So, if you're reading this, you probably read the last thread about how we had a fight and she's been all cold and distant (even though the fight was over something that shouldn't really have been an issue to begin with).

Last night while she was at work her mom and dad took me out for a few drinks and told me that when she was little she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. When I found that out a little light kind of clicked in my head and things started to make a lot more sense. She has gotten pretty depressed during our relationship at points and I helped her get through them as best I could. Rather than experiencing the manic phase, though, her mom explained to me that she goes through what's called "hypomania," characterized by fits of anger and super irritability.

She has been unmedicated her entire life except for a period of about a month where her parents convinced her to get help. They said the change that came over her was like a miracle. She was polite, never angry, considerate and far less irritable. However, she said they made her feel really depressed and so she stopped taking them.

Today her mom talked to her about getting back on medication and she resisted the idea. Over lunch my girlfriend told me about the conversation she had with her mother and said she would consider it, but she hated how she felt before. I want to be able to talk to her about this more, and perhaps convince her that it's something she needs to do, but I am on such thin ice with her right now that I'm afraid if I try to bring up the conversation again she'll just push me away.

Do any of you have experience with this? She means so much to me, and I'm not the type of person to walk away and give up.

Now that's girltastic.

But did it really need a new thread?

Yes because the other one has fallen away.

Well, as long as they're not over 3 weeks old they're okay to post at...

... oh well.

Well, so it turns out that those who said she's crazy were absolutely right.
Good luck with that. It will be hard.

Careful, you're pulling a Rob.

Wow, bipolar that's only bad and WORSE. Damn.

I'm afraid I have no idea how you could help her, I've never been in that kind of situation before and had good results. My advice would be useless. Good luck though.

Except the manic phase of bipolar disorder isn't a positive thing in any way.

I wouldn't expect her to go on the medication if she says it makes her feel depressed. Now it comes down to you weighing the issues here. She can't expect you to just deal with the disorder as if nothing has changed, but she also can expect a little love and compassion out of the man that's been there for her for the past 8 months.

You have to make a choice, and be firm in the choice you make. Either way, it's going to be difficult. I've started casually dating a girl with bipolar, and I've pretty much decided it isn't going to work. I can't deal with completely irreversible mood swings that can sometimes completely ruin weeks of happy-time.

I think a great way to try to help would be to do some independant research on Bipolar medications. She tried one, but there have to be more treatment options out there. Show her that you really want whats best for her and that you're willing to work on her issues with her throughout this.

I've never truely dealt with being in a relationship with someone who's bipolar, so if I sound way off base, I beg your pardon. :-D

G'luck!

My sister had some bad experiences with different medicines after she had a manic / schizophrenic episode. They do tend to all be tranquilizers that make you feel nothing or prozacs that make you giddy, but eventually her doctor and her decided on Seroquel, which works pretty well for her. Hope that helps.