Bipolar / Manic Depression

My hubby has got Bipolar it used to be called Manic Depression. Hubby was diagnosed with Manic Depression 1972. My father had Manic Depression since WW11. I have lived with this illness all my life and it just tears the patient and family members and friends apart. 

Before hubby was diagnosed with Manic Depression I knew roughly what was wrong with him. Hubby is a very strong person and has had great ideas but, then all is lost when he has these bad turns as we call it. He has good and bad days.  Good days are really good-normal but, then he has Manic days that seems like hes rushing and hysterical laughter and wants to do things fast and comes up with great ideas like making things or cleaning things or cleaning around the house for me. His good moods are really good, then all of a sudden he weakens and gets depressed or angry for no reason and has to sit down or go to bed. Sometimes there are massive rows and I seem to be walking on egg-shells and any thing I do or say is wrong and he picks holes in everything and anything for no reaon. My father was the same with my mum too.

My father was the same as I have described above and more. He used to hit and punched my mum several times. Sometimes my mum was covered in bruises, so was I a few times and had to have time off school. Hubby has never laid a finger on me. The nearest he has got was when he put his face in mine, this was last year and that was when he stopped his medication for Bipolar for a few days because he didn't think he needed them. and I said to him calmly and still with his face right in front of mine, if he laid a finger on me I would call the police on him if he touched me and he backed away. He started taking his medication again that day and he has never done that since. We've had our moments when hes had his bad days over the years and he had was and still gets paranoid about things or when I talk to anyone or on the phone, he wants to know what was said and he makes a row out of it. they are bad times and there's been really bad times, but we always get through them. Hubby has got a few health conditions that are really bad right now and, terminal. Bipolar is playing a big part in making things worse for him at the moment too. He panics a lot, really bad, which is understandable. I could go on and on about lots of things that have happened over the years but, that's enough for now.

Hubby was given a book in the 1970's called 'Self Help For Your Nerves' by Dr. Claire Weeks. Hubby never read the book at all but I did and it has helped me to help me care for him over the years and I swear by this book. Before I read the book I was a bundle of nerves when hubby had his really bad days, now I am calm in all situations so as I can help myself and hubby get through his bad times. I read this book several times and always went back to it, now I am able to cope with hubby's health problems as well as my own. The book tells you how to cope with situations. When I get nervy I practice what the book suggests and it works for me every time, it has become second nature to me. Have you heard of fight or flight. FIGHT is when you help yourself through situations and bad times and, FLIGHT is where you weaken and fold up and can't cope with situations. The technique in the book is really good. It won't change things over night, you have to work at it.

I hope this helps anyone. Please feel free to tell your story here

Best Wishes

Astra!