The lived experience of caring for someone with bipolar disorder: a qualitative study

Being a close family or friend of someone with bipolar disorder (BD) can lead to experiences of increased stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms related to the burden of caring. However, the lived experience of being a carer for a person with BD has not received great research attention. This study aimed to gain further insight into the experiences of loved ones in an informal caring role for someone with BD and determine what further information and support these people need to take care of both themselves and the person they are caring for. Fifteen qualitative interviews were carried out with carers discussing their lived experiences with utilising coping strategies and supporting someone with BD. Following the interviews, thematic analysis was used to identify seven superordinate themes across the interviews. These superordinate themes were: Separation of the person and the disorder, carer health and coping strategies, unpredictability and variability of symptoms, carer disillusionment, silence and isolation of carer, further support, story sharing and carer growth. Several subordinate themes were identified under each of these superordinate themes and are reported in the paper. Overall, the findings highlighted the need for increased in-person and online support specifically tailored for carers with loved ones experiencing BD.