Telling someone they may be bipolar?

I could really use some advice on this matter...in particular someone who is bipolar. I just recently ended an 8 month long relationship with a male who I think might be suffering from bipolar disorder. He really does fit the profile, especially the manic symptoms. He'll get really excited about something and start talking fast and inflating his own ego. No one can even get a word in when he is going off on some topic. He has snapped on me and his roommates. One time I asked him if I can have one of his toothpicks and he flipped out and felt I was being disrespectful towards him for asking and not just taking it...he accused me of not being comfortable enough around him. Well it is for these incidents and his constantly crticizing the way I dress and look sometimes that had led me to breakup with him. Of course there were other reasons...I felt that he was hiding things from me and he admitted that he doesn't tell me certain things because I will be mad at him? It really is sad because I love him and am worried about him. I suspect he tried to kill himself a few years ago because he has rolled his van off the side of cliff twice in time span of two years. He claims he was just driving drunk and fell asleep behind the wheel but I do not buy that because he admitted he was depress at the time and "just didn't care". He told me in the beginning of the relationship that he has been told by family members that he may be bipolar but has never had a formal diagnosis by a professional. He self medicates his moods by smoking marijuana. It is hard because he is of Indian culture and really does not believe in western medicine. I don't know what to do because on one hand I'm very angry and bitter at him for the way he has treated me but on the flipside I still love him, miss him, and want him to get help. He really does not understand why am so angry with him and like someone with BPD he minimizes his role in the demise of our relationship. Currently I am not speaking to him and have not returned his phone calls...he is trying to be friendly with me, but I am hurt and want him to realize what he has done and feel some remorse or guilt. By ignoring him I'm hoping he will get it but I'm scared that he will never understand and will continue to act the way he does and potentially land himself into serious trouble. What do I do and is not speaking to him a good way to get him to realize the impact of his actions? Advice please!!!

my stepfather is full lakota native american. so you are deeling with a whole lot more than possible bipolar.

if you love him i suggest not hoping he will feel guilty for that could just make this worse.

but the biggest suggestion is to look out for your well being first. and only give the level of support you can without depleting your resorses.

sorry for the spelling.

i have bipolar and realize how draing it can be on the other people in my life. and my life would be worse knowing that i had caused someone else to be less of themselves in any way.

i would love to talk more with you, from the standpoint of someone with this condition

Thanks for your post.

Fear, anger, resentment, and GUILT (remorse)--"The Four Horsemen"--are emotions which make me a prisoner of my sickness.

Pehaps you can draw on your own experience with those four emotions to see what a negative effect they have on your ability to deal with the problems of your own life.

Faith, restraint, reason, and honesty (truth) have set me free from the four horsemen.

Maybe guilt is not the best tool to use to help your boyfriend.

Regards,

Jim