LIFE AROUND BIPOLAR DISORDER DISEASE

Pooja Ambastha

Victims are not only confined to the patient but also loved ones around them.

Bipolar Disorder, a medical condition where one experience extreme mood swings and shifts in energy and activity levels, this is characterized by manic (or hypomanic) and depressive episodes.

Many people are aware of the depressive symptoms like suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem, losing interest in doing manual daily tasks (like brushing, bathing etc.), sleeping too much or sleeping too less and experiencing anxiety.

But what many people including the family of the patients failed to notice the maniac symptoms of this disease which includes person experiencing extremely high mood swings, feeling overly active and excited, having high sense of euphoria, sudden shifts in mood like uncontrollable laughter, feeling irritable and the manic episode if left undiagnosed it can suddenly shift into serious symptoms like hallucinations or having untrue beliefs (for e.g. “I can fly” , “someone is spying on me” etc.).

Bipolar disorder not only casts a shadow on the lives of individuals diagnosed with the condition but also profoundly impacts the lives of their families, friends, and loved ones.

Witnessing someone’s unpredictable behavior (especially if that someone is a parent) can be mentally exhausting. To keep up with the manic highs and depressive lows, dealing with all the extreme mood swings is emotionally draining leading to the feelings of anger (which later turns into guilt), frustration, helplessness and living in a constant fear of uncertainty, never knowing when the person may suddenly go into depression or become maniac.

For instance, for months you would witness your loved one crying and sleeping whole day and suddenly one evening they wake up feeling all excited, elated and too much active. The unpredictability of this disease is what makes it so much more challenging to live with and much more difficult to manage.

Family members taking the role of care-givers especially the children taking care of their diagnosed parents from the early age experiences emotional burnout, anxiety, depression etc. and have trouble coping up with the unpredictable nature of the disease, giving rise to the toxic feelings of resentment, anger, frustration etc. from an early age.

Witnessing their parents with bipolar disorder and significant shifts in their mood can be frightening and confusing. It may cause behavioral problems like acting out or isolating completely from the society.

Young adults who watch their loved ones’ struggles with bipolar disorder often experience significant emotional and psychological distress. A lot of compromises take place as one takes the responsibility of the caregiver from a young age affecting both personal and professional life, as one faces difficulty in concentrating in career goals and academic life.

They can limit their career choices and whatever decisions they make regarding their professional life; they must always keep in mind about the impact of the decisions on their loved ones because a person diagnosed with bipolar disorder have difficulty in accepting change. In an age where they see their friends, colleagues enjoying their youthful days and just focusing on their career goals, they take additional responsibilities and manage everything at once with no choice.

Young adults may feel guilty for their own emotions or for not being able to “fix” their loved one’s condition. They may also experience shame due to the stigma surrounding mental illness. Those who witness loved ones suffering from bipolar disorder are more likely to develop mental health problems themselves like anxiety, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder etc.

The financial burden the family faces due to continuous medications, psychiatrist appointments, therapy sessions with psychologists and if the episodes take severe turn, then hospitalization incurring significant costs. The demands of the illness can disrupt the family’s routine and household responsibilities, potentially leading to increased expenses or reduced savings.

Overall, Bipolar Disorder, like any other mental health disorder, impacts not just the person who has it, but also their entire family. It is always difficult to see our loved ones waging the battle alone, and all we can do is face it with bravery and a never-give-up attitude, providing only love and care and ensuring that we are always there for them. The additional tasks may be tiring, but nothing is more exhausting than seeing our loved ones suffer from this condition.

Pooja Ambastha, Gauhati University

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