Help us Help Him

[MzPree]

i have bipolar my mother has bipolar and I'm trying to help my son navigate through his bipolar journey. Do you have any ideas for supporting him. I know how to help me but Im scared that I may make it worse. Sometimes I say the wrong thing or the right thing at the wrong time. I just see him where I was after I was Baker acted. I don't remember how I got through it. I just remember one day I was ok.

[blackcat64013]

Hi MzPree 👋,I am in awe of families living with more than person who has bipolar or any other mental illnesses.

My advice comes from a friend who reminds me to check in by asking if he is up or down today? Admittedly, it's not a question I ask routinely of depressed or anxious people I meet.

He has a self care plan for each of those states because he cycles through slowly 🐌 and can generally tell when his mood is changing.

The plan will guide our interactions and those with his wife, his main carer. So far we have had only a few minor upsets 😡 I don't know how he goes with his wife and small children.

I think the question is still worth putting into your vocabulary 🤔 🐈‍⬛

[Starrlight]

I would listen and keep open communication, so you may get a picture of what others can do during each of the different moods he has.

I have bipolar 1 myself and when I get particularly overwhelmed sometimes it’s hard to ask for help. Maybe if you see he is struggling you could hang around and he might be open with you and say what he needs or you may feel it’s ok to ask , “Do you want help with that?” I don’t know what you already have tried. Also one of the most important things to me is that people see me and treat me with respect while helping me get to a place where I feel relief because sometimes I have trouble functioning like I usually would be able to. I also get worried people will leave me so “I’m here for you” is nice. I don’t know if he gets thinking that way or not. You know him, trust your instinct.

Best to you and your son.

P.s. I’ve learned that when I get very manic or very depressed those can turn into psychosis so it’s important to have a plan (where will I go for meds/ and or treatment like an emergency visit to hospital or crisis center where they have therapy and psychiatrists)

[litethatnevergoesout]

what is baker acted?

[Nothing_but_books in reply to litethatnevergoesout]

Baker Act is a way to hold you against your wishes.

[litethatnevergoesout in reply to Nothing_but_books]

should I have known this? I’ve never heard of it

[Nothing_but_books in reply to litethatnevergoesout]

You say potato... A rose by any other name...

Call it what you will, there are legal provisions to hold you if "needed."

[blackcat64013 in reply to Nothing_but_books]

Is Baker Açt relevant to a particular country? I haven't heard of it being used to detain someone in Australia.

[san_ray70]

My daughter is Bipolar, she has been the same since she was 21, over the years I have tried to help. Having a daughter was the best thing I thought, she seemed happy for a while. Then when my grandaughter was three she was put in care, my daughter would not let me or her aunt look after her. This happened years ago, her daughter was in care for 2yrs. But now none of the family answer the phone to me, no reason, I live to far to visit.