I have read lots of the threads and even read up about bipolar on other sites to get a wide view of what bipolar is and how it affets behaviour.
2 weeks ago my partner came back from a confrence feeling down, I knew he sometimes felt down and was on Aropax for this; Also last year we went on a pubcrawl but this time he decided to let go and get drunk with me and we both had some weed, he doesnt drink at all and both of us do not smoke but gave it a go. Then he got so down he had to tell me he suffered from depression because he felt so dependant on me and also needed me to drive him to the doctors for meds due to not feeling like he could drive himself and because he didnt want to be left alone as we we not living together that the time and ordinarily I would have gone home.
While he was down he was more affectionate than usual and listened to everything i had to say, he also communicated really well and was more open to talking about how he feels. I say he was down because he told me he was feeling weak and tired and like there was a cloud over his head and like his mind was block by something.
Usually when he is on his high he is closed off, and once he reaches his high he stays irritable and closed off untill he gets near to feeling down again then he is open and caring; so i took this oppertunity to try to make him aware of how he can be hurtfull when he behaves badly (ie: one time he thought it would be funny to slap girls on the behind while he drove past them, with me in the vechile... i was very angry!) I havent seen him spending money excessively. But he does do other weird things (I think its weird).
So anyway, we talked and tried to figure out why he felt annoyed for no reason and if there was a trigger that set off his mood changes, even though as far as he is concerned he hasnt had any mood swings, and he isnt mean, Im just being over sensitive. but he did admit that I do not just make things up and he did wonder why he felt unusually down, what set it off...
I was against him going on Aropax again because from the last experience it took 2 weeks and he was a complete
[email protected]$$ and was not supportive of me in anyway, neglected daily hose duties, expected me to spend all my money, picked at everything I did and then got mad about anything at all and then would bite my head off. he has been verbally abusive, but not in the way where he calls me names, he just points out shortcommings or flaws. but thats it just points them out, and its how he points them out.. not only that he was picking on my 9yr old daughter for cheating on her eye toy game.. he went on at her for 2days before i got so mad and we left for a few hours. My daughter is aware that something is not right, and I would never let things get so bad for her that it disturbs her, shes used to different behaviours as i used to look after children with special needs and behavioural problems.
I pull him up every time he starts on me. when I do this he usually says he is sorry and that he doesnt know why he acted like he did (which translates to me as - I dont want to think about why OR - I dont want to tell you) I am going to be doing some councillor papers next year, and I think this will be a big help for us aswel.
I have read that bipolar's tend to push loved ones away.. well this is something I read when someone asked about her bipolar boyfriend
"You've fallen victim to a co-dependant relationship. At this point, your boyfriend is facing a number of issues that have nothing to do with you and he fears abandonment. This is the explanation for his verbal abuse, where in a normal situation, if someone had that much animotisty towards you to verbally abuse you, that would indicate he doesn't want to be with you. But that is not the case, he's verbally abusing you, because he's feels inadequate and those feelings, coupled with other forms of depression he's harvesting are very hard to cope with. His verbal abuse is really just a subliminal cry for help. He want's you to know how much he's hurting, but he can't expresses properly because he has no sense of self right now."
I have looked through all the symptoms and I am very sure he is bipolar...
my questions are...
- Will I be able to help him through this or is it something he HAS to do on his own?
- How do I get him to acknowledge that he may have bipolar without causing a huge problem or rift between us?
He is on a high at the moment, its week 2 of taking the Aropax. i read on the Aropax site that if you are bipolar then Aropax isnt right for him, and then researched the effects. I am worried and i want him to feel as close to "the norm" as possible.
- what steps should i take to open his eyes to this and how should I go about getting him to go see a doctor or Councillor?
I want him to get tested but im not sure he will just do it. has anyone else been able to get their partner to go for the test and how did you do it. I really love my partner and i dont want him to feel ailenated or like im trying to say hes crazy, coz i dont think that all.. he did once say he felt schizophrenic coz he was sad one minute and then really overly happy the next and it was really confusing coz he didnt know where it was comming from or how to feel.
Any help, or input would be very much appreciated.
I think my partner is bipolar 
