Living With Manic Depressive Disorder

Living with manic depressive disorder is like clinging to a tightrope, trying to avoid being sucked upwards into mania or falling into the pit of depression. While performing this balancing act, the person with bipolar disorder is trying not to let anyone outside of a trusted circle of friends and family know how they are struggling. The person with bipolar disorder is suffering from an illness that still carries a hefty stigma among the general population.

The manic depressive person may try to hide their illness from employers, which is no easy task when they are experiencing a manic or depressive episode. In the United States, people who suffer from illnesses and disabilities are legally protected from discrimination by employers. However, if the manic depressive person chooses to hide it from their employer and coworkers, they may find it impossible to hide various manic depressive symptoms. During a depression, they may have difficulty hiding tears from coworkers, clients, or customers. During mania, the person with bipolar disorder may show poor judgment, restlessness, and impulsivity that may alert employers and coworkers that something is wrong.

When dating, they may feel insecure about sharing the fact that they have the medical condition of bipolar disorder. Someone with bipolar disorder may feel uncertain of when they should share information about their mental illness with the person they are dating. It is a terribly uncomfortable feeling not to know if you will be accepted despite your illness. Just remember that if the person you are dating cannot accept you for who you are, bipolar disorder and all, and then it is better to find out early in the relationship before strong attachments have been formed.

When someone with bipolar disorder decides to confide in another person about their diagnosis, they should only share what they are comfortable revealing. The person with bipolar disorder should be ready to answer questions about the disorder. Therefore, it is important for the person with manic depression to be well educated about the disorder. The individual should feel comfortable sharing how the illness affects them before letting someone know about their affliction.

Bipolar disorder can strain all relationships for the person with the disorder. The erratic, impulsive mania and all-engulfing depression can destroy a marriage. Well-intentioned friends and family can become a source of stress for the individual with the disorder. This is a common result from a lack of education about the disorder. Friends and family may expect the person suffering from bipolar disorder to be able to snap out of a depression or simply control impulsive, dangerous behavior that can accompany mania. If family and friends are having difficulty understanding or accepting the illness, consider having family therapy sessions with a therapist to work through these problems.

Being a parent with bipolar disorder brings yet more challenges. Living as a manic depressive parent is not easy. Not only does the individual with bipolar disorder have to struggle to manage their disorder, but they are also responsible for the welfare of their children. My advice to manic depressive parents is to do what you can and ask for help when you need to. Imagine being virtually immobilized by depression while having the responsibility of caring for young children. It is not an easy existence. The parent with bipolar disorder should do what is necessary to control the disorder and take advantage of the periods between episodes. If a parent with bipolar disorder faces a crisis, they need to seek immediate medical attention.

Next article: In The Depths Of Depression - A True Bipolar Disorder Incident