Hi,<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re a supporter to a loved one with bipolar disorder, there can be many feelings that you have to learn to cope and deal with. Along with positive feelings such as compassion and<\/p>\n
understanding\u2026Unfortunately, there are also negative feelings with which you also have to deal as well.<\/p>\n
Some of these negative feelings can include:<\/p>\n
\u2022\tResentment<\/p>\n
\u2022\tFear<\/p>\n
\u2022\tDisillusionment<\/p>\n
\u2022\tDisappointment<\/p>\n
\u2022\tDespair<\/p>\n
\u2022\tDepression<\/p>\n
\u2022\tLoneliness<\/p>\n
\u2022\tAnger<\/p>\n
\u2022\tHelplessness<\/p>\n
\u2022\tHopelessness<\/p>\n
\u2022\tGuilt<\/p>\n
\u2022\tShame<\/p>\n
\u2026and frustration. Frustration is one of the top negative feelings that supporters of a loved one with bipolar disorder express to me. Here\u2019s what some of them have told me:<\/p>\n
\u201cI love my wife. But I hate her bipolar disorder. It makes her do things she wouldn\u2019t normally do. And it makes me do things I wouldn\u2019t normally do, too. I hate the way I have to act just to try to control her. I hate the way I feel, too. I really resent her when she gets depressed and won\u2019t even get out of bed. I know it\u2019s just her bipolar acting up, but sometimes I still feel like she could get out of bed if she really wanted to, I can\u2019t help it, so I say stuff to her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another supporter says: \u201cMy boyfriend just withdraws from me when he gets depressed. He doesn\u2019t want to go anywhere. He won\u2019t do anything. Nothing I do is right in his eyes. He says he just wants to be left alone, but I don\u2019t believe him. He says he doesn\u2019t want to talk about it, but I still try to get him to talk anyway. Then I get mad at him when he won\u2019t open up. It seems like I\u2019m mad at him all the time these days.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another supporter says: \u201cBipolar disorder changed my daughter. She used to be real outgoing. Cheerleader, head of her class, good student, active in church, lots of friends, everything. Then she started having all these mood swings. She even started drinking and doing drugs. I knew something was wrong, but I didn\u2019t know what. Then she tried to kill herself. I hated that it took that to really make me listen. Now I\u2019m scared all the time \u2013 I don\u2019t know what to do to help her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still another supporters says: \u201cMy wife has so many mood swings, and I just don\u2019t know<\/p>\n
what to do any more. I\u2019ve tried to be a good supporter, I really have. But it just seems like I can never do the right thing. Everything I try just doesn\u2019t seem to work. I just can\u2019t keep up with her. I am so frustrated!\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve asked some supporters what they do to deal with their frustration. Here\u2019s what they said:<\/p>\n
\u201cI just take a time out. Really. I literally walk out the door and go for a walk around the block.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI go for a long drive. A real long drive. I don\u2019t go anywhere specific, just drive aimlessly, as long as it\u2019s really long. Anywhere just to get out of the house for awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI go talk to a friend. It\u2019s like literally crying on someone\u2019s shoulder. Everyone needs a good cry now and then, right? I find that after I cry it all out, I can go back home and face another day of the neverending frustration.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI yell into a pillow. Really. I put the pillow over my head and scream as loud as I can. It really helps me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI take a shower and scream in the shower as loud as I can. The noise of the shower helps to drown out my screams. But I feel better afterwards.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI write in my journal. I don\u2019t care about things like spelling or grammar. It doesn\u2019t even matter what I write \u2013 I just keep writing and writing until all the frustration is out on the paper and I feel better. Then I stop writing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI go to the park and watch the children play. It\u2019s to remind me that even though there are bad things like bipolar disorder in the world, there are still some good things in the world, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
The one main thing you need to know about dealing with frustration is that you do need to deal with it. If you just stuff your feelings, you can make yourself sick physically, and then you won\u2019t be any good to your loved one or yourself. Maybe you can use one of these suggestions.<\/p>\n
Well, I have to go!<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi,<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re a supporter to a loved one with bipolar disorder, there can be many feelings that you have to learn to cope and deal with. Along with positive feelings such as compassion and<\/p>\n
understanding\u2026Unfortunately, there are also negative feelings with which you also have to deal as well.<\/p>\n
Some of these negative feelings can include:<\/p>\n
\u2022\tResentment<\/p>\n
\u2022\tFear<\/p>\n
\u2022\tDisillusionment<\/p>\n
\u2022\tDisappointment<\/p>\n
\u2022\tDespair<\/p>\n
\u2022\tDepression<\/p>\n
\u2022\tLoneliness<\/p>\n
\u2022\tAnger<\/p>\n
\u2022\tHelplessness<\/p>\n
\u2022\tHopelessness<\/p>\n
\u2022\tGuilt<\/p>\n
\u2022\tShame<\/p>\n
\u2026and frustration.<\/p>\n