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My father was diagnosed as Bipolar 2 after being hospitalized 2 years ago for depression and suicidal thoughts. This depression followed a long episode of mania wherein he left his wife of 30 years (my mother), spent over a million dollars on an apartment overlooking NYC's central park, had dated several women (a few of which he was planning his life with after knowing them only a month or so), and engaged in other impulsive behaviors. Now it's 2 years later, he's on the right medication, he's been feeling good for a while. Everything seems great. But I sense that something is wrong. He met a woman about 2 months ago, and has gotten really serious about her really quickly. After a month, he told me that he was "reborn" through this woman, and he was acting very different when he was with her. Now 2 months into their relationship, the woman is selling her house and moving in with him. He didn't tell anyone in the family, I only found out because he sort of slipped up and said something that he probably shouldn't have said and I probed him and got my answers. I'm worried sick about him because he's making very big life decisions with a woman who is practically a stranger to him. I've expressed my concerns to him and he has told me that he knows what he's doing and that he can take care of himself. He seems to think that he is 'cured'... I know that there's not much I can do except advise him against this and ask him to speak to his therapist about this decision. My father is a very proud and stubborn man, always been the care-taker of others, and he won't listen to his 20-something daughter's advise, let alone anyone elses. I'm afraid that after 2 months, it is unwise for *anyone* to move in with someone they are dating, especially someone who has a history of manic episodes. I know that people do impulsive things when they're in love (or infatuated), and that he's on a high right now, but I'm scared that if things don't work out with this woman (which I really question being that she doesn't even know about his illness), that he's going to sink into a depression again. What can I do to help? How can I talk to him about this? Is there *anything* I can do to make sure he is getting help??? |
