"Bipolar disorder", also known as bipolar disorder, refers to a mood disorder that has had both manic or hypomanic episodes and depressive episodes since the onset. This directly impairs the patient's ability to work, study, live and socialize.
Patients in the manic period, prone to very temperament, irritability, look at everything is not good, will keep arguing with family members, severe cases will appear impulsively hurt, destroy things and other behaviors, some will appear gambling, alcohol dependence, stay up late, impulse consumption, shopping spree, seek multiple sexual partners and other behaviors, or stupid business investment, resulting in family debt.
During the depressive phase, patients become extremely depressed, depressed, tired but unable to sleep, often feel helpless and hopeless, and even contemplate suicide plans. If you are TA's lover, at this time you may find that TA loses sexual interest, ignores your love, and will be inexplicably inferior to the point that you think that you are not worthy of love, so you push you away, making you feel the loss of rejection.
People with bipolar disorder will always be in a state of alternation of mania and depression, which is a heartbreaking and headache for family, partners and friends, and their ups and downs, "unreasonable", will consume the care and patience of those around them.
People with bipolar disorder bring trouble to their families and friends because of their illness, as well as the loss of self-worth, will make them constantly self-criticism, shame, this strong "shame", a person's self-confidence and self-esteem blow is also fatal.
As family members of people with bipolar disorder, they are also under great pressure, as relatives around them, how to accompany and get along correctly? Guangzhou heard that the psychological counselor has compiled the following suggestions for you based on years of counseling experience.
01.
Self-analysis and self-care
In the face of bipolar disorder, you need to keep your emotions stable, and the inevitable effort will also be the test of life.
If you are a lover of TA, first be honest with yourself and analyze what kind of person you are. Is it possible to maintain emotional stability? Is it tolerant and patient enough?
If you can't, it's advisable to break up early. Don't give yourself a hard time, human nature can't stand the test.
If you are a family member, it is normal to worry about them, but it is important that you take some time and energy to take care of yourself.
Living with a family member with bipolar disorder can be stressful, and you may be asked to meet needs you never knew you had. You need to take some time to distance yourself from your family and focus on things that you will feel good about, such as exercising and socializing with friends. Support groups and online communities can be very helpful in strengthening your own and your family's support system.
When your stress levels get high, you need to be aware and make sure you have plenty of rest and personal space.
Remember: to take care of others, you must first "take care of yourself."
02.
Establish your own correct perception of bipolar
The emotional experience of people with bipolar disorder is polar, and it can be described in figurative words: heaven and hell, light and darkness. And what makes them collapse and despair, in addition to the disease itself, but also the stigma that comes with it, and the strange eyes of the people around them.
Understanding the true face of bipolar disorder and approaching the lives of people with bipolar disorder is an important step in "eliminating prejudice".
Learn the knowledge of bipolar disorder, understand the causes of bipolar disorder, what symptoms people with bipolar disorder will have, what kind of help and support should be given by the family...
Some people may be in a similar situation or understand your situation. If the patient is the only person close to you, when they become manic, depressed, suicidal, or have psychotic symptoms, you are left to deal with the situation that you can't cope with. So, having someone else who can give you emotional support is very important for your emotional well-being.
In order to better help TA, family conditions allow, they can be guided to psychological counseling. At the same time, remind the family members themselves to make certain mental adjustments to avoid their own emotional and even psychological problems.
03.
Diet routine
(1) Try not to disrupt the TA's routine, and fix the time to go to bed at night and get up in the morning.
(2) Let TA ban smoking and alcohol, and try to drink less drinks containing coffee.
(3) If TA is undergoing drug treatment, remind TA to take medication on time according to the doctor's advice.
(4) Encourage TA to insist on exercise: exercise can have a good regulating effect on the mood of bipolar disorder.
04.
Keep an open mind
From the outside, people with bipolar disorder may simply present extreme mood changes. But for the patients themselves, they may be accompanied by some irrational thoughts and feelings.
It is very important to treat TA as an equal and normal and respect him. Have a normal mindset in daily life with patients! Don't treat him as a psychopath just because he is bipolar disorder, just treat him as a completely irrational and unreasonable person...
Listening to people with bipolar disorder with an open mind about their experiences makes them feel supported, accepted and included.
05.
Clarify their status
Signs and triggers of transformation
Most people have some signs before a manic or depressive episode. For example, changes in sleep, appetite, and behavior.
The best way to understand these "signals" is to talk to them, and if you notice some typical pre-seizure behavior, you can tell them in a gentle manner.
In addition, there will be triggers, such as stress events.
In the process of caring for a person with bipolar disorder, you can observe some seizure regularity, but not all mood changes will turn into extreme manic or depressive episodes.
If you're not sure, it's a good idea to talk to them first to see if they're really in a bad state.
06.
Guide TAs to use social support networks
For example, learn to get understanding and help from close family and friends, such as joining peers or mutual aid groups to share their emotions, feelings and ideas, so that TA can find a real person to talk to in life, and try to reduce loneliness and even isolation.
07.
Prepare for a depressive/manic episode
When they are in a normal phase, try to ask them what kind of help and support they need when they are in a depression/manic episode, and you can start from the following aspects:
Identify and reduce stimuli (which words, people, and things tend to stimulate TA?)
What actions can you use to reduce the likelihood of triggers?
How do you deal with symptoms when they appear? Agree ahead on a few possible scenarios:
When TA has impulsive behavior, how to prompt TA?
Before they make a commitment or start a project, you can try to put forward their own opinion and avoid them doing what they can't do;
If they want, you can let them put the money in your hands;
Help them maintain a regular rhythm of life, including eating and sleeping.
08.
Countermeasures for manic phases
When the TA's mood is high, there may be some impulsive behavior, and do not conflict with the TA head-on at this time.
The symptoms of mania are complex. There are three points:
(1) Impatience.
When the patient is in a particularly good mood, you should pay attention to dynamic observation, observe whether TA is energetic, talkative, more generous than usual, nosy and so on. It may behave abnormally, such as doing something that makes you very embarrassed, strange, or frustrated.
Once found, pay attention to the reminder. Patients with self-awareness become aware and strive for self-control, continuing to observe without realizing it.
(2) Heavy irritability.
TA in the heavy mania period has a big temper, loves to get angry, and various tosses are sometimes unavoidable. And because of its "irritability", it is easy to conflict with others.
But in fact, this is a mistake in TA's brain, not its true thoughts, and after cognitive recovery, they often fall into deep self-blame and guilt, and TA is also very painful.
As long as you understand this, you will find that it is a wiser solution not to take them seriously, talk less and listen more, and go in and out of the left ear. At this stage, try to avoid provoking the patient, let him go out less, do not bring money even if he goes out, and it is best to be accompanied by family members to avoid unnecessary conflicts with others.
(3) Serious loss of control
Sent directly to the hospital, never mercy. With serious treatment, 80% of patients can be clinically cured.
09.
Coping measures during depression
At this time, the patient is depressed, cranky, upset, fatigue, loss or disappearance of appetite and libido, and in severe cases, pessimism and disgust with the world, life is better than death, and even suicidal ideas and behaviors.
If TA does not want to be disturbed and wants to be quiet alone to slowly process and digest his emotions, you need to give TA some time and space.
This stage is mainly to accompany more, accompany TA, no need to say more, do not need to do more, sit next to read, play mobile phones, as long as you are in.
Listen to their hearts and give them more care, love and attention;
Try not to criticize and accuse TA, otherwise it will aggravate TA's self-blame;
Pay attention to the symptoms and manifestations of the patient's seizure, put away dangerous equipment and objects, and avoid overstimulation.
For patients with suicidal ideations, be sure to stay around 24 hours a day to prevent accidents, and you can also take TA to the doctor to adjust medicine.
Epilogue:
When family members suffer from depression, they need their understanding, affirmation and companionship.
Psychiatrist Kay Redfield Jamieson also mentioned in her memoir "My 30 Years with Bipolar Disorder" how the warmth of her family helped her when she faced her symptoms:
My mom is equally magical. During my long days of depression, she cooked me delicious meal after meal, helped me do laundry and pay medical bills. She had to endure my irritability and annoying depression, and drove me to the doctor, took me to the pharmacy, and accompanied me shopping.
She is like a gentle female cat, opening her eyes full of maternal radiance and gently biting the neck of the lost kitten so that it does not get too far lost.
Emotionally and physically, she brought me a lot of security, food, and shelter.
Her admirable power slowly penetrated my depleted heart, combined with the effect of drugs on my brain and the calming effect of psychotherapy on my soul, which brought me through those incredibly difficult years. Without her, I would not have lived to this day.
END
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