advocate. Start by being a mental health advocate in your community, then support them personally. Offer to drive them to the doctor or sit with them during appointments. Share books to help them understand their condition. Send encouraging texts, leave positive notes, and be patient if they don’t respond right away. Invite them to take walks or connect them with a professional who can guide them. Research local therapists to help them find the right treatment.

Be Patient
Treatment for bipolar disorder takes time, so it’s important to be patient. This means showing patience not just with your loved one, but with yourself. You may not always handle their manic or depressive episodes perfectly. You might feel frustrated when they can’t get out of bed. It’s normal to feel a range of emotions, from frustration to sadness or hope. Your patience will mean a lot to them, and if you struggle, reach out to a friend or therapist for support.

Take Care of Yourself
It’s essential to take time for yourself. When you’re feeling frustrated, step back and do something that brings you peace. Go for a walk, read a book, or watch a light-hearted show. Give yourself space to rest and recharge. The more you care for yourself, the better you can support your loved one.

Watching someone struggle with bipolar disorder can be heartbreaking, and you may feel unsure how to help. Start by listening to them and learning about bipolar disorder. Encourage them to stick with treatment, and don’t forget to take care of yourself too. Seeking outside support from a therapist can also be beneficial. Headlight offers mental health resources in Alaska, California, and Oregon. To learn more, call Headlight at 800-930-0803 today.