Dealing with A Partner with Bipolar Disorder: Tips from a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist
Dealing with A Partner with Bipolar Disorder: Tips from a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist
“You are just overreacting!”
“Mood swings is natural sometimes”
“Don’t act like a maniac”
“You must be PMSing”
Someone has probably said at least one of these to you if you have bipolar disorder. If you know someone who has this condition, on the other hand, you might have said one or more of these things. You might mean well, but you might not be aware of how these words might impact a person with bipolar disorder.
Hearing these remarks can be upsetting, irritating, depressing, and even harmful for someone with bipolar disorder. Saying them won’t help in any way. So, how can you support someone who is suffering from bipolar disorder? Helping them receive treatment from a cognitive behavioral therapist would be a great idea.
This blog explores some of the actions and words you can take to support a person with bipolar disorder. It also discusses some of the things you should keep quiet about in order to avoid upsetting or frustrating people. If you need further help and support, LifeWorks, a Dubai therapy, and mental health clinic is available for you.
An Overview of Bipolar Disorder
Finding out more about bipolar disorder can be a useful first step if you want to know how to support a friend or loved one who has it. Extreme mood swings are a hallmark of bipolar disorder. A person finds it challenging to function in their daily life, including at work, at home, and in relationships when their mood swings occur.
Mania, hypomania, depression, and mixed episodes can all be part of a person’s mood swings. It is crucial to understand that although genetics play a significant role in bipolar disorder, environmental factors like trauma and a lack of social support are also thought to contribute to the condition’s onset. If you are wondering “where can I find a professional mental health therapist near mein Dubai” – Lifeworks has the best solution for you.
The following are things you should never say to someone who has bipolar disorder
- “You’re Just Overreacting Again”
Phrases like this minimize the person’s experience of this symptom. When supporting a loved one suffering from a mental health condition such as bipolar disorder, it is critical that your words demonstrate empathy rather than exasperation.
Even though you might think your loved one is overreacting, dismissing their emotions as “just” overreacting trivializes their actual experience. Though not intentionally, you will end up making them feel ashamed of themselves.
- “Whatever does not kill you makes you stronger”
Yes, some people go through difficult experiences, learn from them, and emerge stronger as a result. However, this phrase doesn’t apply when you are dealing with someone with bipolar disorder. Between 25% and 60% of people with bipolar disorder attempt suicide, and 4% to 16% die by suicide.
Remove this cliche from your vocabulary. If you have a partner, friend, or family member who has bipolar disorder, be aware that they may experience a crisis and require your assistance. The best thing you can do is insist that they seek professional counseling. At, LifeWorks, a Dubai psychotherapy clinic, the experts have been treating many cases of bipolar disorder for quite a long now.
- “Everyone Experiences Mood Swings from Time to Time”
That is correct. People’s moods change even when they do not have a diagnosable mental health disorder.
However, only people suffering from bipolar disorder, cyclothymia, schizoaffective disorder, and other severe mental illnesses experience frequent and severe mood swings between mania or hypomania and depression. If you know someone with these disorders, a cognitive behavioral therapist can provide the right guidance and treatment.
- “Everybody Experiences Bipolar Disorder Occasionally”
It is offensive to say this to someone who has bipolar disorder. The presence of mood swings does not equate to bipolar disorder. The severity of the symptoms that a person with bipolar disorder experiences is minimized in such statements and the experiences of such individuals are dismissed.
- “You Are a Psychopath”
Nuts, crazy, deranged, bonkers, psycho, or any other derogatory terms used to describe someone’s mental state are hurtful and insensitive to those who suffer from mental health disorders. It’s possible that you’re used to using phrases like these to criticize the actions of your partner or friends without realizing how hurtful they can be to someone who is battling a mental health disorder.
Providing Support for Someone with Bipolar Disorder
There are other things you can do to support a loved one who has bipolar disorder besides avoiding the comments mentioned above. When someone is having a mood episode, this support may be especially crucial:
Encourage Them to Seek Professional Help
Both medication and psychotherapy are frequently used in the treatment of bipolar disorder. By offering to drive your partner to LifeWorks Dubai therapy appointments and encouraging them to take their medication, you can support them a lot. Be careful not to use insensitive language when speaking to someone who has bipolar disorder. Your words should be uplifting and supportive without minimizing those who suffer from psychiatric disorders.
If you would like to talk, feel free to reach out to us. An LifeWorks therapist would be able to help.
Dr. Naeema Ali trained psychology and social worker students of UAE University. She is actively providing counselling support to cancer patients and their families. She launched an occupational therapy for cancer patients and cognitive behavioural therapy in Tawam.
Due to her continued support in oncology and ongoing support to cancer patients, Naeema received countless awards locally and international to recognize her achievements and skills. She has been invited to participate in various conferences and workshops around the world and invited as a guest speaker in various subjects that covers psychology.
She also joined Al Sayegh Medical Center as a Social Worker, providing comprehensive assessment and treatment services to children and families, in inpatient and/or outpatient settings, and communicates with referral sources as indicated by applying psychometric test, such as IQ Test, MMPI, Wechsler Test for children. Exhibit superior communication skills to uncover complicated mental health issues; develop and recommend treatment plans based on patient needs and diagnosis.
She continued working as a clinical psychologist providing counselling within the multi-cultural environment of the Emirates Airlines for the past 15 years. Her main task is providing mental health support to inflight and ground staff and addresses any problems, anxieties, or job-related stresses that they are dealing with. She uses her findings to help improve processes and behaviors of a patient to maintain a safe environment, to manage stress, overcome trauma, or avoid job-related conflicts. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the method Naeema is using to reduce the difficulties, anxieties, and stress that employee faces.
Naeema is also part of “ Shawer ”, the “Seek Our Advice”, and “We Listen To You” program of the Family Development Foundation of Abu Dhabi. The aim of the program was to promote family awareness and support a stable family life. It involves a group of community members who deal with family problems in a positive manner and provide individual and group counseling in social, psychological, and educational areas. They do so in a systematic way according to the needs of community members.
Besides “ Shawer ”, Naeema is also a volunteer of “ Friends of Cancer ” of Sharjah, supporting patients and their families to overcome the multitude psychological difficulties that they are experiencing due to cancer treatment as well as introducing some programs such as health education, self-care and some community programs wherein they can collaborate and share their experiences.
Area of interest:
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Psycho-oncology
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CBT
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Psychometric Assessments
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Children, Adults and Family therapy
Qualification and Membership:
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Psychology graduation from the University of Wisconsin
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Licensed by Community Development Authority
Dr. Mohammed Bardi M.B.B.S, M.D (Psychiatry) has worked under different capacities in clinical and hospital setups in Saudi, USA, and UAE. He comes with over 15 years of experience in mental health. He specifically worked with cases relating to schizophrenic, bipolar disorder, dual diagnosis, major depressive disorder with suicidal risks, anxiety disorders, Intellectual disabilities, Autistic spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD).
Area of interest:
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Mood disorders
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Anxiety disorders
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Improving life skills (social skills, self- esteem, decision making, coping with stress, problem solving, and time management)
Qualification and Membership:
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MBBS COLLEAGUE OF MEDICINE, KING SAUD UNIVERSITY 2003 (KKU).
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ARAB BOARD OF MEDICAL SPECIALTIES IN PSYCHIATRY 2007
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ANXIETY DISORDERS WORKSHOP (DIPLOMA), 2010
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ADDICTION FELLOWSHIP UCLA, USA, 2010-2011
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ADDICTION RESEARCH AND MATRIX TRAINING, ISAP, UCLA, LOS ANGELES, CA, USA 2014-2015
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BACHELOR’S DEGREE OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY
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ARAB BOARD OF MEDICAL SPECIALTIES IN PSYCHIATRY
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ADDICTION FELLOWSHIP UCLA 2011, 2015
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BETTY FORD CERTIFICATE, ADDICTION PROGRAM 2010
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CDA) Licensed Psychologist
Therapeutic Approach:
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At LifeWorks Holistic Counselling Center Dubai, Dr. Bardi works collaboratively within our expert multidisciplinary team, in treating a wide array of psychiatric conditions including:
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Anxiety disorders
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Substance use disorders
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Mood disorders including depression and Bipolar affective disorders
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Psychotic disorders (Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders)
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Personality disorders
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Cognitive disorders including Dementia
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Learning disabilities (intellectual disability disorders)
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Child and adolescents’ disorders like Separation anxiety disorders, conduct
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disorders and ADHD