Just found this thread and although my wife is only depressed, I might be able to help because my mother has been bipolar for my whole life she is 77 and I am 55. My D23 is also bipolar. My mother is incurable has been on and off meds her whole life. She has been in jail, many different psychiatric centers, nothing seems to keep her on her meds. I am familiar with baker act, voluntary admissions.... I think I have seen it all when it comes to bipolar.
My D23 on the other hand got diagnosed after a little bit of a struggle, she went for outpatient therapy and started on Abilify. Being that she grew up in my house and was familiar with my mothers struggles she has accepted her mental illness and is VERY Responsible for her own care. This is key! We have had some minor issues but she has taken herself to her doctor and gotten her meds adjusted on her own!
I am mostly on the MLC boaard but I will try to check in here once in a while to see if I can help anyone.
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So.....do you ride it out....while they are sick? Or walk away? Of course things are much more complex than that but not sure what to do....had people say would you leave him if he had cancer?
I think some of the answer to you question IMHO is based on the severity of the illness and the willingness of the other person to get help. With my mother no matter how much we want to help her or try to force her to do something she resists. She was the one who finally D my father after years of him standing by her. He would never leave someone who was sick but her illness consumed her and everyone around her. It of course is you decision but I think the question of whether you can detach and leave her to sink to the bottom to really get her own help is the key. If the other person does not want to get help you are really fighting a losing battle.
Good luck.
Also I am in the alt. if you need to contact me. I hope this helps someone!
