Bipolar in the family Support Group

My bipolar wife regularly uses marijuana. I have caughter smoking it several times or run across it in "hidden" in the house.

I don't feel like I can sit by and do nothing about it but I really don't know what to do. I don't want that garbage in my house. My 41 year old wife is acting like a dumb teenager.

When I confront her she gets mad and then she says she won't do it anymore and then I catch her with it again in a couple weeks. (she is such a liar). It stinks to know that she is spending our money on the stuff.

I feel like there is nothing I can do - do I just let it slide?

I am so frustrated with her.

mcain

Does your wife have meds prescribed from a doc for her bp???? If not it's all that might be or giving her the illusion of something helpful.My fiance used to self medicate before she accepted her diagnosis and got proper treatment. That and alittle trouble messing with that crap got the message across. Don't really know if there's much you can do. Try and talk to her doc about the problem would be a start.

Yes she has perscribed meds.... I just found out this morning that she is no soliciting friends (with thier own drug histories)for drugs.

my husband also smokes an ENORMOUS amount of pot daily. He is self-medicating. I keep telling him he needs to stop but he continues to smoke. I cant even wrap my mind around the amount of money he is spending on the crap. at least $200+ a week.

I refuse to return home until he stops this ridiculousness. We have a 2 year old son that I refuse to put in harms way. It kills me to keep having to go back and forth from my mothers house and back home again, but my son is my top priority and I need to protect him first.

I dont know if the pot is making him worse or preventing him from getting better. for the last 2 weeks he has been on depakote, seroquel, trazadone and Ativan PRN and I have barely seen a dent in his mania. He is definately less volatile but clearly still grandiose, detached and innapropriate.

He has been self medicating with pot for a long time now, but it used to be just one time or 2 times a day to relax him, but now it has escalated where he needs to be doing it 10 times a day or even more now that I am out of the house. It does relax him, but I am wondering what it does in terms of helping or exacerbating the mania. I tried to research it but it all depends on who you ask.

I am sorry to hear your situation. If is possible to feel better that your situation isn't as bad as someone elses... I do feel a bit better... I suppose it could always be worse.

I have been told that pot makes BP people feel a bit more normal and relieves them of the anxiety. Despite that,I have to be concerned about my children. Are they safe with her? I have to determine that. I am determined to "stick-it-out" with her but not if my children are in danger. I am afraid that she will force me to take action and I don't want to go down that road.

I can't justify using it illeagally. There's so many meds that'll help with the symptoms that they experience. One of the hardest part of treatment is finding the right combo of meds that works. My fiance has been on most all of them and just recently found a combo that works. Your support of them is important to them even if it dosn't seem like it at times. They have to accept that they have this disorder and follow treatment. Never endanger your children or yourselves because of it. Eventually they will level off and that's the best time to calmly discuss your concerns. Remember they have to want to be well all you can do is take care of yourselves and your children.

I too smoke pot and i am on meds. I don't recognize anything wrong with it. It is illegal but it helps me sleep and go to the bathroom. I do self medicate with it. If it wasn't for the money i would smoke forever.

Nicey -

My wife doesn't use it for sleep or go to the bathroom(?) but it is illegal and that is a good enought reason not to use it. I suppose your honesty about "self-medication" and "smoking forever" says a lot more about your use marijuana of it than does about a desire to sleep or go to the bathroom. Aren't there more effective and legal medicines that will help you in the areas of health?

I have a big picture to think about - I have 2 children in my house that are in my wife's care most of every day. I'd rather she not be under the influence of such things with them.

mcain

I'm with ya there. There's the kids to consider. Hell I used alot of it when I was younger don't anymore though. My fiance has been illegal drug free for 5 years after the trouble she got into. Fortunately it wasn't a felony because I would have lost my security clearance and ultimately my job.

There is a time and a place for smoking. I wouldn't suggest smoking all day with the kids home. But do believe in medical marijuana. I b elieve there is a place for it in the medical community. I'm sorry if your wife puts it first or has a problem with it. But a relaxing smoke before bed is all i'm talking about.