Leisure Time

"I'm very well-educated about bipolar disorder now, and I have great relationships with friends...
I enjoy being around people, which is completely different than before."
-- Stuart

From time to time, everyone has to deal with stress or manage difficult relationships. For people with bipolar disorder, these things can be even more difficult.

If you have bipolar disorder, relationships can be hard at times. You may get tired of people judging how you act. You may get tired of their constant worrying. You may just want to get away from them all.

It's important to take some time for yourself and to do things you enjoy. But isolating yourself too much may not help. Having trusted family and friends who care about you is key. If you have bipolar disorder, they can be helpful.

Stressors that may make bipolar disorder worse:

Not enough or too much sleep
Becoming too busy; uneven level of activity
Using alcohol or street drugs
Isolating yourself
Stress at work
Lack of exercise
Major life changes such as moving, changing jobs, getting married, breaking up, or losing a loved one

Ways to help deal with stressors:

Record your moods on a Mood Chart
Create a personal support network
Attend a support group regularly
Identify the personal, specific stressors (including people) that can trigger your episodes
Take your medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes it
Write a Treatment Contract and review it frequently. In the contract, you would agree to give another person permission to carry out instructions for your treatment if you became unable to do it yourself.
Keep your appointments with your healthcare provider

Your relationships

If you have bipolar disorder, sometimes called manic depression, your first reaction may be to keep your condition a secret. Certainly sharing it with others is hard.

But keeping your condition a secret from people close to you may not be the best thing to do. It may be helpful if your trusted friends and family know what you're going through. Your healthcare provider or therapist can help you decide that.

During a manic episode, you may do things that you wouldn't do normally. You may hurt people that you care about. You may make bad decisions that are tough to fix. Picking up the pieces can be hard.

Sometimes, it may seem easier to isolate yourself after this happens. You may be ashamed of how you've acted. You may be afraid to face your friends and family again. But isolation usually isn't good.

Instead, consider reaching out to the people that you hurt. Explain how you really haven't been yourself. You may need to make some apologies. If you did something wrong, you may want to let them know you're getting help.

Bipolar disorder is an illness like other medical illnesses. It's not something to be ashamed of.

Next: Understanding Suicide