In this episode of BipolarLines, Brooke and Laura discuss the importance of separating the person from the illness! They share their own experiences and provide insights into identifying episodes and understanding the baseline behavior of their loved ones. They emphasize the need for validation and communication in order to heal from the hurt caused during episodes. They also discuss the repetitive patterns and triggers that can help identify when an episode is occurring. In this conversation, Laura and Brooke discuss the importance of recognizing and separating the person from the illness (bipolar disorder). They emphasize the need to establish baseline behavior and identify triggers that can lead to episodes. They also highlight the challenge of having a rational conversation with someone in an episode, specifically mania, and the importance of setting boundaries! The key takeaways from this episode are learning how to stop a bipolar conversation and to remember that the person's behavior during an episode is not a reflection of their true self!