Just wondered if others with bipolar relations can give me any guidance on how to tell the difference between bipolar symptoms and abusive behaviour? And how to tackle abusive behaviour coming from a bipolar person?
A close family member was this year diagnosed with BP but historically looking back has always behaved like a jeckyll and hyde character you have to tread on eggshells around if he's in a bad mood, behaving like a spoiled, entitled brat with a black cloud over him.
Over Xmas he was particularly bad, but we avoided confrontation because we didn't want an escalation of his condition (he was also undergoing a medication change). I wondered if Xmas stress was exacerbating his condition, or if he's just again being the spoiled brat I always think he has behaved like. Or if he's a spoiled brat because of the bipolar (??).
I think it's been undiagnosed a long time so maybe it was latent all that time? Still I can't excuse the spectacularly out of order behaviour that he subjects us all to. He is oblivious to being out of order and thinks everyone else is the issue when challenged.
Any advice welcomed - thank you!