How To Act When Your Partner Is Bipolar

A person with bipolar can have a normal life if they follow their treatment correctly. She must not abandon it under any pretext except under medical advice. Otherwise, it could put itself in danger.

Bipolar disorder affects emotions. This is why it commonly interferes in emotional relationships, and especially in couple relationships.

It is possible that during the relationship, the bipolar person will be affected in a positive or negative way. It is important that, if this is your case, you understand that you play a very important role and that you support your spouse.

The main thing is to be patient and be the person who brings emotional balance to the relationship. You should know that people with bipolar disorder have behaviors that are not intentional.

What is bipolar disorder?

Bipolarity is a very common psychiatric pathology. It  occurs in people with episodes of depression alternating with episodes of euphoria.

They often become chronic episodes. Those affected must therefore be placed under medical supervision for life.

This disorder can be inherited, although we still haven’t identified the defective gene that causes it. The causes of affective disorders are not known, but it is believed that they may be the result of a series of neurobiological or psychosocial factors.

Can I do something for my bipolar spouse?

Living with someone who is bipolar doesn’t mean you have to be the person who takes care of them all the time or the one to put their life on hold.

There is a lot you can do for your partner without forgetting about yourself.

It is important that you help your partner recognize the symptoms.

Who better than you who are always by your partner’s side to see what’s going on? Gradually you will gain experience and you will know when a crisis or a relapse is going to happen.

This will allow you to respond in anticipation or even avoid it.

Work together with the doctor

You will be the perfect source of information for him to constantly assess your spouse’s progress.

If you have good communication with the doctor, you will get the best out of every visit. Try not to withhold details from him and if you feel it is necessary, write down what you think is important.

Don’t overprotect your spouse

Overprotecting your spouse won’t do them a favor. A person with bipolar spends most of their time as if they don’t have any disease, they have normal lives.

You should not limit its autonomy or its responsibilities when it is stable.

However, during episodes of mania or depression, it is important to accompany it most of the time. In this way you can prevent any self-destructive behavior.

Don’t criticize

You may unwittingly criticize your partner quite frequently. Realize that you are one of the people they rely on, whom they trust the most.

Always remember that your spouse’s symptoms are not static. He does not wish to suffer from this disorder and it is possible that he / she will give the best of himself / herself to recover.

Make sure your partner takes their medication

Make sure he always takes his medicine. In some cases, when sufferers start to feel better, they may not think that further medical treatment is necessary.

However, the fact of suspending it completely or partially without consulting the doctor can cause relapses in your spouse, even that the situation worsens.

How Do You Take Care of Yourself While Your Partner Has Bipolar Disorder?

Very often when taking care of someone else, we forget to take time for ourselves and to recharge our energies.

It is necessary that you dedicate a space, and it is perhaps even necessary that you resort to therapy. Bipolarity has no cure, so you’ll have to face it for life.

You need to make sure that you can take care of both of you at specific times, and for this it is fundamental that you rely on the support of family and friends, as having this responsibility can be difficult at times.

If you find it difficult to cope with your spouse’s bipolarity, a good option is to talk to a therapist.

That’s not a reason for you to feel guilty, or anything like that. On the contrary.

Living with someone with this disorder can be very difficult for some, and it is reasonable that you seek all kinds of support in moving forward.

What should I do if my partner has a seizure?

The main thing you need to pay attention to is whether your partner wants or can hurt himself or those around him.

You should seek help quickly if you feel that you cannot take control of the situation. Avoid leaving your partner alone during a crisis at all costs and contact the attending physician quickly.

Speak with the specialist and ask for his personal number in case you need his help during a crisis.

If you see that your partner has one or more of the symptoms mentioned here, encourage him or her to go see the doctor and undergo treatment that will allow you to have a better quality of life.