Spouses of Bipolar in Active Relationships

Well they say when the repercussions and depression caused by mania out weigh the high, they want to get stability in their lives again. I am so glad he is coming to that realization.

I am too. My thoughts are with yall.

Thanks, Hopeful and Silverlock. Change sometimes comes VEEEEERRRRY slowly. But it is change non the less.

I am, however, still reeling from his revelation that he has all but given it up. This is the man who would wake up and partake with his morning coffee and, very often, hourly throughout the day.

I guess I need to give him more than a few "attaboys."

So glad to hear this! Marijuana absolutely causes withdrawal. My husband went to a 30 day rehab. Now 65 days! Woot woot!!

He still misses it but now believes it made everything worse. He says he's got enough to worry about without "adding self-inflicted MI to the list"

He also was smoking every hour. It was unreal. Also his level of affection for it was amazing. I guess like a wine connesuier.

He feels much much better. Yeah, sometimes he feels what he describes as "blah" but he also knows he is still adjusting.

I am wondering if perhaps this explains the extreme anxiety he has felt of late? Just a thought. We are in uncharted territory here.

Oh yes! Anxiety, irritability, night sweats. Check out marijuana anonymous. They even have online meetings.

Definitely withdrawal with pot. Especially for long term chronic users.

Thanks, Kitkat. Looks like he should probably mention it to the pdoc when he goes again on Wednesday. I'm not sure he told her he smoked, but I know I did.

yes, while he is cutting down, his anxiety is going to go up. While mine was trying to quit he cut down and then went cold turkey. After about 5-7 days if I remember right, I have to admit I didn't discourage him from getting just little more to get him by until he went to jail.

He was cycling big time, agitated, irritable, anxious, just hell to be around! But he also had a lot of stressors going on. Jail was a good way for him to get clean. But now his meds need adjusting. When you stop one drug, it is going to mess with the rest of them.

I would be in close contact with the pdoc while he is trying to do this, or (don't shoot me!) have him cut down as much as he can but wait to quit cold turkey until he has the hospital as an option...

I can totally relate RTW. I agree too. It's very very difficult to go cold turkey.

I used to get nervous when mine ran out (before meds). I was relieved he was in rehab to go through it.

I always thought pot was no big deal. Nope. Big deal.

Well, Riding, that post was a little bit scarey. ALL his meds are probably going to need adjusting? YIKES! We've been at this over two years and still haven't found the ideal combination. He told me last night that he is limiting himself to one or two hits - which is a big change for someone who used to partake from the time he got up to the time he went to bed on weekends and from the time he got home from work to the time he went to bed on weekdays. Under the circumstances, since we are trying to keep him working until June, it might be best to nix the idea altogether of cutting down. I guess we need to talk about that tonight. (And, I would NEVER "shoot" you!) It also makes a stronger case for inpatient, although I can't see him agreeing to that - unless the PHP refuses to accept him because they think he needs a higher level of care.