Question:
I am supposedly dating a guy whose was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. He had a mental breakdown because of his divorce. I supported him after the breakdown and now he his totally different. He hardly speaks to me. What should I do? I love him , but I am sorry for his situation.
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Answer:
There are some things you must understand about Bipolar Disorder before you can make any decisions about your boyfriend. I doubt very much that he had a “mental breakdown” because of his divorce. Most likely, in my opinion, his Bipolar Disorder played a big role in his divorce. Yes, the divorce would cause him to feel more depressed or manic but it would not cause his diagnosis.
I have no idea whether or not your boyfriend is being treated for this disorder. Today, with medications and psychotherapy, people are able to live relatively stable lives even though they carry a diagnosis of Bipolar. However, without medication and psychotherapy there is not much likelihood of that happening except in a few rare cases.
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If he is not being treated and he refuses to go for help there is not much hope for this relationship. If he is willing to get help then you have a chance.
You need to decide how you want to live. It is difficult to live with someone who has this disorder unless they get help. If he refuses help you are probably best off looking for a new boyfriend.
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Please know that it gives me no pleasure to write this but you must be realistic.
Best of Luck
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