Taking care of yourself is the best thing you can do for a loved one who has bipolar disorder.
People who take care of those battling bipolar disorder are likely to 'experience a different quality of burden than is seen with other illnesses'. [1]
Like bipolar disorder, caregiving itself can have its own ups and downs.
And this is especially true if the caregiver is a spouse, parent, offspring, sibling or a close loved one of the affected individual.
A general lack of knowledge about bipolar disorder and its symptoms . . . the stress of coping with disruptions to personal & professional routines . . . psychological issues of their own . . . and perceptions about the stigma associated with the condition can all make matters worse for a family caregiver.
In spite of such challenges, family caregivers can play a vital role in helping their affected loved one to i) proactively monitor & manage symptoms and ii) tackle many of the functional limitations that result from the condition.