Hello all,
Thank you for taking the time to read my post.
I am new to the board and I am not sure if this is the correct section to post, so here it goes:
I have been in a relationship with a man for about three months who, in November/December of 2008 had a nervous breakdown and was admitted and kept for observation at a local hospital. He has opened up to me...little by little about what happened and the events that occured leading up to the breakdown but I have never seen the actual diagnosis information. He doesn't take meds and he doesn't see a counselor.
He goes from depressed mood states where he hardly talks to me ( when we aren't together) to when he is around me, he excessively obssesses and talks non-stop for hours over the latest thing he is stuck on, (mostly past issues, people or events). He says he only feels calm or happy when he is with me, but the only thing that I see that truly calms him is having sex with me which he is voracious about. He is a very sweet man, and he sometimes is very open about how he feels about me, while other times, so shut down and removed...even I can't get through. This seems to swing from one extreme to the next, but when we are together, he ALWAYS has to have sex, or get off....then he is calm...and seems better.
Please help me. I am not sure what to do. I truly care for him but I am scared too. I don't know if he has anxiety or depression or is manic....just not sure...

[Amazonmom]

Sure seems like SOMETHING is going on. Even if it isn't bipolar. How does he respond to the suggestion that he might need ongoing help?

[sebontheweb]

I agree that something is wrong. There are features of Bipolar disorder all right. But since he barely came out of depression with no meds or counselling, it could be something else.

In any case, I think it is bad enough to see a psychiatrist and have a good diagnostic made.

Bipolar Disorder Treatment:
-Mood stabilizer (Lithium, Depakote, ...)
-Sometimes, antidepressant
-Sometimes, atipycal antipsychotic against mania
-Counselling strongly suggested

Originally Posted by Amazonmom

Sure seems like SOMETHING is going on. Even if it isn't bipolar. How does he respond to the suggestion that he might need ongoing help?

He doesn't have insurance so he feels there are no options for him for counseling or meds.
He says he can get better on his own, and that I am a HUGE factor in his being happy and feeling calm...but that isn't healthy either.

Originally Posted by Amazonmom

Sure seems like SOMETHING is going on. Even if it isn't bipolar. How does he respond to the suggestion that he might need ongoing help?

He has no insurance so can't get counseling or meds.
Says he can fix this on his own.

[Slick399]

Sounds like he has some chemical issues going on in his brain. You might suggest going with him for an assessment with a psychiatrist and a therapist. You could let him know that you are concerned about him and would like for him to feel better.

Slick

[romanjames2004]

It sounds like I sometimes act when I am really nervous about something. I have General Anxiety disorder as well as bipolar and my T originaly said that my anxety disorder and having so much stuf to worry about, I was becoming depressed.

Please understand that I am no MD but maybe you should talk to him. He might be one of those people who are easily offended so start off by saying in a loving way, "You know, I noticed that you have been acting sort of strange latley. Are you ok? Is there anything you might want to tell me. We can discuss or feelings to each other if that helps you?" I mean, it sounds really kind of like prying the way I put it, but just talk to him along those lines. If he does tell you anything you might feel like helping him with, just ask him if you want him to make an apointment with someone.

I hope everything works out for you.

Roman James.

[Amazonmom]

The cost of treatment is something that always makes me upset. I bet if your boyfriend thought treatment was within his budget that he might try it. Or maybe he has his own reasons not to seek help.

I know when I had no insurance I decided not to even try getting help...because I couldn't afford it for long. So I went 16 years without help.

I guess finding access to low cost clinics or programs would be something worth trying. Sometimes meds can be cheap if they are on the $4 generic plans a lot of chain pharmacies have. Big IF, but something worth looking at.

[thelionkinglives]

Originally Posted by celerunnerlex

Hello all,
Thank you for taking the time to read my post.
I am new to the board and I am not sure if this is the correct section to post, so here it goes:
I have been in a relationship with a man for about three months who, in November/December of 2008 had a nervous breakdown and was admitted and kept for observation at a local hospital. He has opened up to me...little by little about what happened and the events that occured leading up to the breakdown but I have never seen the actual diagnosis information. He doesn't take meds and he doesn't see a counselor.
He goes from depressed mood states where he hardly talks to me ( when we aren't together) to when he is around me, he excessively obssesses and talks non-stop for hours over the latest thing he is stuck on, (mostly past issues, people or events). He says he only feels calm or happy when he is with me, but the only thing that I see that truly calms him is having sex with me which he is voracious about. He is a very sweet man, and he sometimes is very open about how he feels about me, while other times, so shut down and removed...even I can't get through. This seems to swing from one extreme to the next, but when we are together, he ALWAYS has to have sex, or get off....then he is calm...and seems better.
Please help me. I am not sure what to do. I truly care for him but I am scared too. I don't know if he has anxiety or depression or is manic....just not sure...

Your boyfriend sounds alot like me in that regaurd. I was tentatively diagnosed by polar but after a few months of retrospection I've decided they were in incorrect because because my symptoms fit much more with PTSD & OCD than bi-polar. Since I can identify very closely with this...I'm going to be interested in what everyones stance on it is.

LK