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Recognizing the Early Signs of Bipolar Disorder: How to Support Someone
- Paulina Arenas
- Apr 30, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: May 4, 2025
Written by Paulina Arenas, Edited by Amy Chan
When people think about bipolar, it’s about having good and bad days, and having terrible mood swings. But it's a lot more than that. It's a lot more complex than that, more than people think. It is a mental health condition that causes massive emotional highs, known as mania, and emotional lows, known as depression (National Institute of Mental Health, 2024). When someone you love is struggling, you may feel helpless and overwhelmed. But you can feel confident with all of it, as there are many ways you can support them that will make a huge difference.
At first, you may not see the red flag or signs of bipolar disorder. It is very easy to miss. Many people think that they are just stressed or going through a tough time, but that's not it. During the mania phase, a person is more energetic than normal, a lot and sleeps very little, seems more careless, and makes a lot of impulsive choices. They feel like nothing can stop them or hurt them The Mania phase
(Mayo Clinic, 2024). While in their depressive phases, they are the complete opposite then their mania phase. They are more tired, less interested in their activities, they may even struggle getting out of bed and withdraw from friends and family. Sometimes these phases can happen at the same time, making it twice as hard on them and even harder to notice what is happening and see if they are okay (NIMH, 2024).
Supporting someone will be hard, it is like watching them get their heart broken. You want to help, but it takes time to heal. You might feel helpless, but the little things you can do can help me a lot more than you think. For example, listening to them without judging them or rushing them. Advising without pushing it onto them. (NAMI, 2023) Offering to take them to a doctor's appointment, even helping them look for professional help. Staying calm is important, especially during one of their phases, because it's the illness talking, not them. Medication and therapy can help, but not instantly, as it will take a lot of time. You have to remember to take care of yourself because if your mental health is strong, then it will make things easier to support someone else. Going slow and taking one step at a time does a lot more than a big solution.
Living with bipolar disorder can feel like being stuck in a never-ending storm. During the manic phase, a person might feel like they are on top of the world, excited, powerful, and full of energy. Everything might seem possible, and they may believe as if nothing could stop them. But even with all that energy, they can still feel out of control inside, like they are being pushed too fast. When the depression phase comes, everything changes. They can feel crushed by sadness and lose interest in the things they used to enjoy. It can feel like a heavy weight is pulling them down, making it hard to get out of bed or talk to others. They may feel lonely, hopeless, and very tired. The back-and-forth between these two feelings can be very tiring and confusing, making it hard to feel normal or steady. (Mayo Clinic, 2024)
A lot of people with bipolar disorder stress about losing their loved ones because of what they’re going through. Even if they seem distant or irritable, they want understanding and hope for a more stable life. Knowing someone believes in them can help. If someone you care about is showing signs of bipolar disorder, just remember you don’t need to have all the answers. Your kindness, patience, and support mean a lot. By being there and staying connected, you help them see they’re not alone and that healing can happen.
References
"Bipolar Disorder." National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 2023
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