Reddit reviews When Someone You Love Is Bipolar: Help and Support for You and Your Partner
We found 2 Reddit comments about When Someone You Love Is Bipolar: Help and Support for You and Your Partner. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Ships from Vermont
It’s an ugly place for your relationship to be in, I’m sorry. From my perspective your SO is feeling frustrated and angry which makes sense if he is dealing with a lot of stress. Extrapolating here: mental health issues, bills, office politics, feeling overworked, wanting to be a good partner for you, and wanting to be supportive of your struggle. He could be experiencing compassion-fatigue. Passive-aggressively lashing out at you is not OK. It is a valid reaction given the circumstances but it isn't an effective communication strategy. More importantly, you deserve to be treated with respect, and it’s your birthday! It’s shitty that he just canceled. I’d be completely distraught. What consequences would he face for taking one sick day? Whatever self-righteous, self-absorbed frame of mind he’s in, I hope he can adjust his perspective enough to do something exceptionally kind and respectful for you this weekend, because you deserve respect and you deserve to feel loved on your birthday and your anniversary.
So: Ignore the SO for a second. Happy birthday! First thing in the morning, practice some self-care. Drink a tall glass of water, eat breakfast, take 30-50 min. to exercise. Listen to music. Shower, then go shopping. Work within your budget, but your goal for tomorrow is to buy yourself one new outfit. If you wear makeup, update what you've got. Make an appointment with your primary care provider for a checkup and blood-work. Get vaccinated. Make an appointment with your dentist, if you’ve been putting that off. Do a load of laundry! Go mountain-biking, jogging, hiking, kayaking, or swimming! Go for a coffee at a bookshop, find a comfortable armchair, read for hours. Choose 1-2 books for purchase. Be gregarious or quiet but friendly, in your own way. Do nice things because you’re making an investment in yourself.
This book interests me because it acknowledges the struggles of both the patient and their significant other:
When Someone You Love Is Bipolar: Help and Support for You and Your Partner by Cynthia G. Last, PhD.
Link: https://www.amazon.ca/When-Someone-You-Love-Bipolar/dp/1593856083
"Angry
‘If she had taken better care of herself, she wouldn’t be this way now.’
"Having bipolar disorder is not your partner’s fault; it’s largely a genetic illness…if your partner has departed from his treatment regimen, you have a right to be upset. His actions have had a big impact not only on your mate, but also on you and your life together. Maybe this terrible time, though, can be in some way a learning experience for the two of you…Or if your partner’s recurrence is related to poor stress management, maybe this is a wake-up call that it’s time (although not when your partner is in the thick of the depression) for your mate–or for the two of you together–to develop new skills for coping with stress, such as relaxation techniques, yoga, and/or meditation…or to make some other lifestyle changes.” (Last, Ch. 9, p. 256).
Therapy and drug adjustments. He is always going to be like this, he will have good days and bad days, you just have to keep yourself healthy as well. I would highly recommend you find a good therapist. This book is pretty boring, but it helped me understand better and develop some coping mechanisms: http://www.amazon.com/When-Someone-You-Love-Bipolar/dp/1593856083