How to Deal with a Bipolar Husband
Educate yourself about bipolar disorder., Undergo treatment together., Adopt a schedule., Provide your husband with a safe space., Teach your children about bipolar disorder., Recognize when the bipolar is talking instead of your husband.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Educate yourself about bipolar disorder.
One way to help deal with your bipolar husband is to learn more about bipolar.
Learn about the symptoms, the different phases, and even the different types.
Educating yourself can help you learn how to identify manic or depressive episodes, understand the chemical imbalance behind the episodes, and look for any troubling behavior.Knowing about bipolar can help you avoid surprises and reduce frustration from misunderstanding the disorder. -
Step 2: Undergo treatment together.
When you have a bipolar husband, both of you need to be part of the treatment process.
This means going to see your husband’s psychiatrist with him.
This allows you to become part of the treatment process, which may help to lead to a healthier marriage.
You can give the doctor an honest assessment of your husband’s behavior, and the doctor can help you understand your husband more.Make sure you get your husband’s consent, otherwise a psychiatrist won’t be able to include you in the sessions.
Let your husband know that you are not going to his sessions with him to try to control him or override him, but to offer support and be part of the treatment process because his successful treatment and management affects both of you. , When you live with a bipolar husband, you should help him adopt a schedule.
This routine can help your husband avoid surprises and triggers.
This schedule should include a consistent sleep time, daily exercise, a healthy diet, and counseling.
Other daily or weekly activities can be included into the schedule.Include spending time together in the schedule.
It is important that you and your husband communicate, spend time together, and continuously work on your marriage.
For example, you may decide that every Saturday night for three hours will be couples time.
You may go to the movies, go to dinner, or put on music and spend time together in the house.
Remove all distractions during this time, including cell phones and computers. , You should build a home where your husband feels safe.
He needs a safe space to let out his feelings without threat of being punished or condemned.
People with bipolar need safe spaces to deal with the frustrations they feel because of their illness.To help build this safe space, make sure your husband understands that it is okay for him to express his true feelings to you.
Be there to talk to him whenever his bipolar overwhelms him. , If you have children, then you shouldn’t hide your husband’s bipolar disorder from your children.
They should learn what it means that their father is bipolar.
They should also be taught how society views mental illness, bipolar in particular, and help them come up with coping skills.Tell your children to be honest about their feelings.
Let them know their feelings are valid, such as being embarrassed or angered by your husband’s actions.
Try not to make your husband’s mental illness a family secret that your children feel they cannot talk about.
This isn’t healthy and can cause your children to fear your husband or his illness. , Sometimes, the bipolar disorder may cause your husband to say things he does not mean.
If he is extremely irritable, he may say harsh words.
If he is depressed, he may talk about how it would be better if he was dead or how he doesn’t care about anything.
Try to learn how to separate the bipolar words from your husband’s words.This may take awhile to figure out.
You may need the help of your husband’s psychiatrist to help you figure out how to separate the two.
Remember, learning how to identify the bipolar words does not give your husband an excuse to verbally abuse you.
Talk to the psychiatrist if your husband is verbally abusing you and ask for help. -
Step 3: Adopt a schedule.
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Step 4: Provide your husband with a safe space.
-
Step 5: Teach your children about bipolar disorder.
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Step 6: Recognize when the bipolar is talking instead of your husband.
Detailed Guide
One way to help deal with your bipolar husband is to learn more about bipolar.
Learn about the symptoms, the different phases, and even the different types.
Educating yourself can help you learn how to identify manic or depressive episodes, understand the chemical imbalance behind the episodes, and look for any troubling behavior.Knowing about bipolar can help you avoid surprises and reduce frustration from misunderstanding the disorder.
When you have a bipolar husband, both of you need to be part of the treatment process.
This means going to see your husband’s psychiatrist with him.
This allows you to become part of the treatment process, which may help to lead to a healthier marriage.
You can give the doctor an honest assessment of your husband’s behavior, and the doctor can help you understand your husband more.Make sure you get your husband’s consent, otherwise a psychiatrist won’t be able to include you in the sessions.
Let your husband know that you are not going to his sessions with him to try to control him or override him, but to offer support and be part of the treatment process because his successful treatment and management affects both of you. , When you live with a bipolar husband, you should help him adopt a schedule.
This routine can help your husband avoid surprises and triggers.
This schedule should include a consistent sleep time, daily exercise, a healthy diet, and counseling.
Other daily or weekly activities can be included into the schedule.Include spending time together in the schedule.
It is important that you and your husband communicate, spend time together, and continuously work on your marriage.
For example, you may decide that every Saturday night for three hours will be couples time.
You may go to the movies, go to dinner, or put on music and spend time together in the house.
Remove all distractions during this time, including cell phones and computers. , You should build a home where your husband feels safe.
He needs a safe space to let out his feelings without threat of being punished or condemned.
People with bipolar need safe spaces to deal with the frustrations they feel because of their illness.To help build this safe space, make sure your husband understands that it is okay for him to express his true feelings to you.
Be there to talk to him whenever his bipolar overwhelms him. , If you have children, then you shouldn’t hide your husband’s bipolar disorder from your children.
They should learn what it means that their father is bipolar.
They should also be taught how society views mental illness, bipolar in particular, and help them come up with coping skills.Tell your children to be honest about their feelings.
Let them know their feelings are valid, such as being embarrassed or angered by your husband’s actions.
Try not to make your husband’s mental illness a family secret that your children feel they cannot talk about.
This isn’t healthy and can cause your children to fear your husband or his illness. , Sometimes, the bipolar disorder may cause your husband to say things he does not mean.
If he is extremely irritable, he may say harsh words.
If he is depressed, he may talk about how it would be better if he was dead or how he doesn’t care about anything.
Try to learn how to separate the bipolar words from your husband’s words.This may take awhile to figure out.
You may need the help of your husband’s psychiatrist to help you figure out how to separate the two.
Remember, learning how to identify the bipolar words does not give your husband an excuse to verbally abuse you.
Talk to the psychiatrist if your husband is verbally abusing you and ask for help.
About the Author
Christina Mitchell
Committed to making crafts accessible and understandable for everyone.
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