Learning that one is a sufferer of Bipolar Disorder is a hard thing to deal with. Even for a normal person the thought of a disorder is shuddering. Because of this, suicide rates for people with bipolar disorder are 15%-20%. Bipolar Disorder is not the end because there are treatments and techniques that can help a person to cope with their disorder.
Medication is vital to preventing manic and depressive swings from becoming too severe. Often, the medication includes lithium and must be taken for the remainder of life in order to keep a person from having a meltdown. This is the hard part for many patients. Many people think that if they haven’t had a meltdown in a long time then they don’t need the medicine anymore. However, If they stop taking the medicine, a meltdown will occur eventually. Personal support is also vital to a person who is newly diagnosed. People who are close to the person need to recognize the person’s natural feelings and not equate any happy feelings with a manic episode and any feelings of sadness with a depression episode. This type of support is very helpful in the person’s journey to normal life.
Another technique that the patient can employ to help him or herself with the coping process and others who are close to him is to have a mood journal in which the person tracks his or her mood each day to track progress and to pick out any patterns to help them prepare for an upcoming manic episode. Always be open about your condition with the people close to you as they can help you better when they are informed.
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