A bipolar person may avoid relationships because they don't feel good enough for other people. Sometimes these feelings come on quickly and cause those with mental health conditions to push away others in existing relationships. This can lead to social isolation.
A person with bipolar disorder may disagree with their partner more easily during a manic episode. Risk taking behaviors, such as spending sprees or binge drinking, may happen during a manic episode. These behaviors may create tension within a relationship.
Romantic partners are essential sources of support and caregiving for people with bipolar disorder. When both partners in a relationship live with bipolar disorder, self-care, open communication, and empathy become even more important. Try to manage your own bipolar disorder by following a treatment plan.
People with Bipolar Disorder may struggle with maintaining a romantic relationship due to the many symptoms accompanying the diagnosis. Mania, and its potential for accompanying symptoms of depression, can hinder trust between the couple and make it challenging to communicate.
The known maladaptive types of coping mechanisms, or negative coping skills, evident in BD patients are “… rumination, catastrophism, self-blame, substance use, risk-taking, behavioral disengagement, problem-direct coping, venting of emotions, or mental disengagement” (Apaydin & Atagun, 2018).
The Relationship Between Bipolar Disorder & Anger. Bipolar disorder is characterized by frequent mood cycles, fluxing between mania and depression. While anger isn't always present, people with this frustrating condition may find they quickly experience angry outbursts when they feel agitated, irritated, or annoyed.
It's common for someone with bipolar disorder to hurt and offend their partner. When someone is first diagnosed, there are often relationship issues that need to be addressed. Couples counseling can help you: Understand that there's an illness involved in the hurtful behavior.
Unpredictable or intense mood changes define the heart of bipolar disorder. It can cause you to unwittingly withdraw from the people you love, or overly engage them.
One of the worst side effects of bipolar disorder is the repetitive cycle of self-sabotage. But you can manage this symptom by mapping out your goals.
Drinking alcohol or taking drugs, he says, can worsen your bipolar mood swings and lead to an increase in suicidal thoughts or behaviors. As SAMHSA notes, substance use or withdrawal can cause symptoms attributed to bipolar disorder, including agitation, anxiety, paranoia, mania, or depression.
Bipolar disorder may worsen with age or over time if the condition is left untreated. As time goes on, a person may experience episodes that are more severe and more frequent than when symptoms first appeared.
Psychosis. “When bipolar disorder mood symptoms are severe, a person may experience psychosis, or delusional and paranoid thinking which is out of touch with reality,” says Dr. Dudley. Howard says that bipolar psychosis is frightening because what he thinks is happening isn't actually happening.
Bad Breakups or Marriage Breakdowns
A number of people with bipolar disorder — especially those with a history of severe manic episodes — experience a breakdown in their marriages. If you're going through a divorce, working with your therapist through what is often a drawn-out and extremely stressful process can help.
However, relationship breakups can be especially difficult for people with bipolar disorder, not just because of the emotional instability that ensues, but also because of the change in routine, stress, and loss that can trigger either mania or depression.
Like all individuals, people with bipolar disorder have many good attributes, but at times, they also display less desirable qualities, such as being withdrawn, irritable, moody, and depressed. They may be affectionate and loving sometimes and then cold and distant at other times.
Manipulation isn't a formal symptom of bipolar disorder, although some people with the condition may exhibit this behavior. In some cases, manipulative behavior is a result of living with another mental health condition, such as personality disorders, substance use disorders, or trauma.
Looking back at what happened during a mood episode can stir powerful emotions. It's common to feel embarrassed, humiliated, ashamed, even worthless. There's often regret, sharpened by fear that you've alienated people in your life.
Bipolar disorder and marriage can be toxic to a relationship. That's when a relationship fails or is failing. It can trigger negative reactions that could lead to self-harm, self-loathing or worse. Relationship issues need to be watched and positively regulated from our youth onward.
Of course, there are many reasons for infidelity within a marriage or committed relationship, and it's important to remember that having bipolar disorder does not mean you can't be faithful to a romantic partner.
At times, people with bipolar might turn to blaming others for their difficulties to avoid their own bad feelings of anxiety, sadness, anger, or shame, particularly if they haven't yet learned healthier coping skills. Find a supportive therapist that specializes in bipolar disorder.
Experts are careful to distinguish between the odd angry outburst and the long-simmering anger and rage of bipolar anger, sometimes lasting over several days during both manic episodes and irritated states of depression.