Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder: Understanding and Helping Your Partner (The New Harbinger Loving Someone Series)

by Julie A. Fast

a stable relationship. When this routine is changed, even slightly, it may cause problems for your partner. Stability is one of the most effective treatments for all bipolar disorder symptoms, especially mania. Be aware that the following changes can act as mania triggers: Changes to a set schedule A large change in the family, such as the birth of a child or a move to a new area Travel (especially across time zones) Time changes (such as switching to daylight savings time) A friend or family member moving away A change at work or school, such as a promotion or graduation Any change that you go through that may affect your partner The really big triggers: As mentioned previously, there are some triggers that you can’t predict or prevent. It will help if you talk about the possibility of these triggers with your partner before they occur, so that you can discuss how you will handle them if they do appear. Just knowing that a big trigger will almost always make your partner ill will help you to be ready as soon as something happens. For this reason, it’s important that you and your partner discuss these triggers before they happen. Here are some really big mania triggers: A move to a new place Media coverage of terrorist attacks, war, natural disasters, or human suffering Serious arguments, especially when accompanied by physical or verbal abuse The death or illness of a loved one Stressful events, such as a robbery, sexual assault, or car accident The loss of a job, or a ne...