Bipolar in the family Support Group

I know everyone here is going through it with some in their family being Bipolar, I would love some advice on how to handle the day to day mood swings and not losing it yourself.

MrsHurrell25. It is important to seek out your own help from a therapist to help with strategies get through . Always keep in mind also too that your SO other has a disorder and not you . Also to try not to react to the different moods swings . They will not always have the same or appropriate feelings at any given as we would . The last thing is to not take some of the nasty things personal that might be said . I know from experience when my bf is going through a manic phase he will say hurtful things like I am not the one or blame me for things .

You have to find the separation that is between the illness and the loved one. What I mean is know the mood swings are the illness and no the person. Like Diane said, it might take professional help from a therapist for YOU to help with that. My wife can go from being engaged and loving to withdrawn and distant. All I can do is shrug my shoulders and know it isn't any reflection on me.

I agree with the others. It was like watching my father go through the various stages of Alzheimer's disease -- you had to keep reminding yourself that the things flying out of his mouth were the disease, and not really him.

As a teacher, I find that teenagers (ANY of them!) will say things before they think them through, and sometimes it can be extremely hurtful. Knowing that this is a part of adolescent development is helpful -- doesn't excuse it, but makes it easier to understand.

With my daughter with BP, she has had chronic/severe asthma since she was 2 and several other medical conditions since then and her BP diagnosis at 22. Even when she was in her worst episode (which was last week), I cope with it by just taking care of her and not really internalizing any of it. It's gotten me through several surgeries/hospitalizations with her through the years and is working now to a greater degree.

I will admit to being totally burned out now. She had the really bad BP episode on Friday, and kidney surgery yesterday. And the thought of seeking my own therapist (she has a psych dr and a therapist) is not a new one, and is something that I might do if things don't feel better to me in a week or so...

Thats absolutely right and there is a line between the disorder and the person. My wife and her doc helped me see the difference between the two and it helped me alot. Also I've always had a thick skin and don't take much personally anyway. You do need to take care of your own mental health too it will eat at you if you let it. If a long ride and a game or two at the local watering hole won't help me through an issue my wife's doc will take time to talk with me. The professional point of view has been invaluable to me.

Thank you everyone for the advice. I know now after reading a few websites and your advice that I really need to learn how to sepparate myself from his out burst, and not take it to heart. Which I've been doing since we met which has probabaly done more damage.

I just got health care so even if we can't afford meds and a therapist for him I can get one for me and have him talk to the both of us, and atlest help me not react but to just let him be.

MrsHurrell25 - while we both had insurance, mine wouldn't go. You are making the right step no matter what; because my seeking help in coping, led to his attendance and now subsequent treatment.

Sometimes the old saying "lead by example" really works.