How do I deal with a family member recently diagonsed with bipolar 2?
829113
It is tough to have a close family member suffering from an illness and it can be uniquely difficult in the case of mental illness.  My father has had bipolar disorder for much of his life and for a very long time he was not diagnosed.  So, your sister is lucky to be on the road to managing her illness and you should be thankful for that, at least.  Although it will probably take quite a while before she finds a treatment system that works for her (medication, counselling, etc.), you should know that you can still have a close and happy relationship with her.  You should also know that you do not need to worry for her.  You should be concerned for her well-being, of course, but if you feel overly worried or overwhelmed, you should perhaps see a doctor.  Personally, I thought for years that it was normal to worry constantly, but it isn't.  If anxiety is regularly interfering with your life, you should seek some medical guidance of your own.
531668
Rhode Island Bipolar Support Groups -- here's a place to start:\n\nhttp://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&rls=SUNA%2CSUNA%3A2005-51%2CSUNA%3Aen&q=Bipolar+support+group+rhode+island
1010245
Part of the problem with people with untreated bi-polar disorder is that the manic episodes are often so great feeling (lots of energy, creativity, etc.) that they don't WANT treatment. That's if they even recognize it as such. As not only the parent of a child with Bi polar Disorder, but also a patient with it, I understand that, yet I know that the crash that always follows is not worth it...to me.  \n\nWithout the person accepting their problem, regardless of what it is (mental health issue or otherwise), there's no way to get them to seek treatment. \n\nWhile it's good of you to be supportive, there comes a point where self-preservation for you must come first...at least until the person accepts the situations and takes action.  This is especially true if you suffer from depressive symptoms yourself.  I find when I'm around depressed people, my own depression worsens or kicks in. \n\nGood luck in coping with this. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.
363635
A bit of separation is probably required, but if you need to stay in close contact, make sure your dad is regulating his condition with proper medication (Lithium, etc.) Try to avoid your father when he is in a depressive state and try to prevent him from making poor decisions when he is manic.
832603
deal with it its not forever. I took care of my mom for 4 years everyday. she died 2 years ago and was 82. toward the end of there life they get what is called terminal restlessness. where everything bothers them and they are easily agitated. I just kept saying if i gave up i would never forgive my self. there are places that will come and help maybe sit with him for a few hours so you can do something for you. Good luck
110745
You might need some kind of training to deal with the behavioral problem but other than that I would say patience and love .. just let them know that you care. \n\nI have a friend and her brother has downs. When I go with her to her parents home, he has to give me a hug and tell me that he loves me ... real sweetheart he is.
815327
Be there for her. Listen to her when she complains, help her understand that its not her fault. Try not to make judgements on the family. Support her.
468705
I know someone whom I'm sure is bi-polar, one day she's so happy and nice, the next she depressed and nasty. The reason it's so hard to get along with someone like this, is because you don't know which way they'll be on any given day- it's hard to determine how they'll feel and act so you don't know how to act towards them in the first place. The person doesn't even know how she will be on any given day- you really just need to support her and give her space when she needs it. I know sometimes these people feel guilty after they've acted a certain way so just show he love and forgiveness.
179219
I'm sorry to hear that! all you can do is try and be there for her and help her deal with her problems. but please take this advice don't let her start taking anti depression pills because they wont help her. my mom suffered a nervous breakdown when my father died and she started taking them and now she is completely addicted to them and is convinced that she cant get by without them and now she is a different person (not for the good).
733217
First that pill does not help bi-polar,she needs something STRONG,lIKE prosack,or paxil,{I know i can,t spell first one right!}Secound you need to stay away from her!Do not let her drive you crazy anymore!Poeple like that,You,ll never be able to help or figer out,They are so self invovled in their own selfish needs that they will never be Honest with their self never mind anyone else!They are miserble,So they want to try to make everybody feel as ugly and mean as them,And they will always be right and never ever amitte that anything was ever their fault!I have a sister like that,{One of five,Sisters},And i had to do the same as you,I wrote her off as not knowing her,BUT i,ll always Love her for being my Blood,But that does not mean I have to like her as a friend!And i have not talked to her in 17 yrs.And i talk to all my other sisters all the time and they all had to do same in end and my brothers and its very sad but true!You need to take care of you1Nobody can help her to she really gets honest with herself and helps herself change!Good Luck and God bless,Hollywood
562787
I am a fifty year old man with Bi-Polar disorder. I also worked as a Nurse in Psychiatric Hospitals until my illness got to severe for me to continue.\nI have several relatives who are also Bi-Polar. Symptoms generally first appear, as in your mothers case, in the mid-teens. It is often misdiagnosed, though there have been improvements in recent years. Treatment for bi-polar d/o has improved massively in recent years. \nFirst, don't feel like you need to be responsible for your mothers moods. She can't control them; the medicine doesn't always control them; so don't feel like you have to control her moods.\nRealize that irritability can be a symptom of bi-polar disorder (though by no means one of the primary or diagnostic symptoms). Also, remember no matter how healthy or well-adjusted a mother and a teen-daughter are there is always going to be some friction.\nAs far as helping, love and patience are the best things you can offer and provide benefits no medicine can. \nDoes your mother have a good system for remembering to take her medicine properly? Both personal and clinical experience show me that taking the medications consistently and correctly is the best way for bi-polars to help ourselves.\nWhen she is depressed be encouraging. Help her find something, anything to do and be patient. \nAnyway I hope this has been some help. I will pray for you and your mother. I hope you get many helpful responses.\nYou may want to get in touch with NAMI, if you live in the US they offer lots of support for families of the chronically mentally ill.
545057
Word of caution...think hard about getting back with this person. A bipolar person is a life time of drama and misery. Nothing you do can make them better, all you can do is put up with it. He will break your heart many times over, this is just the start. Think hard about this one, you might be better off finding someone new.
9669
hi there... i suggest you talk to them. have an open discussion about your problem. its ok because they are only your family members. if you dont talk to them, then who else will you talk to in order to solve your problem... so talk to them, be very open and frank and i'm sure things will get solved. all the best.
242289
Go with her to her next medical appointment and discuss your concerns with her physician. Also, I would talk to other family members who maybe can watch her and see if they agree with your assessment. If they do you can work together to get her help.\n\nDementia is a really difficult problem because the person suffering from it rarely believes they have a problem. \n\nStrength in numbers!
1055654
That's gotta suck for you - and for him, too, probably.\n\nMedication compliance is not an uncommon problem for bipolars.  You've probably already heard lurid tales of what happens when bipolars go "off the meds."\n\nMy first question back to you is, does your son understand the diagnosis, or does he believe it's all a bunch of mind-control hokum, designed to get him Under the Thumb?  (Paranoia is not an uncommon aspect to just about any mental health issue.)\n\nIf he does understand the diagnosis, you might consider a family contract (see link below to an example.)  The only problem I have with the example contract is the first line, assuming that a bipolar person in the midst of an episode could even begin to "stay calm."  That's just unrealistic.\n\nThe benefit of the contract, though, is that if he agrees to it during a lucid moment, where he sees that his disorder really can threaten his own life and the lives of those he loves, it empowers you - completely - to do what you have to do to protect yourself in the event he's not stable (i.e., not taking his meds or they're not working anymore.)\n\nThere are tons of example contracts out there on the web.\n\nAlso, have you tried family counseling?  As a family, it's critical to determine what your coping mechanisms are/will be for instances of instability or dangerous behavior.\n\nGood luck to you, and to him.\n\nOh and before I forget, there's a great book he might want to read, it's called "An Unquiet Mind" by Kay Jamison - it's a memoir of a woman with bipolar disorder, only she's a psychiatrist so she has a special perspective.  Very well-written.  If you kid likes books at all he might dig this one.  Or not.  Hard to tell.\n\n****************\n\nWell, darn it, I thought about this as I was taking my own meds last night and I wonder if maybe the Klonopin makes him feel kind of dumbed-out.  If he likes his sharp manic side (and you said he was pretty smart, or at least got good grades,) feeling dull and doped out might be causing some of his noncompliance issues.  There are lots of meds out there that can be used for bipolar disorder.
1063564
I am bipolar who mainly has manic episodes and I am going to make this short and to the point. There is nothing that you yourself can do for her. If she is refusing to take her meds and is becoming violent, the best thing you can do for the safety of ALL involved is to call your local Mental Health Hospital or Clinic and have her committed. They will take care of her by putting her on the medication she needs and giving her the therepy she needs. I've been in a hospital before and it really isn't that bad. They look after you 24/7, they feed you, they keep your room clean, they monitor you, they make sure you have your meds on time, and the doctor comes in to see you on a regular basis for therepy sessions. Trust me, if you care about her, that is the course you will need to take, for her sake, and the sake of all involved.
1154365
It took me over a year of solitary struggle before I wised up and contacted my local (150 miles away!) Alzheimer's support group... It was the best thing I could have done for both of us! They have excellent information on every aspect of caring for you, your family and the one affected. \nIf it is a close family member (in my case my mom) who lives with you, this disease will impact every facet of your life and can rapidly become overwhelming. The support provided by others in the same situation can be priceless.\nThere is so much you can do to make everyone's life so much easier... from learning how to prevent inadvertently making your loved ones mental outlook worse to helping your children deal with the changes and irrationality. (I have provided a link below to a Chapter search.) They have a good information packet they can send and meetings you can attend if you are close enough. \nMy heart and prayers go out to you... This disease can be devastating for all involved. It can also have moments you will forever treasure as you help your loved one through this final transition with compassion and understanding.\nMy mother is gone now and though it was the most difficult and traumatic 5 years I ever endured, I don't regret one day of the experience.