Bipolar disorder is a kind of depression disorder that has a number of symptoms associated with it. Beyond the mania and depression that most people are aware of, there are different types of pain associated with the illness that are not often talked about.
The physical and emotional pains are varied and should be understood. Some of the common physical pains include migraines, body aches and abdominal pain. Physical pain is often comes as a side effect of medication but it can be a symptom of the illness itself. The emotional pain comes along with bipolar disorder is considered to be more severe for bipolar disorder patients. Emotional pain with bipolar disorder patients is much more difficult to understand. The symptoms of emotional pain might be prolonged sadness, unexpected or uncontrollable crying and helplessness.
Dealing both kinds of pain in bipolar disorder is challenging and it takes the patient and family members to overcome the disorder and the pain. Managing bipolar disorder begins with proper treatment including medication and psychotherapy. Beyond treatment there are many things a patient and family can do to reduce the change in mood. Here are some ways each patient must be cared for to deal with bipolar disorder :
Be Responsible - it is up to the patient to take action to keep the mood stabilized. This includes knowing when help is needed and asking for it, taking medicines properly and keeping appointments with the doctor.
Be Hopeful - keeping up hope that you can cope with the illness is essential for recovery.
Be a Self-advocate - be a self-advocate for your condition and you will get the services and help when you need it. The patient needs to get a lot of support from the family also.
Be Educated – the first challenge in dealing with bipolar disorder is to become educated about every aspect of the disorder. There are many books, brochures and websites available to get a great deal of information.
Make this a Family Matter - be aware that a mood disorder in one person will affect the whole family. Every person in the family must have awareness of the disorder, especially the warning symptoms.
Be Supportive - Let the patient know that you care. Bipolar disorder patients can be very depressed or very manic so be supportive and let them know that the whole family is with them to help them heal.
