How to Help a Person with Bipolar Disorder: 9 Helpful Tips

Tips and recommendations on how to help a person with bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder is a disorder about which there are many myths; the term is often used erroneously to refer to changes in people's attitudes, but these do not meet the necessary criteria to be considered symptoms of bipolar disorder.

In this article we will address the issue of how to help a person with bipolar disorderWe will also clarify doubts with respect to the symptoms of this pathology, to determine clearly when we can be in presence of this mental alteration.

What is bipolar disorder?

Before moving on to tips on how to help a person with bipolar disorder, it is necessary to know exactly what this pathology is. What is known as bipolar disorder consists of a mental condition characterized by the alternation between cycles in which the person's mood reaches very intense extremes; a series of extreme changes in the person's mood occur. extreme changes in the person's mood, which are maintained for a period of time.which are maintained over a period of time in a consistent manner.

It can be presumed that a person is presenting behaviors typical of bipolar disorder when the changes between one mood and another come after a period of time of approximately several months, i.e., they are not sudden changes that occur in a matter of minutes. In addition, the intensity of the moods must be significant and involve discomfort or major risks to the integrity of the person and/or his or her environment.

The mood polarities that manifest themselves in bipolar personality disorder are a manic one, characterized by intense states of euphoria and agitation in people, and a depressive one, characterized by strong apathy and generalized lack of enthusiasm.characterized by strong states of apathy and generalized lack of enthusiasm.

In some cases there are patients in whom both polarities coexist; this is known as mixed bipolar disorder. This variant of bipolarity is more complex than the classic one and includes a higher risk for the subjects who suffer from it.

In mixed cases of bipolarity, manic and euphoric behaviors are mixed with depressive behaviors, resulting in subjects living with attitudes of alvosity motivated by intense depressive thoughts. In these scenarios, the risk of self-flagellation and suicide increases.

Symptomatology

As mentioned earlier, the symptomatology of bipolar disorder goes beyond simple mood swings in individuals.

During manic states physical symptoms, such as constant agitation, verbosity, hyperactivity, etc., may be evident during manic states.etc. These will always be accompanied by an attitude of abnormal enthusiasm, nervousness or tension.

With regard to the depressive states that occur in bipolar disorder, people present depressive and depressed behaviors. present quite marked behaviors of discouragement and abulia, slow behavior before any circumstance, slow behavior before any circumstance, nervousness or tension.slow behavior before any circumstance, insomnia, and fatigue. In severe cases, the possibility of suicide is contemplated.

Thus, in order to help a person with bipolar disorder, it is necessary first of all to understand the main symptoms of this psychological disorder and to understand that the person suffering from this condition does not choose to behave in this way. From this premise, let's look at a series of tips on what to do.

Tips for helping a person with bipolar disorder

In the following list of tips we are going to review some tools to provide support and help to people with bipolar disorder.

1. Help the person accept his or her disorder

The sooner we can get the person to accept that he or she has a disorder, the closer we can get them to being willing to seek the help they need.. Remember that our role is one of accompaniment and support, and that a mental health professional is necessary for significant improvement.

Talking to the person about the benefits of going to therapy is a good way of helping to get him/her to agree to attend the consultation, although we must be careful about the way we say things; we do not want it to seem that we are making value judgments about the way he/she behaves and makes decisions.

2. Understanding depressive and manic states.

As support figures we must understand the behaviors of the subjects when they are going through some polar crisis of this disorder. We should not judge or treat the subject as a bad person or someone who does not deserve respect for having serious problems; their behavior responds to an organic pathology that is beyond their voluntary control..

This is one of the most important pieces of advice when helping a person with bipolar disorder, since damaging their self-esteem could cause them to stop attending therapy.

3. Learn to recognize the indicators

Generally, when a subject is about to change from one polarity to another, there are usually certain indicators that anticipate it, there are usually certain indicators that anticipate it. It is important that we know how to recognize them. In this way, we can do our best to avoid the progression to a full-blown episode, or delay its onset.

In addition, it is also useful to encourage the person to recognize these warning signs in him/herself, so that he/she can better organize him/herself and gain autonomy.

4. Accompanying the person to therapy

The fact that we are willing and available to accompany the subject to therapy means an extra source of motivation for him/her. is a source of extra motivation for him/her. In addition, we will prevent the person from feeling lonely, which will help him/her to be consistent with the sessions and to follow the therapist's indications correctly.

5. Monitor their medication

Patients with bipolar disorder should be monitored jointly with the psychologist and the psychiatrist. Medication is often essential for the subject to remain stable and prevent manic and depressive episodes from significantly affecting their quality of life.

That is why, as friends or relatives of the patient, we must do our best to check if you are taking your medication according to your doctor's instructions, and if not, talk to your doctor.and if not, talk to the doctor. Of course, this should be done in a non-invasive manner, respecting their privacy. You simply have to pay attention to look for signs that the person is not following the treatment properly.

6. Spend quality time with the person

People with bipolar disorder usually do not find it easy to maintain long and stable personal relationships, since they change their attitude in very extreme ways; sometimes they are too eloquent and frantic, and sometimes they do not feel like talking to almost anyone.

It is important that we spend quality time with these people and make it easier for them to relate, thus preventing them from isolating themselves from others.. We can look for activities to do together, in which they interact with other people and can feel that they are capable of leading a normal life.

7. Avoid tense situations in front of the subject

It is recommended that we always try to maintain an attitude of assertiveness and respect with people with bipolar disorder, because moments of tension can trigger manic or depressive behaviors.

8. Help him/her detect the signs that a manic or hypomanic stage is approaching.

By establishing a flow of communication with the therapist, it is important to to learn to recognize the emotional and behavioral signs that occur when one of these stages of bipolar disorder is approaching. of bipolar disorder.

9. Provide support in keeping an appropriate sleep schedule.

Sleep regulation is very important in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Therefore, when offering support to someone who has developed this psychopathology, it is key to make it easy for them to follow an organized and consistent sleep schedule, it is key to make it easy for them to follow a consistent and organized sleep schedule that is compatible compatible with therapy goals. Remind them of the time they have to go to bed, do everything possible to ensure that they sleep in a place free of noise and distractions, etc.