Bipolar
 

My long term binge drinking AW has recently been diagnosed as bipolar. She can't understand why I am still divorcing her because with her meds she is going to be fixed now:) She claims that all the addiction treatment has been a total waste, all she has needed is the meds for bipolar. After numerous miracle cures and treatments she can't figure out why I am skeptical and getting out.

Or perhaps she can, and is simply playing more mind games to make you doubt yourself?

Sorry, I sound really cynical, don't I? :)

My AW tends to use her mental disorders as an excuse, too, whenever I try to hold her responsible for something.

She's OCD and prone to panic attacks and depression. She's been on massive doses of Prozac for about 20 years now. It certainly helps, but it's no cure. Add the alcohol on top of all that and it's a recipe for disaster.

My wife has fixated on her depression as the cause of her drinking and other problems. One of the things she got out of rehab though was to be able to handle her depression she is going to have to adopt a sober life style. So she is on depression meds (has been for a long time), going to therapy and AA.

Doesn't matter to me is she is using the depression as an excuse on why she became an alcoholic or not if it gets her to start working a recovery.

Just have to wait and see what happens next. We are separated so at least I am no longer an active participant in the chaos.

Your friend,

Well, alcohol and drugs have been found to exascerbate bipolar disorder, but like everything, medication is only part of the equation. Hopefully your wife will find help and be successful with or without you. You deserve to be happy.

I am getting the impression that she is all too eager to blame the alcoholism on bipolar instead of her choices. I have told her I am getting divorce and she has really turned on the begging and pleading for another chance. Maybe she has found the magic cure but too many years of binge drinking has caused me to loose all faith and trust. Maybe she could rebuild that trust but it will take a long time.

IMHO she's clueless. The addiction treatment allowed the bipolar to be diagnosed and treated. My wife is bipolar too. Ton's of people are-- successful people. It's ******** quacking IMHO.

Either way, ask yourself this-- do you want to be married to this woman? If not don't change a damn thing.

Cyranoak

A little further information for you:

Alcohol interferes with bipolar meds. It is a depressant.

There are a whole lot of levels of bipolar disorder, from often suicidal and often hospitalized, nearly schizophrenic, to high functioning.

A good analogy for bipolar disorder: If you are standing on a high dive as a non bipolar, your body starts producing chemicals in preparation for the dive.

A bipolar on the high dive would produce the chemicals of one preparing to dive from a cliff.

The height of the cliff - and the depth of the water - depends on the level of bipolar disorder.

In severe cases, you could say it's a very steep and high cliff they are standing on, and a shallow stream they are jumping into.

Here are some famous bipolars, some with drug and/or alcohol problems, and others without. It does give some bipolars the desire to "self medicate." IMHO yes, someone with bipolar would have a harder time giving up an addiction because of the "multi disease" aspect...

...but - that's not your problem ;) :

Sir Richard Branson

Patty Duke - (suspected previous drug abuse, was given drugs as early as age 13)

Carrie Fisher (who is a recovering addict; see the movie POSTCARDS from the EDGE, based on her life in movies and with her mother, Debbie Reynolds, an alcoholic)

Adam Ant

Dick Cavett

Mel Gibson, alcoholic (unknown if recovering)

Jane Pauley

Brian Wilson, recovering addict

Amy Winehouse, addict-alcoholic, deceased

Catherine Zeta-Jones

Richard Dreyfuss

Britney Spears...

I just have to laugh at the logic of an addict. She thinks i need counseling because i want out of this relationship.

I hear ya Hayfmr. My AH went to the Dr. practically every other month it seemed. It was because of depression that he drank, it was because of grief that he drank, it was because of stress at work that he drank, it was because of the pregnancy issues I had that he drank... So many excuses except for the one real reason - he is an alcoholic. The truly sad thing is that our court system believed him and his attorney at the temp hearing; he now spends equal unsupervised time with our children. I have never prayed so much in my life! And, he really believes these things about himself so he keeps taking medication and keeps on drinking. Clearly not a good mix.

Maybe I should start using that excuse

Instead of saying "Im pissed or Im hurt or Im tired of being married to an alcoholic"

I will just say sorry folks, Im Bipolar!! ((end of that conversation))

Im kind of in a snitchey mood, can ya tell? LOL