Hi,

You know, so much of the material written about bipolar disorder centers around the person with the disorder and their happiness. There really isn’t a lot written about the supporter and their own happiness, is there?

Today’s subject is about how you deserve your own happiness too, and you shouldn’t have to put
it aside just because your loved one has bipolar disorder. DON’T!

You spend a lot of time as a supporter, and one of the problems with when you’re dealing with bipolar disorder is that you can get caught up in your loved one’s struggle with their own
management of the disorder and your helping them with it. DON’T!

They may have a problem with their mood swings and their own happiness because of it, but you
should not let this affect your own happiness, as hard as this might be, just because of being their
supporter.

You should still do things that make you happy, like:

• Hobbies
• Doing things you enjoy
• Doing things that make you feel good
• Taking care of your own needs
• Going out with friends
• Going to the movies
• Reading
• Watching videos that your loved one
may not want to watch with you
• Doing things by yourself
• Going shopping
• Spending time with your own family
• Spending time away from your loved one
• Taking a break from your loved one
• Taking a mini-vacation from your loved one
• Having a job outside the home

Just being around your loved one 24/7 will not help you and your own mental health at all – you may get so caught up in their world of bipolar disorder that you might become as sick as they are! DON’T!

You have a right to your own happiness. Don’t delay that happiness! You really need to keep a life separate from your loved one, for your own sake. You have to hold onto your own happiness! Grab it right now! Take some time for R and R (rest and relaxation). Even combat soldiers do that!

Don’t stress yourself out by giving all your energy to your loved one – save some for yourself as well. Giving all your time and energy to your loved one will make you stressed out and sick. And you don’t want that, do you? DON’T!

Also, don’t try to be your loved one’s therapist. They should have their own therapist. They should be telling their therapist their problems, and not dumping them on you or taking out their problems on you, just because you are there!

Because your loved one has bipolar disorder, they may get depressed and may try to “take you down” with them when they are in that phase of their disorder. They may want to use you as a shoulder to cry on, which might steal your own happiness. Remember, don’t act like their
therapist. DON’T!

Again, you should not be their enabler, either, or that will steal your own happiness as well. Don’t encourage them to continue unacceptable behavior. So don’t be your loved one’s enabler, or you will be robbing yourself of your own happiness. DON’T!

You deserve a life of your own. You deserve to be happy. You deserve an identity of your own outside your relationship with your loved one with bipolar disorder. Don’t get so caught up in their disorder and their problems that you lose yourself in it/them. DON’T!

Don’t delay your own happiness. Take charge of it beginning right now! Don’t let bipolar disorder steal your happiness! DON’T!

Well, I have to go!

Your Friend,

Dave