Posted 1/6/2008 3:09 AM (GMT 0)
Araaan, Welcome, I am a spouse to a BP husband. Married 16 years. Honestly, it is not always easy, but it is doable with a lot of education and patience. My H is a GREAT guy, but not easy to live with. He is moodier than the average Joe, he gets frustrated easily and many times unreasonably....this list could go on. But I have learned strategies that help to not trigger him, or to help it not escalate for us. I have also learned effective ways to stand up for myself and put up boundaries. He resents that he feels responsible for many things, and gets consumed in blaming me for the smallest things so he feels it is evened out about blame. I just let him have his say a lot of the time, because I don't blame him for his BP. So I don't feel the need to balance things like that. I don't spend a lot of time telling HIM he is bad and wrong, because he is doing plenty of that to himself as well. I know he really doesn't mean much of what he spouts when he gets in that mood. And when he is not in that mood, it is a calmer environment. Living with someone with this condition does take a lot of patience, and education is the key for both parties. My H has it milder in many ways than others. He is a BPII-rapid recycler who is quite regulated with meds, and is responsible about taking them and working with his doctors. He is a bright and loving man, and he knows without doing the steps it requires, he could loose everything. Plus, he includes me as part of his wellness team, and that is critical, because then I am not shut out and we are in this together. I hope this all helps to hear. Let us know if you have more questions. Any number of us can listen and share our experiences to help you. LFW