BROWSE HOW TOs

How to Cope With a Bipolar Friend

By eHow Health Editor

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Having a friend who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder may be difficult to accept. However, understanding the cause behind mood swings and depression is important in the support of your friend. Here are some tips to help you support a bipolar friend and to help yourself cope with a mental illness that affects you both.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Step1

Educate yourself about the disorder, what causes it and what treatment options exist. Learn the warning signs of a manic episode. You may be able to recognize signs and symptoms before your friend and help minimize an episode.

Step2

Talk openly with one another about how the illness has affected you both. Discuss what methods you are willing to incorporate during an episode so both you and your friend are prepared for your response.

Step3

Support your friend's treatment options, and encourage that medication be taken as directed. Missed dosages or suddenly stopping a medication can have side effects.

Step4

Encourage independence and partnership. Be willing to help your friend with recovery, but avoid doing things for your friend.

Step5

Join a support group, and take advantage of the resources a group can provide you. Talk with other friends and family members of your friend. Having a cohesive group of people concerned and invested in your friend's health is critical to their support.

Step6

Develop a treatment contract with your friend. This contract contains instructions for treatment and when and where to activate the instructions in the contract should you need to take a more hands-on approach or take control with your friend to get needed help.

Tips & Warnings

Encourage your friend to avoid drugs or alcohol that may interfere with their treatment.
Make a resource sheet of your friend's physician contact information and a detailed description of any medication and dosages the patient takes.
Don't take things personally during an episode. Words and behaviors may be directed at you during a manic episode, but it is the illness that causes those outbursts. Do your best to separate the illness from your friend with the illness.

Comments

Hopeful said

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on 3/27/2008 I had a friend who diagnosed as bipolar. She chose not to treat it, but instead insists that the diagnosis is not correct. Recently, I had to stop being close to her. She would lash out at me and she basically treated me like dirt. I have depression myself and personally, I just could not deal with her emotional rollercoaster and her mean/angry/critical behavior toward me. I think it was to both of our benefit to end the relationship. Bipolar or not, I don't think a person should have to put up with being treated horribly by someone because they have bipolar disorder. She could be very nice and helpful at times, but she could also be verbally abusive to those close to her. Has anyone else experienced this same treatment and how did you deal with it?