I have bipolar disorder, diagnosed a year before me and dp got together, however we’d been friends for years.
I’m okay most of the time, until I go into crisis. He’s now recognising these signs, wont listen to me during it, as in I’ll say things like leave me your are better off without me, I’m wrecking your life, meet a women who won’t go crazy etc. He’ll say I’m not listening to you at all, and we’ll speak about this when you are well again.
He makes sure I take all my meds (I am compliant anyway even when unwell), makes sure I attend all my psychiatry appointments, he reads my care plans and follows them etc.
However, I’ve never gone psychotic when in a manic episode thankfully. Will it happen in the future? I don’t know is the simple answer.
We live about 40 minutes between each other. So see each other a few times a week. I also have children but they are 14 & 18. My children handle my moods extremely well. It’s their normal unfortunately. But as I said I’m lucky with my bipolar in that it’s pretty well controlled, and I don’t hit those psychotic episodes, and I’ve never had to be admitted or sectioned. I’m just given anti psychotics to take at home to bring my mood down.
We don’t ask for this obviously and mental health can affect anyone at any stage, no one is immune.
My natural reaction as someone with a mental health diagnosis is- stick by him as he needs your support now more than ever!
My mum head says, do what you have to do to keep your child safe. As an adult you may be able to handle it, but a young child having to deal with it when it’s not their own parent is a different matter. Would I honestly meet a man with a young child and start a relationship with my diagnosis? The answer is no. It’s hard enough my children have to handle it, but they are my children and they are an adult and a teen. I would never put this on a young child.
So that’s my opinion from both sides. As a mental health sufferer and as a mother.