My Partner is Bipolar and Not Taking His Meds

Dear Andreus,

My partner is bipolar and is prescribed medication to regulate his mood.  The problem is that I know he isn’t taking it, and he becomes very difficult.  He always swears to me that he is taking his medicine, but he won’t take it in front of me.  Honestly, his moods are causing us lots of issues, and he doesn’t see it. I have suggested that we talk to a professional, but he is against it. There must be a way to fix this without it destroying us.

Sincerely,

Supportive Boyfriend

Dear Supportive Boyfriend,

First, let me commend you for being supportive. Mental health is very real, and for some reason revealing it or discussing is still very taboo to many. You cannot force someone to do anything that they don’t want to do. Trying to get them to fix a problem when they are in denial is even worse.  In this situation though, if his mood swings are causing you guys difficulties, then you must make some changes. Maybe giving him some space when these moods swings occur, letting him know why you are distancing yourself. He honestly may not realize the effect it is having on your relationship. Sometimes we must alter our behavior to get other people to see reality. The next time there is an episode, remove yourself from the situation, and hopefully he will begin to realize that his not taking his medication is an issue.

Dear Andreus,

My ex-boyfriend broke my heart when he left me over a year ago to date some new guy who just moved to the area. Now he is trying to get back together. He told me that he made a terrible mistake, and that he realizes that he is not going to find anyone like me. I never stopped loving him. Should I take him back?

Sincerely,

Torn

Dear Torn,

So, let me get this straight.  He left you to go after some random new guy who just came to town, and more than a year later he wants to get back together because it was a mistake. Sorry, I had to recap. And after doing so, my conclusion is NO.  I mean, you can do what you want, but if he really loved you to begin with he would have never taken off. How do you do that, and then come back pretty much because it didn’t work out with the other person. You must think better of yourself. You are worth more than being someone’s option. If he really loved you, you would have never stopped being a priority. On to the next one. You can do better.

source https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/03/13/my-partner-is-bipolar-and-not-taking-his-meds/