How to Deal With Mood Disorders

Mood disorders are a part of mental illness that can strain family relationships and wreak havoc in daily family life. Depression and bipolar disease are the most often talked about mood disorders. Deal with these disorders carefully in order to cope with episodes. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Educate yourself as much as possible when you have a loved one diagnosed with a mood disorder. Learn what triggers the symptoms. Find out what signs to look for. In bipolar disorders, the person can be extremely excited and happy one minute and plunge into depression the next, depending on the severity of his condition.
2. Diffuse a volatile situation in order to deal with mood disorders. A bipolar person on a high will be euphoric and often loud. Try to tame the situation by turning down the TV volume and remaining calm yourself. Limit conversations to only a few minutes and avoid controversial subjects.
3. Distance yourself and your children from a bipolar mania episode. Take the children out to the park or go get a hamburger. Try to keep life as normal as possible for your children. Deal with mood disorders by remembering to not give in to the patient's demands. You must resist allowing him or her to bully you.
4. Determine whether the person is just having a bad day or if this is an episode. Sometimes it's hard to tell if the bipolar patient is in mania or just very happy. On the other hand, it can be hard to tell if a depressed person is just having a "blue" day or if true depression is setting in. Be prepared with the doctor's phone number and medications, if applicable, so that you can ward off extreme episodes.
5. Decide to take care of yourself, too. Dealing with a loved one's mood disorders can be mentally, emotionally and physically draining. Take time for yourself and the things that help you to relax. Accept the situation for what it is, don't blame yourself and remember to take one day at a time.

Tips & Warnings

• Never take suicide threats lightly when dealing with a person who has been diagnosed with mood disorders. Get help immediately.