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I think my mom is bipolar, and I don't know how to tell her
I think my mom is bipolar. She has pills for depression, and her dad has depression too. i am worried about her. I want to ask her to go see a doctor, but I dont want her to go off on me.
How do you think I should bring up the subject without her getting really depressed??
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Does your mother talk really fast, can't connect one thought to another, has grandiose ideas, visions or delusions? Does she have this ontop of rapid cycling mood swings from depressed back to normal and then a massive high? If none of these things are happening than she likely isn't bipolar.
Unless she's in crisis this likely won't come up with her doctor unless she sees it is a problem and there's not much you can do until a doctor comes to that conclusion when they see her next.
If you think she might go off on you it's worth it to help her understand what others are seeing as a red flag. When you do it do it with your father siblings and people she trusts so she can see there's something to this as remember those who have issues with bipolar won't see the same reality as you do when they are in trouble. I can say that as a survivor of this disease.
Stage a sit down conversation with those who love her and ask her to get checked out at an emergency room if her psychiatrist is hard to reach and have this put to bed and or treated as the case may be by someone who knows for sure.
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Bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression) is characterised by mood swings that can last days, weeks or months. During a manic episode a sufferer may make impulsive decisions such as quitting their job or making large purchases, sleep very little, talk faster than usual and seem generally hyperactive. They also may engage in reckless behaviour, such as inappropriate sexual activity or gambling. During a depressive episode, the sufferer will feel hopeless, so exhausted they may not be able to get out of bed and will often suffer from sleep and weight problems. Suicidal thoughts or actions are also common.
In extreme cases, someone with bipolar may also suffer from mixed episodes, where symptoms of depression are combined with racing thoughts and hyperactivity.
My Mum was diagnosed with bipolar around three years ago and we had absolutely no suspicions at all before that, we just thought she was depressed. Many people assume that bipolar is just constant mood swings but this isn't necessarily the case. My Mum will go through long periods of being very, very depressed followed by short bursts of intense happiness. During those times she will spend alot of money and come up with unrealistic and sometimes crazy ideas.
If the symptoms I have described sound like your mother then find a time when your mum is calm and not likely to get upset or angry, sit her down and say something like 'we've been learning about bipolar in school and some of the symptoms sound like you' or something along those lines. Alternatively, print off some information or find an article in a magazine/newspaper about bipolar disorder and leave it somewhere your mum might find it.
There's no easy way to go about it really but just try and be as sensitive as possible. Ultimately, unless her behaviour completely spirals out of control and causes a danger to herself or others (in which case you should call emergency services) it's up to your mother to speak to her doctor and get the appropriate help and support she needs.
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