Bipolar Story Shared July 21, 2014

Hello everyone. I have been in a relationship with my partner for seven years now. He has been diagnosed with bipolar since his teens. Reading other people’s stories I can see many similar patterns. Since we have been together he has had many ups and downs. He came back from an overseas trip last Sunday and I was so excited to see him! But as soon as he got in the house I knew he was manic — talking over people, being loud, chain smoking and listening to intense music. He had also emptied the account I was supposed to use for food and spent it on having a good time. I decided to go to bed and keep out of his way. He kept coming in the room all night and yelling at me. I was in tears. He was being verbally abusive. At around five o’clock in the morning with the music blasting and him swearing and talking to himself, I knew it was time to get help. We have an eight-year-old son in the home also. I was out of credit on my cell phone, so I decided to go out, get a top up, and call his parents. He followed me out to the car saying he was over me and wanted out of the relationship. I got in the car, he ripped the keys out of the ignition and would not return them, saying that I was crazy to be driving at that time of night.

I went inside and rang the crisis line. The person I spoke with made an appointment for him the next day. His mum came in the morning to help and took him to the appointment. I have just found out he stopped taking the meds months ago. This week has been hell for me. We were meant to be moving to a new town, and the house is all packed up. He spent a few days away, went AWOL one night wandering the city talking to everyone and anyone. His Facebook page is filled with out of character things and he has offended our friends. I feel so alone and helpless, we have no money, and what little money he has he’s been spending on all sorts of gold coloured items from op shops.

He is verbally abusing me and very strange. I just feel terrible. I need to leave him but I don’t have enough money. I feel stuck and I miss the sweet man that he can be.