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Self-Care and Relationship Strategies for Bipolar Disorder

Yes, you can date and have loving relationships when you have bipolar disorder. Here's how.

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Key Points

The family and friends' environment plays a significant role in the treatment, recovery and stability of a person with bipolar disorder.
The sooner there is support and intervention, the sooner crisis situations can be prevented and possible hospitalizations can be minimized.
It is estimated up to 50 percent of people with bipolar disorder will attempt suicide at some point in their lives, and almost 20 percent will complete the attempt.

In addition to finding the medication which works for you and attending therapy regularly, people with bipolar disorder must incorporate self-care routines into their daily lives.

Self-care can help control the symptoms of bipolar disorder by helping to prevent relapse, aiding the therapeutic process and helping to improve your quality of life.

Bipolar disorder and self-care

Here are some daily self-care strategies to try if you have bipolar disorder in addition to the medication or other therapies recommended by your healthcare professional.

Self-observation

You might want to keep track of your mood. Some people find it helpful to keep a daily log of their symptoms to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment and to detect any warning signs. It can help your healthcare team determine the right course of action, too.

Having a support system

Self-care includes creating and retaining a support system or a "core of trust" informed about your situation.

The family and friends' environment plays a significant role in the treatment, recovery and stability of a person with bipolar disorder, said Elvira Herrería Martínez, a psychiatrist at Turó Park Medical Center in Barcelona, Spain.

"The support system serves as a protective factor against relapse," she said. "The close environment can help detect warning signs at an early stage, talk to mental health services and remedy a possible decompensation."

The sooner there is support and intervention, the sooner crisis situations can be prevented and possible hospitalizations can be minimized, Herreria Martinez said.

Do not consume intoxicants

A healthy lifestyle is a crucial part of the treatment of bipolar disorder, so someone with bipolar disorder should avoid alcohol, marijuana and other drugs.

Toxic substances often complicate the course of the disease, affect the functioning of medications and can facilitate the onset of psychotic symptoms.

Stabilizing sleep

Restorative sleep is essential in the self-care routines of bipolar patients. It has been shown sleeping less than seven hours a day can trigger a hypomanic or manic phase.

Sleeping more than 10 hours each day can be an initial sign of a depressive phase. When you notice your sleep patterns changing, reach out to your doctor for help.

Exercise

Regular and moderate physical exercise has numerous benefits for subjects with bipolar disorder. Among the positive effects of physical activity, Herrería Martínez emphasized it can:

help to control mood.
favor the establishment of routines.
improve the quality of sleep and rest.
increase the feeling of well-being.
contribute to the absorption of pharmacological treatment.

Follow a routine

Bipolar patients should try to embrace routine. The greater the regularity of daily care, the greater the stability and balance you could experience.

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Dating with bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder does not have to be a limiting factor in your dating life.

"Although the illness can pose some additional challenges, the good news is proper medical management allows affected individuals to have relationships," Herrería Martínez said.

Here are helpful tips to keep in mind when it comes to starting a new romance.

Communicate your mental health condition

Your date may not know much about bipolar illness or may have mistaken beliefs about it.

Be prepared with personal examples to clearly explain what your bipolar disorder is like and how it can affect you. Share this information before entering into a long-term commitment.

Do not discontinue treatment

Sometimes, bipolar disorder can place a severe strain on romantic relationships, as you may experience unpredictable changes in behavior, energy, sleep and thinking.

It may not be possible to cure bipolar disorder yet but when the condition is clinically controlled, it need not be an insurmountable obstacle to relationships. Consistency in pharmacological and therapeutic treatment is the best way to contribute to the well-being of your romance.

Don't hide your difficulties

Lack of communication in any romantic relationship can generate tension and confusion.

Since up-and-down mood swings will be challenging and emotional for both parties, neither person should hide their difficulties or their needs.

Talking to your partner

Knowing when and how to share the details of bipolar illness with a new partner can be difficult, yet it is an essential step in maintaining a healthy romantic relationship.

"You have to talk openly and with as little stigma as possible," Herrería Martínez said.

Useful strategies for letting your partner know what's going on with you and your bipolar disorder include the following:

It is helpful to have a couple of dates before disclosing a brief overview of your mental health condition.
In simple terms, describe what bipolar disorder is and, especially, the ways it may impact your relationship.
Emphasize how ongoing treatment and self-care routines can help, although you should explain there might be relapses.
Consider attending informative talks or lectures on bipolar disorder, join support groups together and consider couple's therapy.

Aftercare: the role of family

Family intervention can be effective in controlling the symptoms of bipolar disorder and preventing recurrences. Parents, children, spouses and friends often take an active role in the management of the disorder and their loved one's recovery process.

"The best way for the family and social circle to participate in the therapeutic process of a person with bipolar disorder is to assume an empathetic—but not pitying—understanding and supportive attitude," said José Francisco Cepeda Torres, psychiatrist and professor at the Alexander von Humboldt University of Armenia in Colombia.

To collaborate in the treatment and recovery of the bipolar patient, he suggested some strategies for family and close friends.

Family and friends should learn about bipolar disorder from reliable sources. It is very important your close family members have a deep knowledge of the disease and can unconditionally lend its support, free of any stigmas.
Family members can encourage and supervise their loved one in taking medication, attending medical appointments, and maintaining a healthy and orderly lifestyle.
If a close relative refuses to accept the existence of bipolar disorder, family and friends can help to introduce a process of acceptance. Denial of this mental health condition only makes it worse.
Family and friends must recognize and accept the limitations of what they can do to help someone with bipolar disorder. People who live with or care for someone with this condition must not feel wholly responsible for solving their problems by themselves.

Suicide prevention

Although there is no way to prevent the totality of manic or depressive episodes, evidence shows compliance with clinical treatment and stability of daily habits and self-care strategies decrease the vulnerability of someone with bipolar disorder.

"People with bipolar disorder, by the simple fact of having this mental illness, have a higher risk of suicide than the general population," Cepeda Torres said.

"It is estimated that up to 50 percent of people with bipolar disorder will attempt suicide at some point in their lives, and almost 20 percent will complete the attempt," Cepeda Torres finished.

The warning signs of suicidal behavior include the following, according to Cepeda Torres:

Drastic mood changes
Reckless or dangerous behavior
Constant feeling of uneasiness and restlessness
Isolation from family and social groups
Perception of feeling "trapped"
Beginning or increased use of psychoactive substances
Trying to "put all their affairs in order," organizing finances and giving away once-treasured possessions

If a person with bipolar disorder talks, writes or draws about self-harm, suicide or seeks dangerous elements—such as firearms, knives, toxics or lethal doses of medications—don't wait to get professional help.

Protective factors for suicide

"Although bipolar disorder can be debilitating, it is clearly established that adequate treatment for BAD [bipolar affective disorder] reduces mortality rates from suicide and accidental deaths," Cepeda Torres said.

"Protective factors not only include medication and psychotherapy, but also include making positive changes in life habits, such as sleeping and eating well, avoiding the consumption of psychoactive substances, maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships and staying physically and mentally active, among other measures," Cepeda Torres said.

Suicide prevention also requires the development of a safety plan.

A safety plan could take the form of a written document which supports and guides bipolar patients when they have suicidal thoughts. The document might include:

Warning signs
Coping strategies and distress tolerance skills
Emergency contact numbers
A list of positive aspects which can give meaning and hope to their existence

Resources for patients and caregivers

"Patients as well as parents, children, spouses, friends and caregivers should be encouraged to explore reliable health sources," Cepeda Torres said.

"These could include health institutions, research centers, government organizations, non-governmental organizations, universities and support groups."

Here are some excellent trusted sources to begin your educational journey: