[Eva1nder]

Hi

My boyfriend has bipolar 1 and either Shizophrenia or Shizotypal disorder.

We've been together in a long distance relationship for a long time.

Mid way through are relationship I learned that he had these problems. I love him very much, but I'm having a hard time understanding sometimes.

I have my own situation. I don't know if someone is familiar with these disorders and has time to spare to maybe help me understand some of it.

Just so you know the situation is a long story...very complicated.

I'd appreciate it.

Thanks
Eva

[Junerain]

One never knows what to expect with bipolar 1 or the others..each illness is so different..emotions probably go up and down, strange thoughts, different ways of relating, your partner may look ok but deep down perhaps he is not. All I can say is be sensitive- and if it took a while to know anything is wrong perhaps you will not have to deal too much with the illness, perhaps it's mild..you mentioned you had issues too though, hopefully your issues won't clash with your partner's. Long distance is hard enough as it is!! Let us know, how are coping, knowing this?

[Eva1nder]

Hi Junerain...thanks for replying

Actually he has a very serious case.

When I met him he was very "up", but I mean i didn't realize it.

He explained to me he was diagnosed with I believe it was Adhd as a child and very difficult and still had it as an adult.

He also has some serious health issues.

He lost both his parents in his mid 20's in a motorcycle accident just a few years prior to me meeting him.

From then on it seemed one thing after another bad things kept happening. I mean major set backs.

Because of serious health complications he could no longer do the work he was doing, which was his co. He owned 1/2. The other partner was his dad's friend.

Anyways, long story short...bad things happened...he went into a psychotic state and actually went into a fit of rage. He nearly ripped the door off his truck. Went into convulsions. It took 3police officers to get him restrained etc.

From then on he's been dealing with the fact first of bipolar 1, but then soon after being possibly diagnosed w/shizophrenia now possibly this other disorder.

I just was wondering if someone has a relative or a spouse or someone they were close w/that they are close to that they go through similar situations.

I feel like I'm playing a tape with him...and at the end of the tape ..he says he never heard it. So i rewind it...and we listen..and again he's never heard it. Over and over.

This is only just a small example of one issue.

There is so much more to it.

He tells me he feels like he's walking around in a daze. and all these other things.

Just wanted to see if someone could relate to some of these things.

Thanks so much though for asking...I appreciate it.

[Eva1nder]

Hi Fury

Thanks for responding to my post.

My b/f went through to many different doctors had a test done that test that is an imaging test more thorough then an mri (can't think of it at the moment), but it does say he has bipolar. He has bipolar 1.

He has mood swings

Manic...He can go through periods of time where he's very fast paced ...doesn't need much sleep. thinks he's mr. wonderful etc.

Can spend lots and lots of money. Nothing he can't do.

Makes quick decisions without thinking clearly. Implusive ..reckless. Get's into arguments.

Unusual energy...unusual strength even. Racing thoughts.

addictive personality to certain things.

Then also swings into depressiion.

He also has severe angery issues.

He went into a psychotic state 2years ago...which is indictive of a shizo disorder brought on sometimes by a trauma.

It was very extreme.

He was having for weeks prior strange thinking that he was seeing things. That ppl were after him.

Hallucinations etc.

He was plowing one evening and was having problems w/his temper ..His truck wouldn't start.

He got out of the truck and that's the last he remembered. His friend was with him and called the police b/c he almost ripped the truck door off w/his bare hands. He had to be restrained by 3 policemen.

He started to convulse and vomit ...They had to do a ct scan ..and the other scan i mentioned.

After this time He started having odd beliefs. His food was poisened. Wouldn't eat for long periods of time.

bizarre thoughts.

Very very paranoid. He wouldn't even talk for long long periods of time.

He doesn't really even trust ppl which is a real strain on his relationships.

During these times he has huge anxiety and negative judgments about himself, which he's never experienced before..just the opposite of what he always used to feel .. Like he was "it" all his life.

He becomes very psychotic.

Loses longggg periods of time of memory.

Automatic pilot mode.

It's not as simple to just talk about how you feel.

And my problems are very different from his.

I was just hoping someone was maybe going through a similar situation with some pointers.

Thanks though for trying to offer some advice. We are trying to working on communication and I've looked up some books to hopefully help that his one dr recommended and a friend here on the site.

Thanks
Eva

[Diann]

my husband and I go through the same situation as you and your b/f. one of the twists that I have seen with him is that I will tell him a story about my past and he will bring it up in a totally twisted way, usually adding some kind of sexual situation to the story, and then he will swear that that is the way he remembers the story. It makes for may fights. His conditions seem to be getting worse over time. I'm not sure if his med's are wrong or what. He also has a forgetfullness problem, and a lying problem, I could go on and on. I hope you don't feel so alone, I'm sorry if this does not help, good luck

[Eva1nder]

no it helps to find someone who can relate ...the only difference I think is ..the meds he goes on seriously diminshes his desire for sex ... the only other thing tho is we are in a long distance relationship so i think that's comes into play with that.

sometimes he gets angry so frustrated we had to go without sex b/c of the distance.

Do you talk with his doctors?

He forgets something awful ..and He gets extremely irritated by it.

You can go on and on anytime you like.

pm me anytime

take care
Eva

[Shadowsinsideme]

HI Eva,

I'm sorry you are having trouble understanding this. It must be hard for both of you.

I live with my boyfriend right now, but he is moving back home in a couple weeks because since my schiz has gotten worse, i have had too many problems and we cannot deal with each other right now. he is having a lot of trouble understanding all these problems im having

Well the best thing you can do is to keep doing what you have already started. Read through some of the posts on these forums so you can know what the experience is like.research schizophrenia and Bipolar disorder--oh, i hope i dont sound like a smart aleck, but i think that if he has symptoms of both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, the diagnosis would be Schizoaffective disorder.

Both illnesses are very complicated. HIs behavior and thoughts and emotions and such are probably very hard/impossible for him to control and very hard for you to understand im sure. There are tons of symptoms that can come along with these illnesses. Maybe you could do some more oline research about them or go to the library. One of the best books on schizophrenia is called "Surviving Schizophrenia" i dont know much about books on bipolar disorder, but im sure you could find a good one, or ask on the Bipolar forum what book they would recommend.

Good luck with everything.

[Shadowsinsideme]

something i forgot to add..

from your further description of his psychoticx symptoms, they sound much too severe to be classified as Schizotypal disorder. Schizotypal is characterized by mild ideas of paranoia, but is not delusional
preoccupation with magic,fantasies, telepathy, the sixth sense, etc.
Mild perceptual experiences, like bodily illusions (but not full blown hallucinations like hearing voices, seeing things,etc.
Social withdrawl

It sound to me like he has schizoaffective disorder:bipolar type. But of coarse im not a doctor, so i dont mean to try and sound as if i am diagnosing him

-Becka

[Shadowsinsideme]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Well, depression is a symptom of Schizophrenia, but I don't think that he could be fully schizo if he's BP. I think that he may be just schizotypal because of a depressive disorder. I think that all you have to do to understand him better is to simply ask for an easy explaination. Talking to him will help the both of you understand each other better, without (m)any pressures.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

HIs psychosis and manic episodes sound much too severe to be classified as schizotypal disorder. She decribed how he has had full blown psychotic episodes and violent manic episodes.
Schizotypal disorder is like a mild form of schizophrenia, and depression isn;t always involved in it.

If he is having schizophrenic symptoms along with Bipolar symptoms, the diagnosis would probably be Schizoaffective disorder:bipolar type.

-Becka

[Eva1nder]

Hi Becka...Thank you for your reply

I kept asking him actually if it was shizo affective disorder because that did come up prior. He kept saying now, but now for the past few weeks he's seeing a new therapist.

He has told her in the beginning what the past doctors have "labeled" him, but she has told him let her make her decisions.

In my opinion I agree with you I believe he is bi polar with either shizophrenia or shizoaffective disorder. So we'll just have to see. I did do some research actually and I found that book online on amazon and I'm thinking of going to barnes and noble and picking up that book.

We both have problems ...and when you combine the 2 it just gets so hard *shrugs*.

I'm sorry you and your boyfriend are going through a hard time to...If you ever want to talk...pm me anytime .

I really appreciate your response.

Please take good care and I hope you can feel better soon.

Eva