Any suggestion on dealing with a bi polar sibling?

[Notafraidtoo]

51. My Ex Wife was Bi-polar

My Ex Wife was severe Bi- polar and much of what you describe are things i had to deal with in our Six year marriage. The first thing you need to do is research, Its important to understand she has little control over many of her actions. That way you can prevent yourself from being consumed with resentment and anger at some of her manic episodes.

My ex destroyed our finances with out me knowing during manic episodes she had no memory of resulting in several months in prison for her. She was a sweet woman very compassionate and by no means a criminal but when the disorder took hold she was a different person for short periods of time resulting in a lot of destruction to her self and others.

Here is some tips

1. Don't hold a grudge she is sick, i know it seems like its her fault but it isn't.

2. Don't give her responsibility or put her in stressful situations.

3.She may come up with Lies out of whole cloth, weird story's that could never have happened and judgments of others that are harsh and slanderous, don't believe them and do not take offense again she is sick.

4. In my ex's case meds were not always effective even though she took them daily and we saw a doctor regularly, bi polar disorder is very tough to treat and not all people can avoid manic episodes even with treatment.

5. I know this sounds harsh but i would never allow my children around someone severely bi polar with out supervision, any thing can happen during one of those episodes, my Ex shook a crying baby once even though she adores children, she doesn't even know why she did it.

6. Logic doesn't work when they are manic, no amount of math, common sense or rational self interest will stop them from jumping off what ever invisible cliff she might be obsessed with at the moment.

Be careful, compassionate and understanding. After my experience with her i am convinced the prisons are full of people who are simply bi polar and need treatment instead of punishment.

In the end i wasn't strong enough or wealthy enough to endure the destructive things she caused.I had to work and couldn't always be home with her. I almost went to prison because she forged my name to steal money and she cheated on me. She doesn't even remember her actions. I loved her and i forgive her, I only hope one day they have better treatment for her before she ends up dead or in prison for the rest of her life.

I know what i wrote makes her sound horrible but in truth 90% of the time she was a perfect loving angel that made me very happy and all her friends adored her until she did something off to them that burned the bridge so to say.