Expert: Libby Bonner - 7/13/2009

Question
My boyfriend (who was recently my fiance) has recently been diagnosed with bipolar I. After much thought and reading, I love him regardless and will do what it takes to do my part in the relationship. He recently has accepted his diagnoses, however, feels that due to his swings, excessive need for sleep, etc...that he is best to be alone in life. We both have agreed that we love eachother and feel we are the best mates for eachother, yet he feels like he can't have a relationship.
He is on medication to control it and has a psychiatrist. My question to you is (based off his suggestion)...if we met with his psychiatrist together, are there methods in which we can learn to help cope with his swings, needs, and make our relationship work? We both want the same thing, he just feels that it can't happen. So do psychiatrists have insight to teach couples in a bipolar relationship how to work together and make the relationship work?

Answer
Good questions, that I will answer as soon as I have a bit more info from you.

Your age; his age.  How long had he been diagnosed before having accepted it?  How soon after meeting did you become engaged?  How long after that did he return to being your boyfriend, and which of you initiated the decision not be be engaged?  Do you live together now?  For how long have you live together, OR, if you used to - dates when you started/stopped living together.

Do either of you have children or past marriages; pregnant now?  If children, reside w/ whom?


I look forward to hearing from you again.