Bipolar Single Mom
Raising a child while dealing with a brain-based disorder is difficult however for a single mother the stressor in this type of situation is magnified. There is a lot of pressure and challenges that are unique to every single mom who has to negate life alone and juggle parenthood and work obligations. Being the sole provider of their family and the only disciplinarian to a child suffering from bipolar disorder makes life difficult for a lot of single moms. It is important to learn the different causes of bipolar diseases which can help you to determine the right treatment to manage the disorder timely. There can be many factors that lead to bipolar disorder such as genetics, substance abuse, physical illness, and environmental factors. For some people, bipolar disorder is caused because of stressful life events. Single mothers going through bereavement, divorce, and many other life-altering situations causes stress, and depression in life as a result they often fall victim to bipolar disorder.
What Does A Bipolar Disorder Look Like In A Single Mom?
Bipolar disorder refers to a type of disorder that is impacted due to imbalances of brain cells and causes moderate to severe mood swings. If treated and diagnosed properly bipolar disorder can lead to a happy, fulfilling, and well balanced life. But if left untreated then bipolar disorder in single moms can lead to detrimental impacts on their lives including their loved ones. Growing up with a mother diagnosed with bipolar disorder isn’t easy and you might have witnessed her going through severe depression, difficulty getting out of bed for several days, and even suicide attempts. Single moms with bipolar disorder experience aggression, difficult communication, and extreme anger. With medication management, compliance, and affordable treatment it is possible to cure the condition.
Growing up with bipolar single moms can be overwhelming and challenging for the kids as well. There are times when children feel isolated, misunderstood, and alone. They are not alone and hope is there. With proper therapy, counseling, and treatment there is potential that single mothers can live a happy and fulfilling life and can also maintain a healthy relationship with others including their children. There are special considerations that single moms need to take while getting treatment for bipolar disorder during their pregnancy and breastfeeding. These medications can affect the developing baby therefore careful management from the medical staff and psychiatrist is required. You can talk to your mental health professional if you’re planning for pregnancy or experiencing symptoms of bipolar disorder. Ongoing care during your pregnancy and after birth is important. Knowing what you can expect, the type of treatments that you can access, and how to deal with bipolar disorder behavior will help you to manage things easily. There are support groups and online forums that can help single moms and their children get support and useful information.
How Can Bipolar Disorder Affect Single Mothers?
Bipolar disorder is a type of illness that affects how a person thinks, feels and acts. It is a sickness in the brain. People suffering from bipolar disorder think, act and feel differently from others who are mentally well. Having bipolar disorder means your brain will be working differently from the usual way. There are usually two phases to this disorder, the low phase known as depression, and the high phase known as mania. The low phase of bipolar disorder is the one in which a person feels sad and withdrawn. This phase leads to depression. The high phase of bipolar disorder is the one when a person is either too angry or too happy. In this phase, a person feels quite more energetic and outgoing than usual which is referred to as mania. Bipolar disorder may vary from one person to another and it may be mild for some while challenging for others. This disorder can affect single mothers as well as their family members and children in a lot of ways. It can be hard for children with a parent suffering from bipolar disorder as the person may say or do things that can make the children feel sad, bad, scared, angry, and confused. Single moms with bipolar disorder are either in a low or high mood. These mood changes can affect the mental and emotional growth of children.
What Leads To Bipolar Disorder And How It Can Be Fixed?
When chemicals in the brain become off balance it leads to bipolar disorder. There isn’t anything certain about what makes the brain chemicals go off balance. In some situations, symptoms of bipolar disorder may appear suddenly while in some cases it may come after stress, illness, or life crisis. This disorder can either be inherited or genetic. But it usually does not pass to children. Around 1 in 10 children of parents living with bipolar disorder tend to develop this illness while 9 out of 10 do not pass this disease. There isn’t any cure to fix bipolar disorder among parents however the good news is that this condition is treatable. A lot of people living with bipolar disorder can manage their situation with ongoing treatment and keep their illness in control to lead a normal and happy life. Everyone who gets diagnosed and treated tends to improve their situation and get completely better. The chances of bipolar disorder coming back are high therefore you should not stop taking medicines until your healthcare professional asks.
How Can Single Mothers With Bipolar Disorder Feel Better?
A lot of different treatments today are accessible including talk therapy and medicine which can help single mothers with bipolar disorder to feel better and improve their situation. Medicines can make the chemicals inside the brain work in a normal way. This can help people suffering from bipolar disorder to feel, think and behave like their normal cells. Single mothers can go for talk therapy where they can communicate freely with a therapist who is experienced in treating people with bipolar disorder. The therapy and counseling sessions help single moms with bipolar disorder, learn new ways to think, go, behave, and feel in positive ways. A lot of times the therapists talk to their family and children so that the person dealing with bipolar disorder can get improved results much faster. Family support is essential for single moms dealing with bipolar disorder. One of the most essential things that kids can do to make their single moms feel happy and healthy is to have open conversations with their mothers. It is healthy to let grown-ups or parents discuss with their children what is going through their lives and how they are feeling. By talking to friends, families, children, or other grown-ups who care about you and understand you can solve problems and will feel better. Participating in hobbies, engaging activities, and sports with kids and healthy grown-ups is important for single moms with bipolar diseases as they can feel good and have fun with others.
Tips To Be A Good Single Mother If You Have Bipolar Disorder
Being a single mom with bipolar doesn’t mean that you are not capable of being a supportive, loving, and kind mother. You need to make proactive measures and prioritize your mental and physical well-being. All mothers are unbalanced to some extent because of the challenges of raising their children and fulfilling other obligations. 1 in every 25 American adults suffers from serious mental illness and single mothers are at greater risk of suffering from depression, stress, and even bipolar disorder. Following is the list of things that will help you in your journey.
1. Check With Your Doctor If You Are Pregnant
It is important to have routine checks with your doctor to make sure your mental health does not cause an issue during the pregnancy. In case you want to make any changes in your prescription then give your system some time to adjust before starting trying immediately. Also before choosing an OB/GYN make sure they have experience in dealing with mental health or psychiatric meds.
2. Make Your Health A Priority
It is important to prioritize your mental, emotional, and physical health as a single pregnant mother. Do not stop taking medicine unless your doctor tells you to. There are many medications used during pregnancy and the benefits will not cause any risk or detrimental impact on the baby. A depressed or stressed mother is just as bad for the baby as any side effects of the medication might be. If you’re not on medications but have a prior history of depression and bipolar disorder then discuss postpartum depression with your doctor. Prioritize your mental, emotional, and physical health so that it causes no harm to your baby.
3. Seek Help
Bipolar Single moms can improve their situation by seeking amazing support groups in the form of their family members, neighbors, and friends. In case you don’t feel comfortable talking about your life to others or if your loved ones stay away from you then you can build a new network in your community. There are also online resources where you can reach out to a community of single moms and experts through phone, text, and video conferences. For instance, the National Alliance On Mental Illness is a good place to start with. Here you will access a lot of support resources and information that can help you overcome bipolar disorder. Mental Health America comprises pages that are devoted to parenting resources and you can find information on a wide range of topics like successful parenting and mental illness.
How To Cope With Having A Bipolar Single Mother?
A lot of children use a search engine to type “My mom is a single mother and bipolar so how can I help her? Being a child of a bipolar single mother you may find yourself to be a parent rather than a child. Although it can be frustrating to carry the responsibility for your mom and her never-ending demands, there is hope. You can cope with having a bipolar single mom by looking for a supportive therapist that specializes in bipolar disorder. Going for affordable and convenient online therapy will help your mother to improve her mental condition. The impact on children’s mental health can be considerable while growing up with bipolar single mothers. Due to genetic predisposition, it is important to seek treatment as early as possible if you are noticing similar symptoms of bipolar disorder. The earlier you seek therapy and go for appropriate treatment the better will be the outcome. Depending on your and your mother’s needs it is helpful to seek individual psychotherapy, group therapy, or family therapy. Finding a support group that is solely dedicated to the children of mothers suffering from bipolar disorder can also be helpful. You can locate friendships in these groups and meet people with similar experiences. These communities will help you to feel less alone and isolated and more heard, seen, and understood.
Conclusion
The struggle of being a solo mom with bipolar disorder is that she believes that she’s hormonal or overwhelmed by her responsibilities and fails to address that she is having a mental health disorder. The misunderstanding can lead to bipolar disorder and can be misdiagnosed as anxiety, depression, or even borderline personality disorder. Early diagnosis and the right treatment will help single mothers to cope with the condition.
