The Impact of Bipolar Disorder on Patients and Families

• One symptom of bipolar disorder is an inability to meet one’s responsibilities. If the affected person is the parent, perhaps the father, then this could impact his ability to provide for his family.
• Impulsivity can lead to dangerous spending, disruptive behaviors, and socially embarrassing situations ,
• Reduced income may cause stress and even anger among family members. If mom needs to pick up the income slack then resentment may ensue because she is unable to perform other tasks the family was used to depending on her to accomplish. Family anger may also be directed at health providers who fail to cure the person’s disorder.
• If a person with bipolar disorder exhibits severe or persistent symptoms, it is not uncommon for the family’s social contact with friends and neighbors to constrict. This could happen because the family is embarrassed about the affected member’s behavior, or from friends who desire to visit, but who feel unsure about what to say or do to be of help and so their visits become less frequent.
• Pasadena Villa strives to work in concert with close family members to understand and take a constructive role in understanding the dynamics of bipolar disorder and assist the client in preventing relapse.

Pasadena Villa’s Treatment Environment