How To Cope With A Bipolar Spouse

By Robert Meyer


Without a doubt, falling ill occasionally is normal in the life of a human being. This can happen even when adhering to a healthy lifestyle. While many illnesses are easy to manage and wear off with proper healthcare, others can be there for a lifetime. It can be a mentally taxing affair to live with a partner who has been diagnosed with a long term condition that you have no experience dealing with. If you stick to the guidelines given below, you should have a normal life even when married to a bipolar spouse.

The first vital thing to do is ensuring your spouse has the right support to keep living with a positive attitude. Try to get him to join a local support group if you can. If there are other family members who suffer from the same condition, have them meet regularly. The good thing about support groups is they provide a way to let participants express exactly what they feel. This always releases the stress that commonly arises from the symptoms of the condition especially when the strength of the meds starts wearing off.

Next, you must go out of your way to see to it that your spouse receives the best medical care available. When managing bipolar, a good doctor ought to be more than just academically qualified. There are many other important traits he must possess.

Some important traits include empathy and compassion. An empathetic doctor is one who takes time to listen to the problems of his patients and understand what they are going through. Do not be afraid to ask the doctor about what medications to use when your partner begins displaying violent outbursts.

In addition, you must fully understand the symptoms of the condition so as to be able to deal with it appropriately. One of the habits that patients tend to display when having a complete meltdown is doing things irrationally. You may find him buying unnecessary things on impulse or engaging in verbal abuse. If you have lived with the person long enough, you should be able to spot such outbursts right from the onset and take appropriate action.

One proven way to maintain good mental balance is by administering the required medication promptly. While this may appear easy, the truth is that it is easier said than done. Patients always try to resist taking medicine, sometimes even violently. If you feel talking is not helping, have your other family members help you in administering the medicine.

A patient may also find certain activities calming. It could be an activity as simple as jogging or watching TV. As soon as you identify what he likes, let him partake in it often.

Lastly, you also need to create some time for yourself in order to be in the right mental state. Whenever the person gets off his medication, find something distracting to do. You may go stay with a friend temporarily or take a short trip. In the end, your mental health is just as important as his.




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