How do people cope with bipolar, help me help a friend.

[danthe4th]

I feel very useless, I have a close friend who is on a down at the moment and has been for a while. Shes on strong meds that make her sick. She talks about ending it, she makes stupid mistakes and loses friends, and life is really crap for her and her family. There just doesn't seem to be any help, she needs someone to show her how to get through each cycle. She did go to counciling but it was very patronizing and unhelpful. She kept telling them it wasn't helping so they discharged her! The system seems nuts, its a cycle of mania so try a new med then shes down so they try something else. Is this normal. I know I can't do anything but listen and try to keep life normal for her, but is there something that helps. Is it worth contacting a local mind group, what do they do to help.I want to try to understand what shes going through.