Bipolar Disorder And Difficult Conditions
The most common symptoms of bipolar disorder are persistent, rapid, and drastic changes in a person’s mood. These fluctuations significantly affect an affected person’s ability to adapt. In this regard, bipolar disorder and relationships are a complicated combination.
The typical bipolar mood changes with relationship problems. The emotional instability causes people with this disorder to dislike affective relationships. This is because it is complicated to have a relationship with someone who experiences such drastic mood swings.
Maintaining a meaningful relationship requires knowledge of each other, understanding, flexibility and also some stability. When it comes to people who experience manic and depressive episodes, it is an obstacle in the way of relationships.
In this article we will explain what bipolar disorder is and how it affects the social circle of the person suffering from it.
Bipolar disorder
People incorrectly refer to changes in opinions, thoughts and feelings as bipolar traits. It is believed that being happy one day and sad the next is “bipolar”. But that is not the case. A number of diagnostic criteria must be met for a person to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
To have a bipolar disorder, you must experience manic episodes when you show impulsive behaviors that can involve large expenses, make radical plans, or make radical changes to existing plans. You must also experience depressive episodes.
Still, being very happy one day and very sad the next does not mean that a person is bipolar. Most often show mood swings or personality changes. This does not necessarily mean that they are mentally unbalanced.
Bipolar disorders and conditions
Bipolar disorder and conditions are a complicated combination. But when everything is under control and the person is stable, it is possible for them to lead a completely normal life. In this way, people with bipolar disorder can fall in love like any other person. Unless they are in a manic phase where they are so euphoric and positive that they can confuse their feelings.
That is, in general, infatuation or the beginning of a relationship is the same in people with bipolar disorder as in mentally healthy people. You just have to be careful not to start a romantic relationship during manic periods.
When we think of bipolar disorder and relationships, we think of unstable emotions. That is, if we are thinking about having a partner with bipolar disorder, it is very likely that we should visualize a chaotic and ever-changing relationship.
Nothing is further from the truth. Thanks to psychiatric medication, therapy and psychological monitoring, a bipolar person is able to maintain stable relationships.
Bipolar disorder and change of mind
Bipolar disorder is not necessarily related to changes in meaning. Therefore, we do not have to imagine that a person with bipolar disorder will constantly change their ideas, attitudes, motivations and goals.
However, it is very important to know that the energy levels of a person with bipolar disorder can change significantly from one week to the next. Consequently, this may affect previously planned plans or the disposition to do things or go on trips, for example. Being in a relationship with a person who has bipolar disorder means adapting to their mental and physical changes. If handled properly, it will not be an insurmountable obstacle.
If you have a relationship with a person with bipolar disorder
Having relationships with someone with bipolar disorder will not necessarily create major problems. Still, there are certain things to consider. Starting a relationship with someone with bipolar disorder involves knowing all you can about this mental illness. It is necessary for both parties in the relationship to know how a crisis manifests itself and how to deal with it. For example, the partner of someone with bipolar disorder must be aware of the signs that come before a manic episode.
In addition, daily stress levels must be handled with special care. They trigger episodes where a person’s mood becomes extreme. Couples must therefore find a balance in the distribution of tasks and responsibilities so that the afflicted person is not overburdened.
Conclusion
People with bipolar disorder must have a carefully controlled routine. They need to maintain stable sleep and meal plans and avoid sudden changes (Becoña and Lorenzo, 2001). If the affected person begins to feel “strange”, they need understanding and empathy. Remember that they are not to blame for the pain they feel or cause.
Thus, a partner with bipolar disorder needs to adapt a lot. On the other hand, the situation can be improved with psychiatric and psychological follow-up. The more the couple understands the disease, the less their relationship will suffer. Remember that science is evolving every day in terms of mental illness, and that bipolar disorder in principle does not have to be an insurmountable obstacle in any relationship.
