-->

How The Bipolar Spouse Copes

By Laura Collins


Bipolar disorder is something that can leave one feeling fearful, depressed, withdrawn and manic. It is something that can affect you your entire life. However, there is treatment available. Unfortunately, this is a slow process and there are still times when people have their ups and downs. For the bipolar spouse, they especially will have trouble dealing with their partner.

The spouse will often become depressed and anxious, not knowing what to do in these types of circumstances. It is important for them to have support. It is not easy to manage this on their own. They need to have someone to talk to, but one needs to find a professional psychologist who deals in bipolar disorder as well as in marriage counseling. They will be more practical.

There are also a lot of techniques that one can learn in dealing with the situation. It is important to know what to when the person with bipolar becomes manic or they have outbursts of anger. When there is a sudden change of behavior, often one does not realize what their spouse is going through. Nobody is aware that it is fact bipolar which they are suffering from.

When there is a sudden change in behavior, it is necessary that the couple go to a professional psychologist. The sooner someone assesses them, the better. It can be really difficult to cope with this problem when it drags on for a great length of time. In fact, this is where it can lead to separation. When children are involved in the situation, one needs to make sure that they are not affected.

In saying this, it is important that the spouse does not become a people pleaser. They simply can't be a nurse or a doctor or a psychologist. They still need to take the role of the partner and the person with bipolar needs to realize and respect this as well. They will need their space from time to time, otherwise they are going to have a hard time coping in the situation.

The relationship can't be based on the disorder. If this is the case, the couple won't enjoy their time together, and it will eventually lead to divorce. They need to spend some time apart. It is important that they have the space, especially when things are tough. The spouse is not there to take care of their husband or wife. They are basically a partner, but they also need their own life, offering some type of support.

Couples may find that anger is a problem. The spouse can be sensitive to this, and this is where it becomes a problem. People with bipolar also take a lot of risks. This often leads to problems with drugs and alcohol. It is just one more problem to deal with. They may have other addictions, such as gambling or eating disorders. Obsessive compulsive disorder can also crop up.

You need to make sure that they are taking their medications. Someone like this often engages in risky behavior. This can include avoiding taking medication. One needs to keep an eye out for this.




About the Author:



Related Posts

There is no other posts in this category.

Post a Comment

Subscribe Our Newsletter