Question

Is it possible that someone with Bipolar could say they love their family and then a second later do something that would emotionally or physically harm them? I don't know if they mean to or not. But this has been going on for sometime. I wonder if there is a connection to Bipolar or not.

Impulsivity is a bipolar symptom so, yes. But, even if someone has a mood disorder, you don't have to tolerate abuse or stay in an unhappy relationship.

Bipolar moods can swing pretty rapidly, so it is a possibility. Borderline Personality disorder is also a possibility, as people can love you one second and hate you the next. But back to the bipolar. Anger, irrationality, rage, and many other negative emotions can be seen during a manic episode, and with such rapid swinging, they actually could love you one moment and hurt you the next.

As Cocoabean said, this does not mean you have to put up with it. There is also something called a domestic violence cycle, in which the person doing the damage can be penitent and loving one minute, and in a hateful or violent state the next. Once the rage is over, there is a short time of peace, and then the cycle may begin again. A bipolar person can also be an abuser, so if this is what you are living with, don't let the bipolar be used as an excuse.

TheSkyIsFalling - I was diagnosed Bipolar about 10 years ago - then re-diagnosed Borderline Personality Disorder with Bipolar about 2 years ago. I find that my emotions with my family can be very extreme. I go from being madly in love with my husband to wanting to hurt him...I can be pretty verbally abusive too. I find that the description of BPD is a little more fitting for me than the bipolar because of my extreme anger swings - I tend to have emotional swings quite frequently - several times a day sometimes at the drop of a hat. The correct medication combo has helped that immensely. But I never, ever mean to hurt any of them - emotionally or physically. And the way I feel afterwards sometime is so terrible I can't even explain. I hate myself for having done the things I did. So it's very possible that they could be doing the things without meaning to.

Yes, I was like that, and in my mind my strong sexual longing for my then husband proved that I was in love with him and justified all the bad things I did to him. Ultimately, he ended the relationship. I had untreated manias that contributed to how I abused him. My mania is under control now - see the med list - but it is too late. The keys is to accept that there is a problem and to seek help, before it is too late. But it is exceedingly hard to communicate this message to the BP person. My husband did not succeed in it.

Thanx for this bit!