Every one of us experiences mood swings at one time or another. They are simply a part of life we all have to deal with. They often occur when we are under a great deal of stress. There are a group of people though who rapidly cycle through different moods so rapidly it makes it very hard for them to maintain personal relationships. These frequent mood swings affect the entire family and many couples end up in a divorce as a result. In fact bipolar disorder is rapidly becoming one of the top reasons why people file for divorce these days.

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There are many different types of mental health disorders, any of which could affect any one of us at any time of our lives regardless of our age, gender, background or status. The most common type of mental health disorders are anxiety and depression related disorders.

Certainly, all of us can experience anxiety at times, especially when we have a particularly difficult situation to deal with, like taking a driving test for example, or going for a job interview, but when the anxiety is so severe that it disrupts our daily lives, then it could be that we are suffering from an anxiety- related mental health disorder.

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Husbands, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends of partners with bipolar disorder are the overlooked and underserved mental illness support network of the Bipolar treatment world. Why do you stay in your bipolar relationship?

First, we are never secure about our own emotional needs. Are they more or less important the needs of our mentally ill spouse? If we choose to take care of our own needs first, we often suffer, then punish ourselves with guilt, then get angry toward our sick partner that he or she has caused us such misery.

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During the course of our lives, we all experience ups and downs. Some days we feel happy and care-free, while on other days we just can’t shake the blues. While we may find these mood changes bothersome, they do not disrupt our lives.

In some people, more specifically those diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, mood changes are so drastic and severe that those suffering from the disorder often cannot function in the normal world. Once called Manic Depressive Disorder, the disease responsible for these drastic mood swings is now called Bipolar Disorder.

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Dealing with loss or trauma can be especially difficult for those who suffer from bipolar disorder. Not only are they trying to cope with the traumatic experience, but they are also trying to remain stable and avoid a depressive or manic episode as a result of the stress it caused. Some with bipolar disorder may need to seek extra support to cope with the grief or anxiety that the traumatic event causes.

Everyone experiences grief or anxiety when they experience a loss or trauma. Living with bipolar disorder can be a delicate balancing act. If something creates a lot of stress or anxiety for them, they can easily become overwhelmed and slip into mania or depression. When grieving, it

is not unusual for someone to feel depressed. However, if someone with bipolar disorder grieves and feels depressed, they have to make a conscious effort to try to avoid having a full-blown depressive episode. Sometimes, the looming depressive episode simply cannot be avoided.

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