My father, recently deceased, was diagnosed manic depressive as a teenager and chose never to medicate or seek therapy. At age 73, he had a breakdown, was hospitalized and rediagnosed as bipolar 2, and was medicated and doing reasonably well, until his death.
As an adult child of a bipolar person, what I would like to know from other bipolar 2 adults is, when you are acting poorly toward others, do you KNOW that you are?
I guess I ask because I would like to think that my father didn't know what he was doing to me (emotional abuse) when he was acting out from his disease-
rather than knowing full well what he was saying and wanting to intentionally hurt me.
Most days, I feel as if I can offer him grace and forgiveness. Days like today I think about the cruel things he said and did and feel that is WAS within his control but he wanted to be mean.
Any thoughts? Thank you in advance. I hope no one finds this post offensive in any way, that is so not my intention!!!!