What Is It Like Loving A Person With Manic Depression?

 

Loving someone with Manic Depression is difficult but exciting; Manic Depression is a mental disorder marked by alternating periods of elation and depression more popularly known as Bi-Polar Disorder.

It’s difficult to stick with someone that suffers from Manic Depression but when you do you can have some of the most exciting moments in your life. It is important to tough it out for some real rough rides and understand it’s just a chemical imbalance something that can not be controlled but can be monitored.

Some days you will have to face it alone.

Manic Depression comes with days to weeks to months of extreme highs where you can be the happiest you have been in your life but then can come with days to weeks to months of extreme lows and that is where you find some difficulty.

The best thing you can do for someone who suffers from Manic Depression during the low days is let them be sad, they may not want to leave the comforts of their bed all day, they may not want to eat much all day or speak to you much. You must give them comfort during these times but leave them be when they see fit. Don’t take the rejection to heart sometimes we all need to face our demons alone.*

Just go with it, adventure is in your future.

During the months of extreme highs comes an impulsive behavior and although this also comes with not so smart actions it also comes with some amazing adventures. One day they may decide they want to go cliff jumping or go on a road trip to the middle of nowhere just to see what is there.

This will bring an excitement to your life you won’t get with just any other person.

Sometimes you have to protect them especially from themselves.

Both during highs and lows there can be times where you are needed to protect them from themselves, during highs the impulsivity can go too far or can cause them to do something dangerous to others and themselves. You are the only rational anchor they have during these times.

During extreme lows, they will spend a lot of their time not wanting to move or do anything at all but there could be times when they will find themselves in situations where they can hurt themselves physically or emotionally.*

They understand that what they are feeling is irrational

You don’t need to say crying over there not being any more peanut butter when we wanted a peanut butter sandwich is a silly reason to cry we know and we understand. You need to understand it is not our fault and not fully under our control.

They love harder than most

Because of the extreme highs love and caring is something we feel more than most, also because of the extreme lows being just around the corner some people who suffer from manic depression overcompensate in order to keep you.* These are the moments that you need to cherish.

*Symptoms vary from person to person this is just a general list that I have complied when looking back onto how my past relationships handled my manic depression.