[byfnvy]

My friend has bipolar II. He's away right now, left home and everyone (for school/work). He started emailing me asking if we could be like close friends again, and I warned him from the start that I wasn't a good friend, but he kind of ignored that.

Anyway, I thimk I sort of triggered him in my email yesterday. Was feeling depressed, couldn't get out of bed even in mid afternoon. He had told me in a previous email that he would be happy as long as I was happy. I felt like I could never be happy (I'm dramatic, I know) and told him he wouldn't be happy if he kept thinking about me.

His response took me by surprise. He kind of bore his soul about his hardships with bp, experiences that I suppose I could never fully understand, and I felt that he was mad at me for things I'd said and that I triggered him. I don't really understand. After that, he said he didn't care about being happy, and not to stop him from thinking about me, and that if I didn't want to talk to him anymore after what he had just said, there was nothing he could do and our lives would still continue.

I took that last part as an indication that he'll be fine without me, so it would be better if I didn't reply. He doesn't need me. I don't know what kind of environment he has there, but I've seen his pictures, he seems fine and even if it's horrible there, he has lots of other friends he could email, so he shouldn't need me. They can be there for him way better. I was starting a reply last night, but I wasn't sure how to respond, and I kind of questioned if it would be for the best in the long run.

[Ryask]

If you don't want to be friends...just leave it as it is, don't make a reply back. Alternatly you could just state it plainly... "i no longer wish to be friends" then don't respond to anymore messages.

[wing]

It sounds like he is going through an unstable period which many of us do over the holidays. I would wait and see what he's like after the first of the year when things get back to a normal routine. If you are down yourself, there is no need to subject yourself to his rantings. Allowing him to do that to you isn't in your best interests, and is giving him more opportunities to trigger himself by his own behavior. I agree, I'd let the friendship go. Don't take on his issues.