Bipolar Friend

Here are a couple of support links for this:

http://www.pendulum.org/famcoping.htm

http://www.pendulum.org/faq.html

One of the links advises:

Seek out a psychiatrist who seems to have an active involvement with the community resources available to families. You can ask questions such as how long has the psychiatrist worked with mental illness, what his/her knowledge is of psychotropic medication, what his/her philosophy is related to mental illness and family dynamics.

It is important that the psychiatrist is able to refer you to qualified adjunctive professionals and programs, such as psychologists, social workers or treatment programs. Psychotropic medications can markedly improve symptoms and you can ask questions about the drugs used and their side effects, etc. If you feel comfortable with the primary psychiatrist, it makes the rest of treatment much easier to deal with. So ask questions. If your psychiatrist has referred you to Community Resources such as Psychologists and/or MFCC’s for supportive community or other treatment programs, check them out and ask questions about their philosophy and experience. Connect with one or more of the associations in your area to gain more understanding and connect with other families experience the same concerns, feelings, etc. The list below will assist in checking to see if any of these are in your area. If not, you can write or call to find out where the closest meeting might be. These resources have been found to be invaluable to families, providing on-going support and helping to manage the ongoing issues that arise from this illness. NAMI 200 N. Glebe Road, Suite 1015 Arlington, VA 22203-3754 703-524-7600 or call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-NAMI (800-950-6264)

National Depressive & Manic-Depressive Association 730 N. Franklin St., Suite 501 Chicago, IL 60610-3526 800-82-NDMDA (800)-826-3632)

National Mental Health Association (NMHA) National Mental Health Information Center 1021 Prince Street Alexandria, VA 22314-2971

Suggestions for dealing with your emotions and feelings: Accept the illness and its difficult consequences. This is easier said than done; however, research suggests that families who deal most successfully with a mentally ill relative are those who can find a way to accept them fully.

Develop realistic expectations for the ill person and yourself. Do not expect to always feel happy and accept your right to have your feelings. Feelings are a normal process. Often families experience guilt and other emotions which they try to repress or pretend do not exist. This can only result in emotions and feelings building up and often other physical or emotional problems arising. Remember, adjusting to mental illness for you and your loved one takes time, patience and a supportive environment. Also, recovery is slow sometimes. So it is best to support your loved one by praising him/her for small achievements. Try not to expect too much or that your mentally ill family member will return to their previous level of functioning too quickly. Some people can return to work or school, etc., quite quickly, and others may not be able to. Comparing your situation with others can be very frustrating, and we suggest that you keep in mind that what works for someone else may not work for you or your loved one. This will help to reduce frustration.

Accept all the help and support you can get.

Develop a positive attitude and even better, keep a sense of humor.

Join a support group (listed above).

Take care of yourself - seek out counseling and support.

Do healthy activities like hobbies, recreation, vacations, etc.

Eat right, exercise, and stay healthy.

Stay optimistic. Experts on mental illness believe that new research discoveries are bringing deeper understanding of mental illness, which are resulting in even more effective treatments. Suggestions for what families can do to help: Assist your family member to find effective medical treatment. To find a psychiatrist, you may contact your own medical doctor or check with NAMI (listed above). You may also call or write the American Psychiatric Association. Seek consultation regarding financial consideration for treatment. You may call your local Social Security office and check with your family member’s health insurance. Often quality treatment is not pursued because of financial considerations. Learn as much as you can about the mental illness with which your family member has been diagnosed. Recognize warning signs of relapse. Find ways to handle symptoms. Some suggestions are: Try not to argue with your loved one if they have their hallucinations or delusions (as the person believes it is real); do not make fun of or criticize them; and especially do not act alarmed. The more calm you can be, the better it is. Be happy with slow progress and allow your loved one to feel O. K. with a little success. If your family member is out of control or suicidal (harm to self or others), stay calm and call 911.

Do not try to handle it alone.