Successfully Coping With Bipolar Relationships

All relationships can be challenging at times, and an illness like bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, can add an extra layer of difficulty and strain to relationships, whether they’re within family or with other loved ones. When bipolar parents discover that their child also has the disorder, guilt and the challenges of dealing with the disease itself can accompany it.

Is manic depression hereditary?

The question of whether bipolar disorder is hereditary has been well researched and documented, despite common public misconceptions. If you have relatives with bipolar disorder, there is an 85% to 90% chance that you will not get the disease.

Being close to someone who has bipolar disorder, understanding the illness, and knowing what steps to take when mood swings arise can be stressful, confusing, and obviously strains the relationship. Fostering a trusting and respectful relationship with the person with bipolar is of great help, as is creating some sort of action plan of what to do and how best to communicate when warning signs appear.

It may take time for both the person with bipolar disorder and their loved ones to adjust to the illness and accept the long-term nature of the illness and its impact on their relationships. It’s important to recognize that bipolar disorder doesn’t define the person, but having lots of information about the disorder and knowing what helps can help everyone involved.

If you are bipolar or are close to someone with bipolar disorder, the Moodswings website offers a resource on the condition as well as an online self-help program.

Or if you are a close relative, partner or friend who has experience dealing with a loved one’s bipolar disorder and would like to help develop guidelines that could be useful for caregivers in similar situations Section for caregivers on MoodSwings.

Thanks to Sue Lauder | #Successfully #Coping #Bipolar #Relationships