http:\/\/www.survivebipolar.net<\/a><\/p>\nBill’s mom also read my survivor’s course so she could learn more about her own disorder.<\/p>\n
Not just because I wrote them, but I do believe that these courses give both the supporter and their loved one the information they need to fight this battle together.<\/p>\n
Look at it this way \u2013<\/p>\n
If you just found out you had a lifetime illness (which bipolar disorder is), like diabetes or something like that, you would want to know everything you could about it.<\/p>\n
I think Bill’s mom and the man she’s going to marry are going to get off to a very good<\/p>\n
start.<\/p>\n
I was also told that they’ve been “best friends” for six years already!<\/p>\n
Whether you have bipolar disorder or not, that’s the way to go.<\/p>\n
Bill also has the disorder, and he and his wife are best friends as well. He says it helps get through the rocky times when just plain love isn’t enough.<\/p>\n
Now, Bill’s wife Betty is a good supporter.<\/p>\n
She knew when she married Bill that his bipolar disorder was a major thing that they would have to contend with, because they’d also been friends for many years before they got married.<\/p>\n
Sometimes, as a supporter, if you’re married to someone with the disorder, you may have to take a step back and be “friends first.”<\/p>\n
When things get really difficult, try to think of your loved one as a friend first, someone you’re trying to help.<\/p>\n
It can make things easier.<\/p>\n
Sometimes a married couple can get so caught up in the marriage part that they forget that they were friends first.<\/p>\n
What I’m talking about is a mindset here.<\/p>\n
Try being a friend to your loved one and to treat them like you would any other friend.<\/p>\n
Just taking that one step back can help you see things in a different light.<\/p>\n
I’m not saying to discount your feelings or anything.<\/p>\n
You can still feel the way you feel.<\/p>\n
But by taking the attitude of a friend, you may be an even more effective supporter.<\/p>\n
It will help you both to stay on the same team, too.<\/p>\n
With the same goal \u2013 stability for your loved one.<\/p>\n
Sometimes, as a friend you can be more patient than otherwise.<\/p>\n
Try this approach and see if it makes a difference in your relationship.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi,<\/p>\n
How’s it going?<\/p>\n
Bill, a friend of mine, has a mother with bipolar disorder.<\/p>\n
She didn’t find it out until recently, either, and she’s in her 60’s.<\/p>\n
It took a major episode that put her in the hospital to find out her diagnosis.<\/p>\n
She got put on the right medication and is seeing a therapist now, and is very stable.<\/p>\n
In fact,<\/p>\n
Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nBipolar? Be Friends First - Bipolar Supporter Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bipolarsupporter.com\/bipolarsupporterblog\/bipolar-be-friends-first\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bipolar? Be Friends First - Bipolar Supporter Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Hi, How’s it going? Bill, a friend of mine, has a mother with bipolar disorder. She didn’t find it out until recently, either, and she’s in her 60’s. 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