If you or someone you love is struggling with bipolar disorder, it’s essential to know what to do when someone is having a manic episode or depressive episode. Most people have a better understanding of how to help someone with depression symptoms than they do someone with symptoms of mania. Thankfully, there are easy ways you can learn to support your loved ones, keep your boundaries, and encourage them to get help.
Water Gap Wellness Center offers Bipolar Treatment near New York. Contact us today to learn more about our mental health treatment center can help you better manage your condition.
What is a Manic Episode?
A manic episode is one symptom of bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder manifests with severe mood swings, both highs and lows. A manic episode is a high period. Mania signs can be so extreme that they disrupt daily life. Moreover, manic episodes can last for weeks or months, leading to severe short-term disruptions to productivity, relationships, and work.
What Are Common Symptoms of Mania?
Mania signs can look different for everyone but typically involves a great deal of energy and irritability. Some people might:
- Have feelings of self-importance
- Be irritable
- Talk rapidly
- Have lots of new ideas or plans they think are very important
- Become agitated or irritated easily
- Struggle with hallucinations
- Not sleep as much or eat as they should
- Engage in reckless behavior
- Waste money
- Be unable to focus
- Engage in gambling, excessive drinking, or unsafe sex
What to Do When Someone is Having a Manic Episode
If you have a loved one with bipolar disorder, you might want to know what to do when someone is having a manic episode and how you can avoid making it worse or help keep them from recklessness or harm.
Educate Yourself
What is a manic episode? What can you do to support someone with a manic episode? What type of treatment is best?
These are all questions that you can get answers to when you learn more about bipolar disorder. One of the best ways that you can help someone showing mania signs or other bipolar disorder symptoms is to educate yourself about the disorder, learn more about how it works, what causes bipolar disorder, and what treatment can help. The more you know, the more confident you will feel, encouraging your loved one to get help, showing patience, or being understanding.
For example: Stress can make a depressive episode mania episode, or other episodes worse, so you can find ways to help your loved one by taking over certain daily tasks that might add stress to their life during a manic episode. If you see symptoms of mania, volunteer to make meals for a friend so they don’t have to or get up early and take care of the kids before school for your spouse.
Be Understanding
When someone has a manic episode, you must let them know you’re there for them. Many people don’t get help because they don’t want to feel like a burden, so it’s vital that you remind your friend or family member that you love them and that you will be there for them no matter what, even if it means sitting around and listening to them or driving them to appointments.
A big part of understanding and education is knowing that your loved one can’t control their moods, so they can’t just look on the bright side or stop their behavior. But it also means taking responsibility for your limits. You can offer support but can’t force someone to get treatment.
Get Help
One of the best ways you can support someone with bipolar disorder, especially someone showing mania signs, is to encourage them to seek treatment and support them during treatment. It might not be easy, but facilities like Water Gap Wellness Center offer specialized mental health treatment for a depressive episode, mania episode, or combination.
We are a premier mental health treatment center located in an idyllic, natural setting of private land. Taking you away from the hustle and bustle of your day gives you a chance to relax, focus inward, and learn how to cope with symptoms of mania.
Our top-of-the-line facility provides multiple levels of outpatient care for mental health and dual-diagnosis situations. With our on-site psychiatrists, you will participate in two individual therapy sessions with masters-level clinicians, daily group therapy sessions, relapse prevention therapy, and recreational activities.
Contact Water Gap Wellness Center today to learn more about mania symptoms and our outpatient mental health treatment center near New Jersey.
