Information for Spouses of Husbands and Wives with Bipolar Disorder
I wish I could promise you a happy ending in your marriage to a spouse with bipolar disorder. I wish I could give you a checklist of things to do to guarantee whatever success you re seeking. But bipolar disorder manic depression doesn t work that way (as if I need to remind you of that).
Each bipolar case is different. Everyone comes with a unique brain, so each manifestation of the illness is different. The most important information I can give you for handling your spouse s bipolar disorder may sound counterintuitive:
Identify who YOU are. Figure out what in your life you hold closest to your heart (other than your spouse). Remember to nurture these ideals so
...diagnosis when the illness begins, the patient ignores the warning signs and does nothing about it. This approach only serves to increase the symptoms and advance the condition more than if the illness been properly diagnosed early on. 3. Limitations ...
There is no blueprint for success when you read information about how to support a husband or wife with bipolar disorder. Every well person is unique, too. Making a marriage work with two normal people is hard enough. Witness how today s divorce rate tops 50%. Throw in a wild card of bipolar disorder, and you re penalized with a handicap right from the start.
But you can learn concrete strategies for handling unexpected mood swings, uncontrollable outbursts of anger, inevitable guilt and remorse (yours and his!) You can learn to talk to a husband or wife with bipolar disorder and even handle the emotions that
...may have to undergo a series of tests that aim to observe your behavioral patterns and mood swings. Sometimes it is even necessary to consider observing your physique and how you dress. Diagnosing Children A bipolar test can reveal many ...
If you re Married To Mania , you must make critical decisions everyday that take into account your spouse s best interests but don t eradicate your morale
and self-esteem in the process. But you can learn how to still be you, and know that you are a good person who doesn t deserve any of this.
You can learn tips for dealing with the bipolar medical and insurance establishments without second-guessing yourself. You can learn to accept that the mental illness professionals are decidedly not on your side.
Counseling is helpful. I recommend it, in fact. But your therapist will not be
...job interview or to the grocery store at 8am smelling of booze. Yet, it's hard to do it any other way for them. Use Better, Healthier, Longer-Lasting Solutions There are effective treatments for agoraphobia. Alcohol temporarily masks it. Please don't ...
Your therapist cannot help you decide whether you should call the police or the mental hospital admissions desk. Your therapist cannot be there everyday to help you figure out what to say to your bipolar husband or wife. The therapist isn t there at the exact moment you must explain to your children what s wrong with mom or dad, and how it s not their fault.
You can learn life-tested
...just won t go away. I lack energy when it comes to having sex. I lack focus. I m a very absentminded person. Most of the time, I feel like eating something. People and things around me make me angry. ...
Lastly, you can find the strength to merge two seemingly impossible objectives: staying married to your bipolar spouse and taking charge of your own life (instead of waiting to see what your partner s mood is before deciding what yours will be that day). Or you can develop the insight
...yourself, how can I help someone I care about during a manic episode? Remember a manic episode may cause a person to believe things that are not true. Make big plans or life altering decisions. Spend money to excess, or ...
Elizabeth Atlas is the author of Married To Mania, a book that helps spouses and partners be in relationships with someone diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Her book teaches how to live life on purpose, despite the unfair hand you were dealt in love and marriage and despite the chaos and emotional mine field you must avoid everyday in a [http://www.marriedtomania.com/index.php/marriage]marriage to someone with manic depression (another name for bipolar disorder). Elizabeth shows how to construct a plan to take charge of your life and to retain control of your life’s goals, without getting caught up in the bipolar drama no matter how much you
...field of psychology as a practical matter. It is one of the more respected and well researched areas of self-help. There is ample information readily available. Counselors and therapists in every area are versed in this theory and ought to ...