As I read the next chapter in Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder, it introduces the need for ‘Symptom Lists’ to help create a holistic treatment plan.  My first thoughts were that it seems like alot of work, and somewhat overwhelming.  But I can see how it may be helpful for couples to work through this together to learn more about their specific form of bipolar disorder, becoming more aware of how its affecting their relationship.

For me, I guess I am still struggling to figuring out how I can accelerate my wife’s acceptance and insight, so we can finally start working together on this.  But interestingly, today I started to see how the symptom list framework can help identify changes in mood.  My wife’s mood has started to fall slightly, and she’s exhibiting the anxious ruminations pattern about our kids and not being a perfect mother.  She also starts spending hours online, trying to understand her inner pain, so she can know how to fight it.

It’s devastating to watch this and feel helpless that I can’t seem find the right way to bring her the awareness of what’s going on.  I am planning to plant a few seeds in her mind about biplolar disorder in the next 2-3 weeks, and hopefully she’ll agree on seeing another psychiatrist for a 3rd/4th opinion, before she crashes much further.

Hubby