Ups and downs are natural in any romantic relationship, but when your partner has bipolar disorder it can feel like you're on an emotional rollercoaster. Not knowing what to expect each day is stressful and tiring. Over time, it wears on the relationship.
Unless their condition is causing noticeable dysfunction that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, it's perfectly okay to date someone with bipolar disorder I or II. Every person you date is likely to have different strengths and needs. That same logic goes for people with mental health conditions.
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.
When someone with bipolar disorder is having a manic episode, impulsive, reckless sexual behaviors and significantly increased sex drive are quite common. Such hypersexual behavior is often a warning sign of a manic episode.
“Similarity: People also tend to pick partners who are similar to themselves in characteristics such as age, race, religion, social class, personality, education, intelligence, and attitude. This similarity is seen not only between romantic partners but also between friends.
Bipolar Disorder is when your mood changes from one extreme to another, similar to Borderline Personality Disorder. This can result in an unhealthy obsession because you will either be in love with that person or want to hurt them.
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.
When it comes to relationship style, research has shown that adults with bipolar disorder display more insecure attachment styles when compared to people without the disorder.
Ups and downs are natural in any romantic relationship, but when your partner has bipolar disorder it can feel like you're on an emotional rollercoaster. Not knowing what to expect each day is stressful and tiring. Over time, it wears on the relationship.
Dealing with the ups and downs of bipolar disorder can be difficult—and not just for the person with the illness. The moods and behaviors of a person with bipolar disorder affect everyone around—especially family members and close friends. It can put a strain on your relationship and disrupt all aspects of family life.
MD. 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.
“People with bipolar disorder are entitled to the human experiences that anybody else could have—like falling in love,” says David H. Brendel, MD, PhD, medical director of the Mood Disorders Program at Walden Behavioral Care in Massachusetts.
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.
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.
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.
Breakups can be brutal—and can easily trigger bipolar symptoms. The end of a relationship often ushers in dark feelings like abandonment, guilt, and rejection. Even if the relationship was toxic and getting out was the right decision, there may be a sense of failure or self-blame.
Narcissism is not a symptom of bipolar disorder, and most people with bipolar disorder do not have narcissistic personality disorder.
How Bipolar Disorder Affects Relationships. Bipolar disorder can lead to irreparable relationships. The impulsive behaviors of the manic state can lead to extramarital affairs, lies, gambling, shoplifting, and other risky behaviors.
The phrase “bipolar meltdown” could refer to a bipolar person having a manic episode or being in a depressed state. These conditions could cause them to lose control of their emotions and have trouble managing them.
While there is no way to know whether West's behavior or comments are related to his mental health, most experts agree that people with bipolar disorder can behave erratically and may at times lose their “filter” and say or do socially inappropriate things.
During manic episodes, people with bipolar disorder may experience a heightened sense of sexuality. It's only when this is paired with other symptoms of bipolar mania—including risk-taking, impulsivity, and poor judgment—that it can shift into problematic hypersexuality.
The fear of never being stable.
Thus this leads to a feeling of being unfit for this world — that you weren't meant for it because you can't cope with life due to something you didn't choose and can't change; that you're stuck having to explain yourself to others and even yourself.