Bipolar: Worsening Bipolar Disorder
Published: Wed, 07/23/14
Hi ,
How are you doing today?
I hope you are doing well.
I got the following email and wanted to
share it with you:
"Dave, I have to tell you about my wife,
because I don't know what to do and was
hoping you might have some advice for
me.
Susan has bipolar disorder. I knew she
had it when I married her, but she was
pretty stable at the time, and over the next
few years, too.
Then something happened. She got really
stressed out and went into an episode. She
spent a lot of money, and even started to
gamble. She went through all of our savings.
I learned through your courses to forgive
her for this, so I did. But our finances were
really stretched and it took a long time to get
them back to normal. Just when they were,
she did the same thing again!
Now, I know I'm supposed to forgive her, but
it wasn't so easy this time. I know she didn't
do it on purpose, that it was another bipolar
episode, but it was still hard for me to take.
I hadn't expected another episode to happen
so soon, that was the thing. I thought she
would be ok for awhile. But there she was,
in another episode.
Only this time it was worse. She didn't just
spend all kinds of money and gamble - she
also had an affair. She was all apologetic
about it and everything, and I knew she
wouldn't have done it if she wasn't in an
episode, but this time I really didn't think
I could forgive her.
This increase in episodes, and the things
she is doing really has me worried. I
thought she would get better with age,
but instead, she is getting worse.
The mood swings are happening more
often, and so is the episodic behavior.
What do you think about all this? What
should I do?"
---------------------------------------------------
Wow.
It sure sounds like this man has his hands
full with his wife.
Yes, you would think that with time, she
should get better instead of worse.
However, there are some researchers who
believe that bipolar disorder does get worse
over time.
And untreated bipolar disorder definitely
gets worse over time.
The first thing I would tell this man would
be that his wife's medication needs to be
looked at.
It seems like something isn't working there.
It could be that some of her medication just
needs to be changed, or at least the dosages
need to be changed.
I would also look at her treatment plan.
I discuss the importance of treatment plans
in my courses/systems:
SUPPORTING AN ADULT WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/report11
SUPPORTING A CHILD/TEEN WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarparenting.com
HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.survivebipolar.net
Is she seeing a psychiatrist? How often?
Is he regulating her medications? When was
the last time her medications were changed?
Is she seeing a therapist? On a regular basis?
A therapist would help her look at some of her
bipolar behaviors and help her to change them.
They would work together on some of the
issues surrounding her bipolar disorder.
It sounds like she might still have some unresolved
issues going on.
It also seems that maybe his wife is still holding
some things in that she isn't talking to him about.
So I think there needs to be some work done on
their communication.
So it could be not just that her bipolar disorder
is getting worse, but these issues that surround
her bipolar disorder that need attention.
For example, if she is holding in negative
feelings, and not talking to her husband or her
therapist about them, they will build up inside
her and eventually come out and "blow up"
possibly into a bipolar episode.
Also, other things need to be looked at.
For example, what are her sleep habits like?
Is she sticking to a regular sleep schedule?
Loss of sleep can be a trigger to a manic episode.
Any one of these things can be making her
bipolar disorder worse.
What do you think?
PLEASE POST RESPONSES TO THIS EMAIL BELOW
http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/bipolarsupporterblog/bipolar-worsening-bipolar-disorder/comment-page-1/#comment-999427
FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT ME
Visit: http://www.bipolarcentral.com/testimonials
Well, I have to go!
Your Friend,
Dave
===>> Great Resources For You <===
Get Your Own Subscription To This Newsletter
Want your own copy of these daily bipolar
emails sent to you for F.ree? If so, visit:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/register3
Get More Help On Bipolar Disorder
Don't forget to take a look through the
different programs I've put together... each
one is designed to help you with a different
area of bipolar disorder whether you have it or
you are supporting someone with it.
You can see them all and get the details by visiting:
http://www.bipolarcentralcatalog.com
View Past Daily Bipolar Emails For F.REE
Check out my F.ree blog with copies of emails
that I have sent in the past and lots of great
information for you:
http://www.bipolarcentral.com/supporterblog/
Get Audio Information On Bipolar Disorder For F.REE
Check out my F.ree podcast. Hear me give
mini seminars designed to teach you information
you can't learn anywhere else.
http://bipolarcentral.libsyn.com