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Bipolar spouse - self harm and refusal of help

SWIMCasual Contributor14 Oct 2018, 4:49 am AEDT

Bipolar spouse - self harm and refusal of help

New to the group, looking for help.

My beautiful partner has diagnosed bipolar, but refuses help. Today she harmed herself badly while I was at work.

She has self harmed before, twice that I know of.

Her diagnosis and treatment as a child/teen has, for some reason, instilled complete distrust in medicine and doctors. She wouldn't even let me treat her injuries myself, though they definitely required professional care. I have tried to persuade her to get help but she simply won't, she doesn't believe in it.

She says that, eventually, she will commit suicide.

I can't lose her, she is my world, but she won't get help.

I don't know what to do.

For the record, she insists that she has nothing to be unhappy about; She loves me and we enjoy an otherwise good life. Her mental health simply makes her life unbearable at times.

6 replies

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In response to: Bipolar spouse - self harm and refusal of help

NiteKatSenior Contributor14 Oct 2018, 5:01 am AEDT

Re: Bipolar spouse - self harm and refusal of help

Thanks SWIM for joining and posting on SANE. Im NiteKat one of the moderators.

You must be going through some overwhelming pain and experiencing feelings that are confusing and dont appear to make sense. There will be responses to your post today by members, who I hope can assist you and perhaps help you understand mental illness similar to your partner's.

Take Care.

In response to: Re: Bipolar spouse - self harm and refusal of help

SWIMCasual Contributor14 Oct 2018, 6:24 am AEDT

Re: Bipolar spouse - self harm and refusal of help

Thankyou for replying so quickly. I don't know what else to say

In response to: Bipolar spouse - self harm and refusal of help

Shaz51Senior Contributor14 Oct 2018, 12:29 pm AEDT

Re: Bipolar spouse - self harm and refusal of help

Hello @SWIM and welcome to the forum

thank you for sharing your story

and leting you know you are not alone

how are you going around the forum , if you put Bipolar 1 in the search the forum , threads will come up with the word Bipolar 1 for you to look up

My husband has Bipolar 11 and he refuses help. until he ended up in hospital twice where they have added more meds , he has not seen someone for three years now

@Bunniekins, @Former-Member

In response to: Bipolar spouse - self harm and refusal of help

Shaz51Senior Contributor14 Oct 2018, 12:37 pm AEDT

Re: Bipolar spouse - self harm and refusal of help

@eth, @greenpea, @Dadcaringalone, @MorningSilence, @frog

In response to: Bipolar spouse - self harm and refusal of help

Unknown userMember16 Oct 2018, 12:29 pm AEDT

Re: Bipolar spouse - self harm and refusal of help

Hello @SWIM

It is very difficult when past treatment results in fear and distrust. Lack of insight into the need for medical treatment of injury I would imagine also concerning.

Listening to a person's fear around treatment, perhaps finding a place that has a more holistic and gentle approach might help calm some of her concerns (ie integrative psychiatry) and stressing that she is now in control where as she wasn't as a child. I do not have a lot of experience with refusal of treatment but at Mr Darcy's request have certainly advocated for "the least restrictive treatment" which has seen his medication burden substantially reduced without relapse.

Sadly distrust can be perpetuated by the need for involuntary treatment should things get to that point but some patients are eventually grateful for this (and I would certainly familiarise oneself with your State's mental health act should the need arise for this last resort intervention and use the free solicitor for any tribunal hearing).

I will tag you in a couple of talks you may find helpful in relation to bipolar.

Darcy

In response to: Bipolar spouse - self harm and refusal of help

Unknown userMember16 Oct 2018, 12:40 pm AEDT

Re: Bipolar spouse - self harm and refusal of help

Hello everyone,

It seems like there are some really helpful tips coming through, which is good. Let's just keep in mind that many members have different experiences and things which work for them, some more helpful than others depending on the day or the situation.

Lunar

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