I'm still trying to come to grips with husband of 21 yrs having an affair. Here's the shortened version of what all has happened:
Caught husband with a prepaid cell phone. He kept telling me "it wasn't him" and that he could never have done this to our family. There was no sex, but was kissing involved. They talked and texted for first month, second month would meet and speak at Walgreens, Walmart, road at bank. Then SHE asked to meet at public park. This is where SHE asked him to kiss her. (he stands outside of her car) Then third month SHE asks if theres a more private place they could meet. So they start mtg for her lunch hr a couple days a week and sit in her car. SHE ADMITTED TO GETTING A PHONE FIRST, ASKING TO MEET, ASKING FOR KISS

He started taking diet pills and pdoc said that caused stimulant induced mania. We knew NOTHING about bipolar until the affair and we went to therapist because he attempted suicide and was cutting really bad. Tdoc brought up bipolar so we said yes in the family (Uncle was diagnosed manic depressive yrs ago and other Uncle committed suicide-he was hospitalized for depression prior to death) Pdoc then diagnosed husband with bipolar and manic episode.

During episode, he DID NOT think he was in an affair. Felt he was doing NOTHING wrong that it was ok to be doing. He thought of her as just a friend, not girlfriend, lover , etc. Says he feels nothing from it. No emotions, has very little memory of it, no feelings

Symptoms we now look back and see:

****THIS WAS ALL BEFORE WE KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT BIPOLAR

Dieting to extreme (lost weight really fast)

Excessive alcohol drinking

Exercising beyond normal capabilities

Grandiose thoughts (felt could ride bike unrealistic distance)

Playing music really loud

Buying music

Acting like teenager again (reverting back to youth?)

Inflated self esteem (thought everyone should notice weight loss)

Moody and very irritable

Did not take criticism well at all from me or his mother

Did not sleep well and was taking Benadryl to try to sleep


Does all this sound familiar to first manic episode and WAS IT POSSIBLE FOR HIM NOT TO KNOW HE WAS DOING THIS???? He said it felt like some sort of "force" was pushing him. This is all so way out of character for him. He is very remorseful and is doing better now. The psychiatrist prescribed him Seroquel and Depakote and diagnosed him as Bipolar II but because of full blown mania episode he said he was Bipolar I.