Vim & Vigor - Summer 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center - (Page 36)
Caregivers
Need to
take Care of
themselves,
too
Like many serious illnesses, bipolar disorder
affects patients as well as the people who
care for them: spouses, other family members, friends.
Often, these caregivers give such good
care to the patients that they forget to take
care of themselves or feel guilty for setting
appropriate limits for the patients' inappropriate behavior (such as acting out).
"I like to remind caregivers that they
can't really take good care of someone else
if they are not taking care of themselves,"
says Carol Minor, LCSW, director of GMC's
Employee Assistance Program and clinician
with Affiliates in Counseling and Psychology.
They may exhibit signs of stress by missing work or being too tired to enjoy things
they used to enjoy. They may experience
physical and mental exhaustion as well as
strained relationships with others.
If you start to feel overwhelmed with
your duties as caregiver, join a support group
or talk to your primary care physician.
Q
How is it diagnosed?
For Solatano, bipolar disorder is a contributing factor
in both the end of his marriage and the loss of his job
as a substitute teacher. People with bipolar disorder
face similar challenges in real life.
"It's common to experience problems in work,
social and family relationships due to extreme mood
states," Miklowitz explains. "To complicate things
further, the moods of people with bipolar disorder are
negatively affected by stress in their relationships."
Though treatments can help minimize these problems, they don't erase them. Bipolar individuals,
along with their employers, co-workers and the people who care about them, should educate themselves
and make adjustments accordingly. Changes could
include, for example, a more flexible work schedule
to allow for adequate sleep and counseling sessions.
In Silver Linings Playbook, Solatano's diagnosis comes after a particularly violent
altercation during which he nearly beats someone to
death. His diagnosis lets him skip jail time but puts
him in a mental institution for eight months.
For most people, it's not a single event that precedes a diagnosis. "Most people seek the help of a
mental health professional after experiencing symptoms for an average of 10 years before getting a diagnosis," Miklowitz explains.
To be diagnosed as bipolar, individuals must
undergo a physical examination and blood tests to
rule out other problems that could be causing symptoms. Next, a psychological evaluation is performed,
usually along with analysis of moods and sleep patterns, to determine whether the person meets the
criteria for a diagnosis.
vIdEO
Mental
DisorDers:
Q
How does bipolar
disorder affect a
person's life?
Curious About a
Loved One-or You?
Go to gwinnettmedicalcenter.org/
bipolar to watch a video about bipolar
disorder, including symptoms, medication
and other treatments.
36
SU M M E R 2 014
http://www.gwinnettmedicalcenter.org/bipolar
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Summer 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center
Contents
Phil’s Feature
3 Ways to Give
Summer Numbers
Stress SOS
The Truth About Sunscreen
The Transformers
Get Your Head in the Game
The Journey Continues
On the Cover
The Foot Follies
Friendly Fat
Virtual Health
PrimeTime Health
Back in the Swing
And the Beat Goes On
Out of the White Coat
Transforming Healthcare
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center
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