Q: My 50-year-old mother has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The following medicines have been prescribed: Encorate Chrono, Ativan and Sizodon LS. How long will it take for her to recover? Also, she vomits at times in the morning. Is it serious? How can the family support her? She sometimes keeps blaming things on others and gets angry for no reason. She starts crying too without any reason. I want her to recover soon.

A:It is very difficult for me to say anything about a patient's recovery unless I meet him / her in person. Therefore, the question regarding her recovery status will be difficult to answer. Patients with bipolar disorder experience a lot of erratic moods, which can be stressful for the family. However, it is important that the family members remain calm, understanding and supportive. They need to give full emotional support to the patient, which makes him / her feel understood and cared. Remember that a lot of her behaviour would be a part of the illness, so her remarks and actions need not be taken personally. The best would be to just listen without reacting negatively to it.