Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Love and mental illness

  • 26-03-2014 12:30am
    #1
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭


    Wondering if anyone out there can give me some advice. Partner is being diagnosed currently for what seems to be depressive bipolar disorder. I know very little about this and am currently doing research however I'd love to hear from anyone who either has the condition or is in a long term relationship with someone who does so I can have a rough idea of what to expect, assuming we continue being in a relationship (I currently think we should but still processing everything).

    Any experience welcome, even if its not what I want to hear.


Comments

  • #2
    WildRosie
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 585 ✭✭✭WildRosie


    I am bipolar and have been hospitalised for both 'poles' of the illness. I have been well for three years and am a full time student now. For me, staying well has been down to compliance with my medication, good level of insight and unconditional support from my family. It's very possible to stay well for long periods of time and live a normal life. It took me a long time to get a proper diagnosis, I had been treated for depression and that treatment just worsened my condition, but when I got the correct diagnosis and treatment (the medication used in bipolar is different to that used in depression) I improved a lot and over the course of 12-18 months my moods completely stabilised and I have been episode free ever since. So, there is hope, there might be a bit of a journey to achieve wellness, but it's very possible and worth it in the end.


  • #3
    Dazeyrose99
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2 ✭Dazeyrose99


    Hiya, I have bipolar disorder so maybe I can help a bit... First of all I have to say is fair play for wanting to find out about it, and right now that's the best thing you can do, that, and just being there for your partner to talk and listen.

    Find out all you can - read books, websites, talk to the doctors/nurses. The more you know about it the less scared you'll be and the more support you can provide to your partner. Know thine enemy as they say!

    Bipolar is a lifelong illness which can be very serious but it is controllable - that's the main thing to remember. Nobody can tell you right now what your partner's prognosis will be. I remember asking a doctor when I was diagnosed what my prognosis would be and she said 'a third of people will have frequent admissions to hospital, a third will have just a few admissions and the final third will probably just have one or two episodes' (i.e. she was no help at all lol!).

    Everyone is different and every case of bipolar is different. For me, it's been quite a few episodes and hospital admissions but between them I'm good, and I've learnt to cope with it when things are bad - and I have really good support from my partner and family.

    Nobody will be able to tell you what to expect exactly...but you're doing exactly what you should be right now. Don't forget to look after yourself too because this is a stressful time for you - don't be afraid to talk to someone about how you feel.


Advertisement