Psych RN: "My husband is bipolar"

[Chrissy2003RN]

I may have mentioned my husbands sickness at work once or twice, to two people I know aren't ones to talk, but listen.

My husband is bipolar. He doesn't take medication. He is very grandiose, loose associations, flight of ideas, preoccupied with his spirituality and working on his faith; and working hard at his job. And I work on faith in myself and him; through God-I am able to conquer this.

But I wonder how ironic it is; I work as a Psych nurse in the biggest Inner City around. Most ER visits every year I am too close to attempt to be any help, in a professional way. I just let him be him as best I can. The stronger I get and the deeper we are. I am slow with change-I am a stubborn Leo. But this only applies at home. And just sometimes.

We had an amazing wedding ceremony. I could only look at him, and him at me. We laughed, played Rock, paper, scissors; he lit the unity candle with a blow torch (he's a chef!) and I called him out on it before we even pulled our lighters out. He had his hid after his crappy lighter didn't work. He waited for me at the end of the aisle and walked down with me.

Any ways, I am just wondering what is thought about this. It has my curiosity some.

He is my hubby always and forever.

[Davey Do]

Any ways, I am just wondering what is thought about this. It has my curiosity some.

Since you asked what is thought about this, Chrissy, I get to give you my thoughts:

Religious Faith is a Great Thing to have. It buoys us on through the Difficult Times and allows us to Thank Our Higher Power for Our Blessings. Prayer can be Very Therapeutic, in that the Act of Expression is Cathartic and allows us to believe a Higher Power Listens and Cares.

To find a Happy Medium is necessary for those of us who have Strong Beliefs, Philosophies, Tenets, or Life Stances and work in the Field of Science. We who believe that we are very Spiritual People need to only use our Beliefs, in our Work, when those Beliefs are Therapeutic to the Population we Professionally serve.

Your Husband has a Diqagnosis of Bipolar Disorder and is manifesting Classical Symptoms of that Mental Illness. If Your Husband is Functional, Contributing Member of Society, meets his Basic Needs, and is not a Threat of Harm to himself or anyone else, and you can realistically deal with his behavior, then you two should go about Your Business.

As A Psych Nurse, you are aware of The Fact that Mental Illness, like most Illnesses, are usually progressive, especially without Treatment. There are cases where Loved Ones have been able to Monitor their Mentally Ill without Medication Therapy and with Adequate Results. However, there are many more Cases where the untreated progressive Mental Illness symptoms cause multiple other problems, including Physical Health deterioration, Job Loss, Relationship, Social, or Other Problems.

So, with that said, Chrissy, I hope the Best for you and Yours.

Thanks for allowing me to have My Say.

Dave

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I agree with Davey Do......if you husband had diabetes.....would you "allow" him to refuse all medical treatment until he lapsed in to a coma from an elevated blood glucose?

I can see you very clearly love your husband. But you have a long life a head with each other. In stead of waiting for the other shoe to drop.....I would try to get him to go to a doctor.

I wish you the very best.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

We can't give medical (including psychiatric) advice here. If you are concerned about his condition, I would do as DaveyDo and Esme already stated and encourage him to seek psychiatric help.

You as a psych RN know how psychiatric illness affects your patients. The fact that the "patient" in this case is your husband doesn't make the disease and its prognosis any different, than it if were the bipolar patient you're assigned to in room #304.

Best of luck.

[Mas Catoer]

I have 10 year serving Psych clients in the past. We all agreed that bipolar is controllable through proper meds.

Hope you are in the best way helping him.

Best of luck.