Bipolar mood disorder - partner

[lyra41]

Hi

Anyone else gotpartner with this disorder?

My dh is 38 and just started with it last year, as a result of taking some medication that didn't suit him (Prozac). Prior to that he'd had no mental health problems at all, so it was quite a shock. I had hoped it was just a one-off, having the psychotic symptoms, and that it wouldn't return as long as he didn't have ad's again, but he recently had a mild relapse, and went "high" again, despite taking lithium.

I mentioned this in passing to fellow mnetters in my antenatal group, but no one said a word, the fear of mental health issues is clearly alive and kicking here in our virtual commumity too...

It would be good to share experiences with another mum if there is anyone out there.

i dont know enough to advise you but i have had some experience of the predjudice and fear aimed at mental health issues. neither of you need feel ashamed or afraid of anything, just liken it to brain diabetes. There is a defficiency of a certain type of chemical and you need it topeed or or balanced. noone attaches stigma to an obvious physical illness and the same should be said for "invisible" mental ones. I assume he is seeing a clinical psychiatrist and that his medication has been reassed - has anyone talked to you about support for you and your family. Mental illness affects everyone. You may well be put in touch with other people who have had similiar experiences who can advise or just support you if he relapses again. good luck to you both and i hope you find the answers you are looking for. xxxx

I don't have experience of a partner, but my neighbour had a bad manic episode about two years ago. As an onlooker it was a little scary, because he was incredibly high, and told us the most incredible stories that initially we thought had to be delusional, but then he ended up being admitted to a secure unit for a couple of months. I think he had had episodes of (undiagnosed)depression before, but for him it all escalated as a result of using too much strong hash. He seems to be OK now, but I guess it's always round the corner. I don't think that manic depression is that unusual though (I read it affects 1 in 1000 adults to some degree), and it is associated with creativity, so there are some up sides (our neighbour was particularly effective at work in the period leading up to his breakdown). I think that most people find mental health difficult - mainly because they are not sure how to react, what to say, or how to help.

You MUST MUST MUST get as much support as possible. I grew up with a father who has bipolar affective disorder and we have a very happy and close relationship. This is not to say that it hasn't been extremely difficult at times. Things began to improve significantly when my Mum got help and support for herself. In particular the CPN was fantastic. My Dad has had to spend some time in a psychiatric hospital, but only to get his medication evened out and put him back on track. The three most effective ways my Dad found of managing BP are as follows...

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy- get referred by your GP, it is a highly effective and manageable treatment to be used alongside medication.

Sleep- look at your dh's sleeping patterns. Sometimes an afternoon dip in hormone levels can exacerbate the problems. My Dad found that a 45min sleep in the afternoon 'recharged' him for the evening.

Acupuncture- helped with many of the side effects of BP, including OCD.

Most importantly, I would just tell you to make sure you are coping too. You must talk to somebody whenever you need to- professional or friend. My Mum and Dad have been married happily for nearly 30 years and Dad's condition has in some ways brought them together as they tackle it together.

try mentioning this on the feeling low/depressed topic.lots of non prejudiced posters there x

Thanks all for your posts.

I will make an effort to get some support for me too. I think there's a relatives support group at the hospital where dh stayed when he was really ill. I'll investigate.