Getting along with a bipolar parent can be mentally taxing.

Sometimes you may feel that you are the parent. Knowing what you can and can not do for your parent will help you along with them.

First understand what bipolar disorder is. Learn its signs and symptoms. It will help insulate you from the pain that a bipolar parent can unknowingly cause. The book "My mothers Bipolar, so What am I" by Angela Grett is a good place to start.

Understanding that you are not responsible for your parent is the easy part.

My mother is bipolar and I always understood that she was an adult, and could take care of herself. However when anything went wrong I was the one she turned to. I was the caretaker.

It took me a long time to not get overly upset when she was manic and wouldn't listen to me. She would become paranoid and think that anyone close to her was trying to control her. However a perfect stranger that obviously did not care about her or her well being had all of the answers.

Not feeling responsible for your parent is the hard part.

It takes time and hard work to not feel resentful toward your parent. Have patients with yourself. Learn to set boundaries, and stick to them.

1. Know what bipolar disorder is

2. Learn its signs and symptoms

3 Understand that you are not responsible for your parent.

4. Learn to set boudaries.