I Have Bipolar – Will Anyone Ever Love Me?
Recently I was contacted by someone who was unfortunately going through a divorce. He felt that his spouse left him because he was bipolar. He asked me the question that so many people with a mental illness have asked themselves: I’m bipolar – will anyone ever love me?
Well, I can’t tell the future, but I do know a few things about love.
Yup, People with Bipolar Love
I know many people with bipolar disorder who love deeply. OK, I am a person with bipolar disorder that loves deeply.
People with bipolar disorder couple, live together, marry, have children and participate in relationships, just like everyone else. I’ve known some of these people. And from what I can tell, people with bipolar disorder have the same chance as everyone else of being in a happy coupling.
Do Others Love People with Bipolar Disorder?
In a word, yes. People fall in love with people with bipolar disorder every day. Seriously. I’ve seen them do it. People fall head-over-heels, emotional faceplant, birds-are-chiping in love with people with bipolar disorder.
You Have the Ability to Love and to Be Loved
Because in the end, people don’t fall in love with you because of a single line in your biography. People don’t fall in love with you because of your hair color, because you can walk or because your cells are mutation-free. People fall in love with you. The you that is you. The you that is all parts of you wrapped up into one neat little fleshy package.
And remember, no one would question whether others with a disability or disease could be loved – of course they can. Can people in a wheelchair be loved? Can people with cancer? Can people with seizure disorders? No one would doubt for a moment that these people are as loveable as everyone else and yet us, with a brain disorder suffer from doubt.
Is bipolar disorder an issue in a relationship? Yes, of course it is, but it isn’t an insurmountable one nor is it an all-defining one. Every person has challenges some of our just happen to be defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
Love is tough to find even for the most well among us, but Love Happens, just like bipolar disorder.
You can find Natasha Tracy on Facebook or GooglePlus or @Natasha_Tracy on Twitter.
APA Reference
Tracy, N.
(2013, February 28). I Have Bipolar – Will Anyone Ever Love Me?, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, May 7 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/breakingbipolar/2013/02/have-bipolar-will-anyone-love-me
Author: Natasha Tracy
My husband of 34 years now says that because of my "condition" (bipolar2) that I am unable to give or receive love. He has withdrawn from me and all I have is cuddles on the couch before bed. No touching, no intimacy, no words of love, etc. Has this happened to anyone else???
I have the same issue. It is if I have become untouchable. I suffer bp 2 and I struggle everyday. I think it is a simple act of not wanting to understand. I am still me, just slightly mad.
I was diagnosed with bp 2 today, I'm 22 years old... I'm still unsure of what this mean for me, I live with my father who is also bipolar and I fear ending up like him - divorced and alone. In retrospect, my collection of short and/or toxic relationships makes more sense now... but highlights a doubt I was already experiencing throught said relationships - my ability to love. Does BP 1 &/ 2 have any correlation with lack of empathy?
I too, was diagnosed with bipolar 2, at age 46!! I know what's all about. I went to a psyciatrist because Iwas so down and couldn't sleep at all. I was focused on the release of a soldier that was in captivity and was released after years of abuse and mental abuse. I got locked into his release and the mania got worse. My kids I guess were used to seeing me moody, with emotional disregulation so many yrs. I'm feeling better, more fuctional with 2 new med's: Lamictal, a mood stabilizer and Viepax, an anti- depressant. I suffer from anxiety and self destructive behavior towards myself: nail biting daily,, hair pulling, eyebrows are gone. I use eyebrow shadow. I would like to correspond with anyone with a similar diagnosis.
contact me, I am 47 with a recent diagnosis of BP2. I would love to be able to speak to you, I know it's a few months on from this but would be good to talk...I don't know if that's allowed..but if it is email cherished_toad@yahoo.co.uk