👹👿🤬😡 Bipolar anger is hard to live with. First, let me define bipolar anger.
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It is episodic and is NEVER present when the person is stable.
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It is out of character and will be shocking to those around the person.
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It is not consistent over time and is not present since childhood.
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It is not associated with trauma or past events in any way.
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It is anger manufactured by the bipolar brain and is always linked to either a depression, mania or mixed manic episode.
You will know if your loved one has bipolar anger. It will be so out of line- so shocking- so sudden and so upsetting that you know something must be wrong.
The only way to prevent bipolar anger is to prevent the bipolar. There is a chapter dedicated to helping someone who is angry due to bipolar in Loving. There is an excellent chapter in Take Charge that teaches you how to recognize and avoid the Bipolar Conversation. This is the key to avoiding angry interactions that are actually bipolar mood swings.
💙📘 You can take charge of bipolar in your own life. Use The Health Cards to chart anger in a partner. Use Loving and Take Charge to figure out what you need in life. Read my articles on relationships to create strategies that prevent this anger.
We treat bipolar anger by ending bipolar. Period. Focusing on anger management when the anger is actually a bipolar mood swing is pointless. If you are sure the anger is from bipolar as it is episodic and only appears when a person is manic, depressed or mixed, TREAT BIPOLAR FIRST, not the anger.
Julie
