By Lauren Vork
Overview
A person diagnosed with bipolar disorder is a person in need of good friends. Far too often, such friends are hard to find as many loved ones fall victim to misunderstanding, fear, judgment and stigma about this difficult mental illness and what it means. If you find yourself in the position of needing to give support to a friend with bipolar disorder, it's a good idea to take a little time to learn about exactly what you're facing and to make plans for how best to be there for someone you care about.
Step 1
Avoid panicking. Like other mental illnesses, bipolar disorder is often misunderstood and feared. Much of this fear is based in stereotypes and ideas of people with mental illness as "crazy" or "dangerous." In reality, bipolar disorder is a chemical and electrical imbalance in the brain, much like diabetes is an imbalance of insulin in the body. Learning to think of your friend's bipolar disorder as a medical condition, rather than a personal or moral failing, is essential to being a supportive friend.
Step 2
Learn the basics of bipolar disorder. Also known as manic depression, bipolar disorder is characterized by causing extreme shifts in mood and energy. These extremes consist of depression, offset by periods of mania involving high energy, lack of sleep and sometimes engaging in risky or grandiose behaviors or even experiencing hallucinations. (National Alliance on Mental Illness--see Resources below for more information).
Step 3
Reassure your friend. She's probably used to some people being judgmental, dismissive or afraid when she tells them about her disorder, and is likely to be afraid of the reaction she'll get when she opens up to new friends about her mental illness. Tell her you don't think she's crazy or a bad person and that you respect her and want to help her in her efforts to manage her symptoms.
Step 4
Ask your friend what kind of support she'd like to get from you. People with bipolar disorder will want and need varying levels and types of support from different people in their lives. When she is lucid and not experiencing extremes of her symptoms, this is a good time to talk about how to assist her during difficult times, both in terms of what to expect and how to deal with it. Your friend will be the best resource in how to deal with her own issues, though it may take her some time to learn the best ways to do this.
Step 5
Be prepared to weather the ups and downs. At their worst, manic and depressive episodes can include some frightening incidents, such as suicide attempts, self-injury or dangerous behavior based on altered perceptions of reality. If your friend is comfortable talking about these eventualities with you, these are good things to discuss when she's lucid, including talks about contingency plans and how to call in expert emergency help when necessary.
Step 6
Respect her triggers and needs. As she learns to manage symptoms, she may find it necessary to make changes to her habits, such as nutrition, alcohol consumption, sleeping schedule, work schedule, exercise regimen and exposure to social situations. All of these decisions are personal and may be subject to change. Be patient with her needs as she expresses them, and don't take things personally (such as canceling plans).
Step 7
Recognize that medication is not a cure and that medication needs are different for all patients. This includes some people who learn to manage their symptoms without any medication. Many friends and family members, in an attempt to be supportive, can make the mistake of pressuring their bipolar loved one about medication. If you find yourself discussing medication with your friend, do not make recommendations about how she should or shouldn't take hers, but listen and encourage her to bring up concerns with her doctor--and to make sure she has a doctor she trusts.
How to Support a Friend With Bipolar Mood Disorder by wellbeing-essentials.com