Background: Bipolar disorder is defined as a serious mental illness that also has a huge impact on family members. They suffer the same consequences as the sick person and their own health may suffer severely. Lack of knowledge and awareness in the community concerning mental illness could be stigmatizing as deviations from the norm occur. It creates anxiety, fear, guilt and shame. Aim: The purpose of the study was to describe the family's experiences of bipolar disorder in the family Method: A literature-based study based on seven qualitative studies Results: The result shows that relatives are experiencing a deterioration of both their mental and physical health when they become informal caregivers. The feeling of always being one step behind as the course of the disease goes through a vicious circle of events is always present because it dominates the whole of their lives. Many family members feel neglected by the lack of support, and to not be recognized by the health service as an important component in the patient's quality of life is a mystery. Conclusion: When bipolar disorder affects a family member, the whole family suffer not just the afflicted individual. Relatives feel they sacrifice their whole life for the sufferer and as a result their health is also affected. Professional health care professionals need to work together with the related parties in order to provide the best possible care for the sick, and it is vital they regard relatives as an important resource in the health care system.