Bipolar Disorder Support Group

Bipolar disorder is not just a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders marked by periods of abnormally high energy and euphoria, often accompanied by bouts of clinical depression. This is the place to talk about your experience with bipolar disorder, learn from others' experiences, and find support.

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I want to help...I want to understand

deleted_user
deleted_user
My hubby has bipolar. And to be completely honest I have no clue what it is or what it does to him. I try to understand it when he tries to clue me in but I still cant seem to understand him. I try very hard to be there for him and I want to help him any way I can. But a lot of the time I feel like all i'm doing is upsetting him more. Anyone think they can help me out. Maybe clue me in. hopefully I am not a lost cause. I love him very much. He is the most sweetest caring man I have ever met. I would just like to understand him a little better...thank you
deleted_user
deleted_user
My sister and my neice we suspect my father also are Bi-Polar. We are all different in our manifestation of symptoms so I don't think I could answer that. We all have to understand our own situation and encourage others when and if we can. Good luck and the fact that you sought out this fourm and are trying to find answers tells a greatdeal about you, and the probbilities of your success with your goal of helping your husband.
starfish
starfish
KUDOS TO YOU!!! Thank you for wanting to find out more information and understand this illness. A lot of people who don't have it, don't want to know. Your husband is a very lucky man!!
Your husband probably is as puzzled as you at least at times, and it often seems like it is the environment, not his mood, that is so changeable and unpredictable. So be patient!!
I think the best way to be helpful, is to learn (I still have to learn this) to ask him what he needs instead of offering suggestions - even making suggestions in the form of a question will feel less intrusive.
ie: Instead of saying, "Go for a walk, it will get your mind off things" you could say, "Do you think going for a walk would help you get your mind off things?" That way, he won't feel like he's being told what to do, he can still decide for himself.
BettyB
BettyB
Go on the web and start reading about it.

Go to the library and check some books out.

Learn more about BiPolar behavior.
deleted_user
deleted_user
When I first started going out with my partner who has bipolar, we made a time to visit his psych so that I could ask questions and get a bit of an understanding of what bipolar meant for my partner. That really helped a lot. What also helped was identifying the behaviour patterns that seemed to reoccur.
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