Bipolar disorder not only disrupts the patient’s life but also makes it difficult and sometimes painful for those around him, such as spouses, partners, parents, and other relatives.
When the patient is a young man seeking his own independence against his parents and other family members who, concerned about his status, try to limit his resourcefulness in order to protect him from upsetting events both to himself and to the entire family.
When the patient is an adult man or woman, parents of one or more children, who in the grip of the known mood swings of the disease may engage in inappropriate behavior, causing their family members to suffer the consequences.
And yet in many other cases the resulting conflict between the person with the disorder and the family members around him or her can become extremely risky to the point of generating dramatic episodes.
People affected by this disorder often have difficulty acknowledging their own mental state to themselves, often assuming conflicting attitudes toward other people and toward the general rules of living in the family and society.
When the person admits and accepts the fact that he or she has a mood and behavior disorder, it is a positive sign that allows the person to subsequently adopt a lifestyle based on daily rules, such as sleeping a sufficient number of hours, not consuming alcohol, avoiding smoking and drugs, and ,above all, fully adhering to the drug therapy prescribed by the treating physician, which can contain the most critical episodes, easing the severity of the condition.
Establishing a set of general rules by the relatives greatly helps the patient to feel protected without generating impatient situations in him.
It is also advisable for family members to never appear frightened or upset, but to show understanding toward past episodes of the patient’s instability or rebellion, avoiding hilarity or jokes about events that have occurred.
Basically, by manifesting feelings of helpfulness to one’s spouse, establishing a climate that helps the individual to better manage his or her disorder and also to forgive himself or herself of past improper or unacceptable behavior.
It is important for family members to make sure that their loved one affected by this disorder can acknowledge to themselves to:
- feeling accepted and protected;
- Treated as an adult and not as a child;
- see family and friends around him, especially in the most difficult times;
- Not to feel lonely and away from loved ones in case of any need for hospitalization;
- Be reassured during times when strong persecutory feelings arise not him;
- be aware that during an episode of severe depression he feels helped to cope with his despair, and that during an episode of increasing euphoria he feels that his words are understood without any pandering that makes him feel bland.
