Family members and friends play an important role in the recovery and health of a young person with bipolar disorder. They are the first line of defense. They are the most crucial elements of support. They are the rocks that teens lean on through their darknest moments. Its hard to be prepared for bipolar in someone you love and that's why it helps to reach out to other family members who have loved ones with bipolar disorder.

DBSA-Northern Virginia offers family members and friends of those with bipolar disorder two options to find the information and the personal support they need. Our Loved Ones group meets in Centreville and is made up of family members and friends of those with bipolar. We also have a room near the Teen Group meeting room in Fairfax where parents can stay, so they do not have to drive back home while the meetings are in progress. Together, they can participate in self-directed discussions about taking care of themselves and supporting the person they love who has bipolar disorder.

Family members and friends often need almost as much help as the teens with bipolar disorder. They are both, often, trying to navigate unchartered waters. Often, there are more mistakes before there are successes. Just remember that the illness is not your fault or the fault of the person with bipolar, you cannot make the person you love who has bipolar well, but you can offer support, understanding and hope, each person experiences bipolar differently. With different symptoms, the best way to find out what the person you love needs is by asking them direct questions. It does not hurt, as long as you have their consent, to be involved in their treatment. This should be done with caution because studies have shown that as soon as mental health tratment begins to feel coercive, patients, especially teens, tend to stop complying.

Keep in mind that bipolar disorder is a physical, treatable illness that affects a person's brain. It is a real illness, as real as asthma. It is not a character flaw or personal weakness. Don't ask the person to "snap out of it." Your friend or family member can't snap out of an illness anymore than he or she could overcome cancer without treatment. Even then, it takes time and effort.

 

Educate yourself about bipolar disorder by reading information from dependenable sources, such as the DBSA, Mental Health America and other mental health recovery principle based organizations. The National Institute for Mental Health also has a treasure trove of helpful information.

 

Encourage your loved one with bipolar to seek treatment, but don't try to force it on them unless its abosultely necessary for their health and safety, or that of others. Help them prepare for mental health care provider appointments. Offer to go along with them. Only do so if the health care provider requests your presence or your loved one with bipolar say yes to your request. Help them keep records, like mood charts, journals and other helpful pieces of information that help them better understand their illnes. Tell them that you are here for them, that you care, that you may not understand their pain but you can offer your support. Tell them that they are a worthwhile person, deserving of happiness, and that they mean a lot to you. Remind them when their brain is lying to them, and that is a part of the illness, that you will not give up on them. With your help, your teen can forge a stable and productive future.