Bipolar Disorder: Getting Help
Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. Symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe, but it can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives.
How can I help myself if I have bipolar disorder?
It may be very hard to take that first step to help yourself. It may take time, but you can get better with treatment. To help yourself
- Talk to your doctor about treatment options and progress
- Keep a regular routine, such as eating meals at the same time every day and going to sleep at the same time every night
- Try to get enough sleep
- Stay on your medication
- Learn about warning signs signaling a shift into depression or mania
- Expect your symptoms to improve gradually, not immediately
Where can I go for help?
If you are unsure where to go for help, ask your family doctor. Others who can help are listed below.
- Mental health specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or mental health counselors
- Health maintenance organizations
- Community mental health centers
- Hospital psychiatry departments and outpatient clinics
- Mental health programs at universities or medical schools
- State hospital outpatient clinics
- Family services, social agencies, or religious organizations
- Peer support groups
- Private clinics and facilities
- Employee assistance programs
- Local medical or psychiatric societies
You can also check the phone book under mental health, health, social services, hotlines, or physicians for phone numbers and addresses. An emergency room doctor can also provide temporary help, and can tell you where and how to get further help.
How can I help a friend or relative who has bipolar disorder?
If you know someone who has bipolar disorder, it affects you too. The first and most important thing you can do is help them get the right diagnosis and treatment. You may need to make the appointment and go with them to see the doctor. Encourage your loved one to stay in treatment.
To help a friend or relative, you can
- Offer emotional support, understanding, patience, and encouragement
- Learn about bipolar disorder so you can understand what your friend or relative is experiencing
- Talk to your friend or relative and listen carefully
- Listen to feelings your friend or relative expresses, and be understanding about situations that may trigger bipolar symptoms
- Invite your friend or relative out for positive distractions, such as walks, outings, and other activities
- Remind your friend or relative that, with time and treatment, they can get better
Never ignore comments about your friend or relative harming him or herself. Always report such comments to their therapist or doctor.
What if I or someone I know is in crisis?
If you are thinking about harming yourself, or know someone who is, tell someone who can help immediately. Make sure you or the suicidal person is not left alone.
- Call your doctor.
- Call 911 or go to a hospital emergency room to get immediate help, or ask a friend or family member to help you do these things.
- Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255); TTY: 1-800-799-4TTY (4889) to talk to a trained counselor.
Support for Caregivers
Like other serious illnesses, bipolar disorder can be difficult for spouses, family members, friends, and other caregivers. Relatives and friends often have to cope with the person's serious behavioral problems, such as wild spending sprees during mania, extreme withdrawal during depression, and poor work or school performance. These behaviors can have lasting consequences.
Caregivers usually take care of the medical needs of their loved ones, but the caregivers have to deal with how this affects their own health as well. The stress that caregivers are under may lead to missed work or lost free time, strained relationships with people who may not understand the situation, and physical and mental exhaustion.
Stress from caregiving can make it hard to cope with a loved one's bipolar symptoms. If a caregiver is under a lot of stress, their loved one has more trouble following the treatment plan, which increases the chance for a major bipolar episode. It is important that people caring for those with bipolar disorder also take care of themselves.
U.S. National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health. (Reviewed 2012, May 16). Bipolar disorder. Retrieved March 4, 2013, from http://www.nimh.nih.gov