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malapp1 · Jan 16, 2011, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wisdomseeker

I've been drawn to this conversation for days, wanting to comment but unsure that my words will be taken out of context.
This thread has many people concerned for this victim (I'm grateful for this community and your support of each individual and their continued healing and well being). . . though reading through it's entirety a couple of times, I'm not convinced that there might not be other underlying issues. What if . . . she does not have BP as he is attempting to have you all believe. Has there been a substantiated diagnosis or could it be that it his, and only his, perspective. That possibly the viewpoint is exaggerated to suck in the audience and gain your support - many have replied with genuine concern. Just questioning? What if, she's been a victim herself of a person who wants dominance and just had a mental breakdown? What support would you then offer her?
Please, pray that she receives the help and guidance she needs and he finds continued support and healing.
-"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." - Aldous Huxley

Dear Wisdom Seeker, I don’t know which side of this you’re coming from so it’s hard to answer your question. I can only speak from my personal knowledge about my own situation. My wife has been diagnosed. When I first met her she was on Prozac and an anti-depressant. While we were in counseling, she was also diagnosed. I am not positive about the diagnosis but I am pretty sure it was BP1. I do recall that she was prescribed a couple of different meds. I remember her taking Abilify and that did seem to have a positive effect.
Unfortunately, there was always alcohol and other substance in play so it’s hard to say if anything really worked. In her case, there is a genetic component. As I have said previously, her daughter is suffering terribly and her son seems to be showing signs of the disease. I think about the only thing that is at least somewhat certain is that genetics play a role.
As for the “what if” question, well, if she were just under a tremendous amount of stress, I could almost buy the theory. But, in her case it’s been an ongoing issue. Speaking purely for myself, I can tell you that as time goes on and you’re continuously abused you start to lose sight of your own reality. I have lost my love for myself and understand that being in a bad and abusive relationship can cause that. I frequently teased her about putting me down. It always seemed harmless but in time it becomes hard to not believe. I always thought that she was just joking but now I realize that she wasn’t.
Unconsciously, I think that after you spend a good amount of your life being put down and suffering from all the uncertainty that surrounds this disease, you too will suffer from emotional disorders. Thankfully, they can be controlled and with some counseling and self-help a person can move on.
I have watched my wife cycle through the mania and depression. I’ve seen the self-loathing that she has for herself. Early in our relationship, I once told her that I loved her and she responded by telling me that I had not yet seen her in one of her moods. It’s been three years and little did I know just how much that statement would mean to me today.
My wife knows she just hasn’t come to the point where she is willing to accept it. She is not un-normal in that regard. From what I read, taking that first step toward acceptance is more than just half the battle. If what other people have said about my original question regarding delusions is true, I would be very fearful of treatment. Who, in their right mind, would want to know that they may have caused others a great amount of suffering? Perhaps the answer is only one who wants to get well.