[FeelingHopeful]

Hey everyone , Reading up about Bipolar Disorder and Was Wonderng How Long Can A Relationship typically Go Without The Partner knowing About it, What is the longest relationship you guys have had?

[Moose72]

Was married 8 years and together 4 years before that.

[Ryask]

i've been married 6 years and to be honest we both had no idea.

[sugahorse1]

It's different being in a relationship and not knowing about your condition, as opposed to knowing about the dx and withholding the information.

My feeling is that BP is a path that cannot be walked alone. It will take too much out of you to keep it from your partner. And I also believe there should be no secrets in a relationship: would you not tell your partner if you were dx'd with cancer? Well, I don't think BP should be treated much differently.
I could never keep my dx to myself - my partner needs to be aware. He needs to know about my mania symptoms (If I was prone to it) in order to get help where necessary. He needs to know about my depression, so he can support me, and not trigger me.
I've been dx'd for about 18 months and things are getting better every day

My husband and I have been together for 24 years. We both have bipolar disorder, but we weren't diagnosed until well into our relationship.

You seem to be asking, though, how long you can keep a diagnosis from someone in a relationship. I wouldn't recommend trying that. Your partner really needs to know what is going on. They can be your best ally. Starting a relationship based on keeping secrets from the other just isn't a good idea.

[venusss]

Very short... but I never was into this stuff. My plan was always to have some meaningful career and enjoy life... somehow man did not fit into the scheme.

But being 26 still in school... maybe I could benefit from a relationship... I don't know

[laur88]

My grandpa has bipolar and has been married to my grandma for over 50 years... He wasn't diagnosed until a few years ago and at that point he was pretty out of control but my grandma stuck by him even when it looked like he was going to spend their life savings on all sorts of manic projects. You just have to find that person who will love you through thick and thin.

As for myself, I've only been in a relationship for 3 months but we ended it because it was going to become long distance, which is just too hard at my age (20). Don't date a lot because my standards are sky high... can't seem to lower them! I'm a hopeless romantic!

[Amazonmom]

Hubby and I have been together for 12 years, married for 9. I wasn't diagnosed until two years ago. So I guess you can go 12 years without either partner knowing! I got my diagnosis and told my hubby that night. No point in hiding it...he knew I was weirded out about my mood so this wasn't the biggest surprise.

I don't advocate hiding the diagnosis. Not healthy for a relationship no matter what it is you are hiding....

[PT52]

We've been together 13 years, married 12. I wasn't properly diagnosed until six months ago. My first marriage lasted 12 years. Ironically, my husband handled things better before I was diagnosed...just accepted me as quirky, absentminded and dramatic. Now he's impatient for me to get "cured", but he's still in it for the long haul.