Bi-polar Husband

[mumo4]

Hi Everyone this is my first time on here . My husband has been diagnosed with Bi-polar 1. I would like to hear of other Wives or partners who are going through this or been going through this for a while. My husband got very angry yesterday i have never  seen him like that the 13 years we have been together, Would i be triggering him somehow? If there any other information I may need to know please send it through  as this is all new to me . Thank you .

[girlwearingblack]

Hi mum. I can give some lived experience. Often psychosis or psychotic symptoms can make people act angry. I would get him on the phone to his health professional asap. You can stand beside him and walk his journey with him. Sometimes I think this is not living, it's a living hell. You can support him through this. You may not be able to reason with him if he is unwell. Stand by him. Talking to the one you love does help but only if he is ready to do this. Agitation and irritation could be possible, he may need his space. Get him some help from his regular professional. I find going somewhere like the beach clears my mind, does he have a man cave? 

[Jennita]

Hi mumo4. When my husband was hypomanic, he could be extremely irritable and even aggressive. This was often in response to the slightest frustration- another driver going too slowly in front of him, a shoelace tangling while he was tying his shoes, me disagreeing with his opinion or looking at him "in a funny way"- anything!

It wasn't really a matter of "triggering" him. He would get angry with me for looking at him or NOT looking at him, talking to him or NOT talking to him. He was just incredibly irritable and looking for someone to get angry at. He would swear aggressively and try to get into arguments with strangers, such as fellow spectators at the football. He also displayed frightening road rage while driving.

This was all VERY uncharacteristic behaviour, as he is normally a gentle, good-humoured person who despises aggressive males. Fortunately, once diagnosed and started on mood-stabilising medication, he returned to his old reasonable self and has remained that way for two years now.

From what I have read, irritability is common in people who are manic or hypomanic. In my experience, this irritability can be extreme and frightening. I'm very relieved to have my gentle husband back. I hope your husband has the same excellent response to medication that mine did.

[hope1978]

Hi there. I'm so sorry Bi Polar has come into your marriage. Mine too (read my post Bi Polar Partner - SOS). I too need desperately to connect with other wives, find out how you've handled it, what has worked and what hasn't. My husband did become very angry and withdrawn for a while, was drinking all the time and seemed to hate me and not even like our beautiful son, who was 2 at the time. It was horrible. That was 2 years ago. Things are not perfect now but he stopped drinking and that makes a HUGE difference. Drinking actually makes him angry and anti social. He prefers not to drink now. But he does still get easily irritated, especially if there is too much noise, too many people or kids around. He needs space and to zone out, alone in front of the telly. Long, deep conversations are also not good. It sucks because I feel like I've lost my 'partner' but it's just the way it is. If I give him lots of space he is happy and comes back affectionate. Hope this helps, hope things are going ok for you. Keep in touch if you can.