Anyone else date a bi-polar person?

[Downtown]

BPII can definitely result in some very destructive behaviour, and hypomania is certainly noticeable quite often. It is also not the case that most BPII only suffer from the depression aspect of this disease.

Almond, thanks for the correction. I understated the problems with hypomania only because, after living with a BP1 sufferer for 12 years, the hypomania traits seem minor to me by comparison. Indeed, I find hypomanic people to be very fun to be around. Yet, you are right, of course, that BP2 can lead to erratic and unhealthy behavior, e.g., spending binges and seeking out sex with people they normally wouldn't, and engaging in other impulsive or risky behaviors. But, like BP1, BP2 is not characterized by "threesomes."

[GlitterTits]

Yes I was in a relationship with a guy who was diagonised with Narcissistic Personality and Bi-Polar disorder.

 

8 years I was with him. I knew he had a condition, I accepted it and learned to adapt to his ways. Six years into the relationship he became physically abusive. It wasn't every day, it was sporadic.

 

However he rape me on a regular basis to the point I dreaded sex and it was in all sexual orifices. Then the verbal and mental abuse that came from him.

 

The hardest part was his rants and raving. Telling me crazy stories where he as a child cured hunger in an African nation, he went to America to talk about inventing iPods, Tablets, TV shows etc.

 

He believed every word that spewed from his mouth.

 

Many events happened, that he really destroyed whatever happiness I had.

 

By the time I left I thought "Stuff this, I am in my late 20s, I don't want to go through with this for another decade." I summoned the strength to leave.

 

I am in therapy now, it is hard work and there is days where I do talk about him alot which annoys my friends. However he is in my mental system.

 

Just recently he called me up to ask if I read one of his other stories, where he was the saviour of some kids when he was 8. I didn't read it, I didn't understand his other stories and I told him.

 

His reply "YOU ARE SO FKING VINDICTIVE AND RUDE." Then he hung up. Um ok.

 

*EDIT* Just want add that he also spent 2 months in a mental health hospital. During the time of our relationship. So he has been professionally diagonised.

[juicygirl]

I'm sorry some people are getting offended, but I don't feel people on this thread are stigmatize bipolar sufferers. People are just sharing their experiences and it is an abuse forum so unfortunately they are most likely going to be negative.

 

It must be hell having bipolar, but it is offend no picnic for the spouse either. We're not saying we hate bipolar people, we are people who dated and where probably very in love with a bipolar people. I heard stories like the ones on this thread a lot and they are alway the same.

 

My ex is bipolar after we found out a lot of things made sense but it was a nightmare.

 

People do have loving happy relationships with a bipolar suffer but that just wasn't my experience :-(

[Emilia]

I'm sorry some people are getting offended, but I don't feel people on this thread are stigmatize bipolar sufferers. People are just sharing their experiences and it is an abuse forum so unfortunately they are most likely going to be negative.

 

It must be hell having bipolar, but it is offend no picnic for the spouse either. We're not saying we hate bipolar people, we are people who dated and where probably very in love with a bipolar people. I heard stories like the ones on this thread a lot and they are alway the same.

 

My ex is bipolar after we found out a lot of things made sense but it was a nightmare.

 

People do have loving happy relationships with a bipolar suffer but that just wasn't my experience :-(

I don't think it's about stigmatisation. It's about attributing negative character traits to having a mental illness as if the person who suffers from bipolar disorder (or BPD as was mentioned) is expected to lose all of their moral compass. I think certain behaviour patterns are attributed to mental health yes but by no means all. Excuses shouldn't be made for crappy behaviour. It certainly hasn't been my experience.

[juicygirl]

I don't think it's about stigmatisation. It's about attributing negative character traits to having a mental illness as if the person who suffers from bipolar disorder (or BPD as was mentioned) is expected to lose all of their moral compass. I think certain behavior patterns are attributed to mental health yes but by no means all. Excuses shouldn't be made for crappy behaviour. It certainly hasn't been my experience.

 

 

Well, sometimes their "crappy behaviour" is due to their disorder and telling the difference can be hard. My ex often had "crappy behaviour" when he was manic the verbal abuse would start,cheating and his issues with feeling controlled. When his wasn't manic he was fine. I feel it would be unfair to write him off as "just a bad person" and ignore his bipolar.

[almond]

I'm sorry some people are getting offended, but I don't feel people on this thread are stigmatize bipolar sufferers. People are just sharing their experiences and it is an abuse forum so unfortunately they are most likely going to be negative.

 

It must be hell having bipolar, but it is offend no picnic for the spouse either. We're not saying we hate bipolar people, we are people who dated and where probably very in love with a bipolar people. I heard stories like the ones on this thread a lot and they are alway the same.

 

My ex is bipolar after we found out a lot of things made sense but it was a nightmare.

 

People do have loving happy relationships with a bipolar suffer but that just wasn't my experience :-(

 

There are many inaccurate statements on here that contribute to the stigma towards Bipolar disorder.

 

My issue was that people were spouting information that was completely incorrect. It constitutes stigma when individuals are attributing the poor behaviour of a spouse to Bipolar, when that is not in fact the case at all. It is evident that many on here are not well educated on this matter.

 

Sure this may be an abuse forum, but that does not mean that it is okay to blame Bipolar for all of the abuse you have suffered, just because a spouse has been diagnosed. Sometimes, people with Bipolar do some horrible things when they are unwell. However, so many of the things outlined in this thread have absolutely nothing to do with this illness, and it is damaging to propagate such nonsense.

[juicygirl]

There are many inaccurate statements on here that contribute to the stigma towards Bipolar disorder.

 

My issue was that people were spouting information that was completely incorrect. It constitutes stigma when individuals are attributing the poor behaviour of a spouse to Bipolar, when that is not in fact the case at all. It is evident that many on here are not well educated on this matter.

 

Sure this may be an abuse forum, but that does not mean that it is okay to blame Bipolar for all of the abuse you have suffered, just because a spouse has been diagnosed. Sometimes, people with Bipolar do some horrible things when they are unwell. However, so many of the things outlined in this thread have absolutely nothing to do with this illness, and it is damaging to propagate such nonsense.

 

 

Well you're entitled to your opinion

[Clockwork]

I don't think she was ever diagnosed with being bi-polar, but my ex-girlfriend was depressed, on anti-depressants and when the relationship started to sour she was suicidal. I'd never seen a suicide attempt before I met her. She could go from one extreme to another. Didn't care if she was fighting in public, didn't care if the whole world knew. That's a big sign of it I think.

[almond]

I don't think she was ever diagnosed with being bi-polar, but my ex-girlfriend was depressed, on anti-depressants and when the relationship started to sour she was suicidal. I'd never seen a suicide attempt before I met her. She could go from one extreme to another. Didn't care if she was fighting in public, didn't care if the whole world knew. That's a big sign of it I think.

 

None of what you have outlined is a "big sign" of bipolar specifically. Further to this, the most commonly prescribed anti-depressants tend to trigger mania in bipolar patients.

 

I'm sorry you went through this - witnessing a suicide attempt is traumatic. I hope you're doing okay.

[me002]

I was married to a man who is suffering from this disorder but he is also diagnosed with PTSD. I tried to deal with his issues as much as I could. It started slow whit him verbally abusing me and having his fits of rage where he would go ahead and break things around the house. It it was all my fault I made him do it or at least that's what he was telling himself.

 

Things kept getting worse instead of better he started cheating and his rage grew. He was medicated but nothing seem to help him get through the day. He started to get in trouble at work so he would come home and terrorize me since of course it was all my fault because I was stressing him out or it was the babies fault because he wouldn't shut up (his words not mine). As time went by he just became worse and I start to believe he is using drugs. He had a drug problem when he was a teenager so I called up his mother to confirm my suspicion. And she tells me to get out of there as fast as I can since he get extremely aggressive when he is on drugs. Well silly me still loved him and wanted to help him and even after he started psychically abusing me I still stayed and did not report him. I was trying to get him help but he was already in treatment and was seeing a therapist once a week. Not enough for someone like him but no one took me serious. Mind you this man is in the military and is working on and with guns.

 

Well long story short I left and I'm not looking back anymore. His problems consumed me. There was no room in this marriage for me to be a person. It was all about what he might need or what might set him of. I'm still exhausted from being with him and his disorder almost pushed me over the edge. I realize now that no matter how hard I would have tried he would have never gotten better since he doesn't even want to see that he is the problem. He never took responsibility for his actions and blames others for what he does.

 

I know more than just one person who suffers from it and it seems that my ex is an extreme but I would never date anyone who has any type of mental disorder again. I'm just to afraid it will turn bed again and I don't want to have to worry about what I can say or do around someone and be fearful that one wrong step could push them over the edge.