I have recenlty been diagnosed as bipolar and am undergoing therapy and taking medications to help me. I am happy I have gotten the help I have needed for so many years. I am looking forward to leading a more normal and healthy life. My problem is my best friend doesn't even believe bipolar is a real illness. He says he has never even known anyone that suffered from any type of mental illness.He doesn't understand why I can't just ';stop feeling sorry for myself, realize what a great life I have and be happy';. How can I explain to him that it's very real? Are there any good websites or books I can share with him that give tips on understanding the illness? This is causing a real rift in our friendship. He means a lot to me and I need all the support I can get right now. Any advice or suggestions are great appreciated.I need advice on how to explain my bipolar disorder to my best friend.?
Hi I found this and thought it might be of help to you
How To Explain Bipolar
Disorder to Others
How do you explain your, or a loved one's, condition to the others?
Here are a few sentences to help you organize your thoughts. Choose
the most appropriate explanations and modify as needed.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: One hour estimated
Here's How:
Stripped down to basics, people with bipolar disorder have mood
swings, from elation to depression, that don't necessarily have
anything to do with what's going on in their lives.
Bipolar disorder is also called manic depression, and it appears to
be caused by electrochemical abnormalities in the brain.
TV shows like to show people with bipolar disorder as criminals, but
don't worry - only a small percentage are ever violent, and I'm not
one of them!
';Mania'; and ';manic'; don't mean ';crazy'; - they refer to extra high
emotions, full of energy, fast-talking, not needing much sleep [add
appropriate symptoms].
I am a rapid cycler - that means I can be ultra-excited one day and
deeply depressed the next, for no obvious reason. [Modify this to fit
the person's cycle pattern.]
I get into what are called ';mixed states'; when I seem to have a lot
of energy but at the same time am really down, angry or panicky.
There are a lot of possible medications for bipolar disorder. My
doctor has started me out on _____, but if that doesn't work, we'll
just try something else.
When I'm manic, I have particular problems with [choose symptoms
like: spending too much money, talking too much, not making a lot of
sense].
Inappropriate anger can be a symptom of bipolar disorder. I might say
or have said hurtful things that I really don't mean - I'm sorry!
Finding the right medication should help control that behavior.
When I get depressed or into a mixed state, I sometimes feel
suicidal. That's my illness talking - but it's serious. You might
have to get me to a hospital if I seem really bad.
Bipolar disorder seems to be inherited but the exact cause is not
known yet.
Don't worry if I _________ [behavior you and your doctor agree is
symptomatic but not dangerous by itself].
If I start ________ [behavior you and your doctor agree is
dangerous], tell me to call my doctor, or take me to the hospital.
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Tips:
All of the above can be modified to be about someone else, not
yourself - e.g., ';He is a rapid cycler'; or ';she gets into mixed
states.';
Educate yourself as much as possible about your condition by reading
up on it, and urge close family members to do the same.
Give careful consideration to whom and to what extent you share these
very personal details about yourself. There are those who will simply
never understand. If you lose a friend, it is their loss!
RELATED LINKS AND INFO
Bipolar is a Serious Psychiatric Condition Types of Bipolar Disorder
Effects of Manic Depressive Illness Overview of Depression and
Bipolar Bipolar FAQs - Answers All Your Basic Questions How to
Explain Bipolar Disorder to Others
This information comes from the Healty Place web site at
http://www.healthyplace.com/index.asp
the aboved mentioned links can be found at the web site indicatedI need advice on how to explain my bipolar disorder to my best friend.?
Ask your psychiatrist or therapist if he could come to one of the appts just to hear about what bipolar is. My docs have offered to explain things to family and friends. Thats what they are there for to be on your side. I hope your friend comes around with things. Be sure to know when to stop trying to explain yourself because you shouldnt have to anyway.
This can be bite tricky, and unfortanately he may never be empathetic. According to him, he has never known anyone with a mental illness, but how exactly does he know that? Many people live relatively normal lives and others would never suspect they suffer from an illness. You can provide him with books from the library, and websites like WebMD, Mayo Clinic, National Institute for Mental Disorders, etc. But, I suspect it will not significantly change his view.
The sad fact is, psychological disorders are still stigmatized and viewed more as a flawed internal characteristic. Many people do not realize that these disorders cross so many boundries, and no one is immune. Just because you live until 90 with out a problem, does not mean that at 91 you will not become severely depressed or start hearing voices, etc. Or, suffering from a head injury, etc, may precipitate some forms of mental illness. He may be one of those individuals that cannot understand until something effects him directly.
With that said, you can try to inform him. But, at the same time, realize that you cannot get very far with someone that is closed-minded and chooses to remain ignorant. If he makes a valid effort to understand, then he is a true friend.
It is hard for people that don't have mental disorders to understand what you are going thru. You could look up Bipolar Disorder on WebMD (and if he is willing to read it) that would be a start. Don't expect him to change everything about himself to accommodate your disorder, give him time to take it all in. As much as you have to try to understand about the treatment he is having to understand the problem. Be open and listen to his concerns and let him ask questions and be honest with him.
Please understand i am crazy.
It might broaden his perspective to read A Remarkable Medicine Has Been Overlooked, written by the founder of The Dreyfus Foundation, Jack Dreyfus, about his own battle with Depression - another debilitating and little understood mental disorder. It's a real eye-opener.
explain to him in a closed room
or like get on top of him and explain everything
or even record yourself and compare yourself to him and other people
or be like ';i can kill you so dont play with me';
thats what i did (i dont think ihave a mental illness) and people always listen
mental disorders are recognised by the medical profession as an illness otherwise they would not treat it as such.
with this in mind, think of your bipolar disorder as a neurochemical imballance in your brain. our emotions are based on chemical reactions taking place within your brain, people who have bipolar disorder generally have a problem as such with their brain producing chemicals at the wrong time or in the wrong amounts which can lead your mood.
I hope you get the help you need so that you can overcome this.
If he is not open to your condition, he is not a friend, period. i am sorry to say that, but it's true.
Why not take him to a therapy appointment with you? If he's unwilling to go, is he really your friend?
good luck on your treatment.
i hope your best friend understands.
Tell him this:
Its like running for a mile up a hill needing to get there fast...almost at the top tripping %26amp; falling back down to bottom...
Good 鈾?Luck %26amp; stay on your meds.
I agree with the above answers and would like to suggest that you invite him to come to a therapy session with you (with your therapist's prior approval). You therapist can help explain to him how your illness might affect him, and even what signs to look for should you go off your meds or need other kinds of intervention. If you patiently explain the disease and how it affects you, and he still blows it off as not real, perhaps he is a ';fair-weather'; friend.
Glad to hear you are getting the help you need and also that you want the help.
I grew up in a family that has a history of Bipolar disorder.
We explain it to the kids by comparing it to diabetes.
There is a short circuit in the amount of chemicals that keep the brain functioning as it should and meds and therapy help to balance the chemicals.
www.everydayhealth.com does a good job of explaining it.
However, if your friend refuses to accept that Bipolar is a legitimate illness after being educated, there is not much you can do.
Simply give him the information, tell him it is important to you that he be understanding and hope for the best. In the long run it is ourselves we control, not others.
What Is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic-depressive illness, is a condition that affects more than two million Americans. People who have this illness tend to experience extreme mood swings, along with other specific symptoms and behaviors. These mood swings or ';episodes'; can take three forms: manic episodes, depressive episodes, or ';mixed'; episodes.
The symptoms of a manic episode often include elevated mood (feeling extremely happy), being extremely irritable and anxious, talking too fast and too much, and having an unusual increase in energy and a reduced need for sleep. It's also very common for someone to act impulsively during a manic episode, and engage in behaviors that are risky or that they later regret, like spending sprees. And in over half of all manic episodes, people are troubled by delusions or hallucinations. For example, they may think they have a relationship with someone famous, claim to be an expert in an area they really know nothing about, feel paranoid (unusually fearful), or hear voices that are not there.
The symptoms of a depressive episode often include an overwhelming feeling of emptiness or sadness, a lack of energy, a loss of interest in things, trouble concentrating, changes in normal sleep or appetite, and/or thoughts of dying or suicide.
A mixed episode includes symptoms that are both manic and depressive.
What causes it?
The symptoms of bipolar disorder are thought to be caused by an imbalance of key chemicals in the brain. The brain is made up of billions of nerve cells that move a constant stream of information from one to the other. To keep the information flowing, the cells release chemicals known as ';neurotransmitters.'; Two key neurotransmitters that are needed for brain function are dopamine and serotonin, which play a crucial role in emotional health.
Many scientists believe that when the levels of these neurotransmitters aren't quite right, it may result in bipolar disorder. For instance, too much dopamine in certain parts of the brain can cause symptoms such as delusions, while too little dopamine in other parts of the brain can cause symptoms such as a lack of emotion and energy.
The exact way ABILIFY (aripiprazole) (or any other medicine for Bipolar I Disorder) works is unknown. However, experts believe that ABILIFY works by adjusting dopamine, instead of completely blocking it, as well as affecting serotonin.
How can medicine help me?
Although there is no cure for bipolar disorder, medicine can play a key role in helping you manage your symptoms and extreme mood swings. It can help make your behavior more even and predictable.
Many people act very agitated, uncooperative, and aggressive during acute manic episodes, which can be frightening. Medicine can help get these behaviors back under control. Once that's achieved, your healthcare provider may recommend continuing medicine (along with psychotherapy and support from your family and friends) to help you stay stable.
But taking medicine as prescribed and staying on it can be hard. You may feel like you don't need medicine when your symptoms improve. And because the side effects can be bothersome, you may want to stop taking medicine altogether. It's important to continue taking your medicine until you talk with your healthcare provider.
If you have questions about how your medicine is working, you should be talking to your healthcare provider.
Counseling, training, and support
With counseling, including psychotherapy, training, and support from family and friends, you may find it easier to deal with the emotions and stresses of bipolar disorder. Find out about sources of support and other resources for information.
Hear actual firsthand accounts of people who have been diagnosed with Bipolar I Disorder and are taking ABILIFY, in Personal Stories.
He is your best friend, he should understand your problems. You don't need proof to tell him. Just try to explain everything to him. One day he'll understand you. Have a very serious talk with him. Good luck!!
Since you are together a lot and he means a lot to you, you must know him pretty well. What type of person is he? Sensitive or not? I think some people (like myself) are not good at understanding others without first hand experience, which doesn't mean that he is not understanding, or nice to you. This might be some type of ';disease';. Just give him and yourself some time, and he will understand you eventually. If he can't understand you very well now, give him some time, which will take some pressure off him and also off yourself. Friendship is important, especially with someone you cherish this much.
Take care and hope you recover soon.
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