Living with a person who has depressive or manic-depressive illness can be a great strain. Become informed so that you will know when it is important to step in and when you should back off. For instance, forcing a depressed person to see visitors could add seriously to his anxiety level instead of picking up his spirits, whereas letting him stay isolated too long during a serious depression could be dangerous if he has exhibited signs of suicidal ideation. With someone prone to manic episodes, try to set rules during periods of stable mood and discuss safeguards such as withholding credit cards, banking privileges, or car keys. Uncontrollable manic episodes, like suicidal depression, can be dangerous to the patient.
Hospitalization can be helpful in both cases.
Alleviate your own stress by focusing on other family events and activities. If there are young children or teens in the home, explain on their own level that the family member has an illness that is not the result of something the child has done. Parents, spouses, siblings and children of the patient may find tremendous relief in the company of others who face the same difficulties at home, so consider joining a support group. When the patient begins to recover from a serious episode, let him approach life at his own pace. Try to do things with him, rather than for him, so that he is able to regain his self-confidence on his own.