Bipolar in the family Support Group

hi my name is Diane . I am having a longdistance realtionship with someone that is bipolar . I always had an idea what it was my aunt suffers from it I just hope to learn more as I go . My bf is unmedicated at this point i feel that it is the only way that he will be able to have a normal life . He self medicates and that bothers me as it only makes the moods more worse . I guess that is the way he can deal with it . When i have suggested that he needs more then just welbutrin he states that he does not want to do the lithuim shuffle . He thinks that you are a total zoombie i guess . I know my aunt takes this and does well and she is not by any means hindered by meds of any sort. I do have experince with some mental things Such as ADHD and have had to deal with my med issues for my own son to help him . Dealing with any person with mentall illness disorder is exhausting . I have learned to seek help where ever you can ,.

Lithium is not the only drug they give you for BP if he don't want to take that one there is a lot of other meds out there that don't make you like a zombie. You are such a good person for joining and supporting him.

yes i was aware of different meds but was just using that as an example of really the right meds that he should be taking .

Hi Daine.

Thishy is right, there are MANY medications to take other than Lithium. Generally, bipolars need a mood stabilizer, along with an anti depressant and/or an antipsychotic. Also anti anxiety medications too. Everyone is different, and needs different medication combinations. Unfortunately, self-medicating is probably not going to work. He should see a psychiatrist, who can try different combinations, based on what your bf is experiencing. Being in a relationship with a BP can be hard, but for my wife and I it has been mostly easy. Most of the 20 years we have been married she has sought treatment, and during those times things were good. It was when she stopped her treatment (medication) that she became manic and psychotic.

Either way, I wish you, and him the best.

Paul

he is taking welbutrin but i am afraid that is not enough . I guess i will keep on trying during his normal periods when he is receptive to get additional support I really want him to see a p-doc manily because i do not think he has had a real dx . I mean he has told me that he is boplar but he said that he was told this some 2o years ago and really has not seen anyone since then . His general practioner perscribes his meds now. I feel now as he has delayed the other meds that he may need for years and decides to go off his welbutrin at will that he is only getting worse as he relies more on booze to help now and that does not work with the meds and it gets worse.

my husband finally started seeing someone after years of fighting with me about it. he used to say he wasnt going to take meds to make him happy because if he needs pills to be happy then he doesnt deserve to be happy. He is totally wrong there because everyone deserves to be happy right?? it has definatley taken its toll on our marriage. i hope that he gets the meds he needs. im not very good at advise because i dont know much about the illness and that is why i am here but i am a good listener

nikki

Thanks NIkki,

I think now i know much more by surfing the net .

The trick is that i have to get him to see that drinking is not the thing to do to cover up the pain and there are theraputetic ways of doing it .I am 4 hours away and can not be of help as much now I do get to see him at least every 1 to 2 months in the summer and 3 to 6 months during winter months . I guess i will be of of a help when i move to be with in the fall of 09 . The trick for us is to find out all we can and be there. I think i have to wait till i am there fulltime and get things done then .

Post edited by: diane38, at: 08/20/2008 15:35