Quote:
Originally Posted by emomom
Unfortunately it sounds very familiar to me, a lot of similarities in symptoms...this happened to me when I was 43, I was diagnosed that year. None of my behaviors were 'normal' for me, it all came out of the blue. What is hard to understand is impairment in judgement that occurs. Something in me was telling me it was 'ok' even though I knew it wasn't. How could it possibly be ok to leave my teenage sons alone with their dad to pursue my 'true love' when I had basically lived for my sons all their lives? I'd been a stay at home mom. When I finally came down from the mania I realized all those thoughts were false, the depression that followed was pretty horrible, guilt and lots of time and effort to repair us all. I honestly can't explain that 'thing' that tells you its ok to do what you are doing when what you are doing isn't ok. Mania and depression are both powerful forces that make the person believe the lies the mind comes up with.
|
He was 43 also last yr when he got diagnosed. This was his first episode that we have caught. Psychiatrist said he's been having hypo's all along and yes we can look back and see that now. He had to have known what he was doing was wrong but yet his mind convinced him it was ok to be doing this. Pdoc said it was the bipolar at work (warping the truth to keep doing the pleasurable activity). He is so baffled at how he could do something that he would NEVER do in a normal state of mind. He has never wanted to have an affair (and yes I truly believe him when he says this). He keeps telling me over and over that HE did not want to do this. The psychiatrist told me he would put his own hand on the Bible and swear that my husband is telling the truth in that. It still hurts just the same. Thanks for your reply, it helps to hear from someone that has experienced a similar situation.