How can I help someone I know with bipolar disorder?

Help your friend or relative see a doctor to get the right diagnosis and treatment. You may need to make the appointment and go with him or her to the doctor.

Here are some helpful things you can do:

Be patient

Encourage your friend or relative to talk, and listen to him or her carefully

Be understanding about mood swings

Include your friend or relative in fun activities

Remind him or her that getting better is possible with the right treatment

How does bipolar disorder affect friends and family?

When a friend or relative has bipolar disorder, it affects you too. Taking care of someone with bipolar disorder can be stressful. You have to cope with the mood swings and sometimes other problems, such as drinking too much. Sometimes the stress can strain your relationships with other people. Caregivers can miss work or lose free time.

If you are taking care of someone with bipolar disorder, take care of yourself too. With good self care, you will do a better job, and it might help your loved one stick to his or her treatment.

Click here for bipolar symptoms.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 at 2:31 pm and is filed under Bipolar Disorder. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.