Hi All

I guess I’m just coming here for a little clarity and some better understanding about this disorder. My fiancé has Bipolar 2. We’ve been dating about 3 years and in that time I’d say he’s mostly been balanced and at times depressed. I see slight tinges of manic behaviors in how he’s always coming up with new ideas for projects and businesses etc, but it seems pretty harmless overall, and for the most part his meds have been working well these last few years. We have virtually no relationship issues. We’ve probably only had one argument in the years I’ve known him. Everything is generally really chill between us., sex is great etc

Recently he decided he was open to the idea of going off meds and trying herbal supplements instead. The first week was fine...we were together. This week he left to go take care of his kids and he appears to be in full blown hypomania. He’s turning the outside of their house into a giant political protest (ok fine). He’s making lots of aggressive political FB posts (ok fine), then he wrote something harmless but in poor taste of a sexual nature on my FB wall (totally out of character for him) and when I deleted it (i was really nice about it- said i appreciated they sentiment but it was a little much) he went batshit crazy, said I was censoring him and basically blocked me, refuses to speak with me, took our relationship status off FB, says he needs space etc

I’m dumbfounded. I literally feel like the man who was telling me how much he loved me hours before has died. Someone who is acting callous and cold has stepped into his shoes. I don’t know this new man. He is a total stranger and he scares me.

I know that what he must be going through must be agonizing. I cannot even begin to imagine how brutal it is to live with this disorder. However I don’t know how to come back from this. I expressed that I’m here for him etc etc, he still refused to speak with me.

I did get a call from him today but I felt too traumatized to pick up. I’m scared of this version of him. I don’t know who I’m going to find on the other end of the line. He’s hurt me so much over the last few days, I don’t want to take anymore. I’m not blaming him as I know his brain chemistry is imbalanced. I’m just trying to come down from the shock of it all.

My question is- should I take his calls and communicate with him or let more time pass? How long do this episodes usually last? Do his actions mean that he doesn’t really love me and I should just move on? I don’t know which of these is the “real” him. It’s so confusing. I don’t want to feel like my partner is one pill away from casting me out of his life completely. It’s a very unsettling way to live and makes me feel a real lack of security in his commitment and partnership. He basically broke up with me without so much as a conversation. No remorse whatsoever. Seeking advice and clarity here, thank you. And my apologies for being very unaware of the nuances of this disorder so please excuse me if I have characterized anything incorrectly