Giving
unconditional love for Bipolar disorder patients is a
tough job.
It is
not easy to express love when you are being turned away
from, disrespected or even ill-treated. It is never easy
to lend a hand to those who think grandiosely of
himself. Most importantly, it is never simple to care
and understand someone who has disorganized thoughts and
feelings.
In-depth
understanding of the illness is the primary aspect you
need to undertake. If you do not understand what is
happening to your loved one, then you will have
difficulty relating to them.
After you
have gone through the understanding and assessing
specifics of Bipolar disorder of your loved one, then it
is time to devise a plan wherein you should workout the
problems.
You need to
recognize symptoms.
It is not
the fault of your loved one why he is inflicted with
Bipolar disorder that is the one thing you should take
into account. He does not have control of his actions or
of his feelings.
You need
learn to recognize the many symptoms of Bipolar
disorder.
Does he have sleeping problems? Why is he
getting too much or too little sleep?
It is
important to observe his moods, his actions and the way
he relates to people. Jot it down so you know when and
where it occurred so you have a basis to present.
When you
perceive that the symptoms can be most likely Bipolar
disorder, do not be embarrassed.
Do not think
of the illness as humiliation.
To love
someone knows no illness. Bipolar disorder is not an
illness where you should cast off or put your loved one
into shame. This type of disorder can be treated just
like any other diseases.
If you will
feel ashamed of your loved one because he is inflicted
with such illness, then you are not helping him restore
his good health, instead you are letting him do worse
than expected.
Build trust.
Trust is
essential to individuals with Bipolar disorder. They
need you to trust them, not entrust them to other people
or institutions such as the psychiatrists or an asylum.
There will
be times that you will feel that you cannot deal with
your loved one anymore that you will be tempted to call
the doctor for him to be fetched because you do not want
to take care of them. Never let them hear you say those
words because it will just aggravate the situation.
To build up
trust, an open and honest communication is needed.
Keep the
communication line open.
Once you
acknowledged the symptoms, and then ask yourself what
you can do. However thinking of good ways to help your
loved ones is not always the best way. You may think it
is good but it may not really be helpful to the patient.
Hence, it is needed that you communicate with the
patient.
An open and
honest communication is vital. Encourage your loved one
to talk about what he thinks and feels. Let him suggest
ways on how you are supposed to relate to him.
Do not
suppress what you feel. However, there are positive ways
to let your loved know how you feel. It is recommended
that you avoid nagging, preaching or lecturing an
individual with Bipolar disorder. Such negative actions
will drive him to detach. If you are concerned about
him, let him see how concerned you are in a gentle and
encouraging manner.
Let him do
his way.
Family
members or friends usually ends up wanting to serve his
loved one afflicted with Bipolar disorder. You begin to
do every work he intends to do. You start to make things
he is supposed to construct. Do not do such things.
Along with
trust and communication, let the person experience what
he can do for himself. Let him solve problems he can
find solutions. Let him live the way he is supposed to
live. By that, he will feel that he is important and has
a good reason why he lives.
Be there.
Although you
allow him to do his own way, it does not mean that you
will not be there when he needs you to. Let him do his
way but make sure that you are around to give assistance
when needed.
Most
importantly, apart from assistance, you need to offer
your love, understanding and support.