I Don’t Need You! Leave Me Alone!
It may be that you’re on this blog because you love someone with bipolar disorder and they won’t let you help them. It hurts, doesn’t it. I’m in a situation right now where a person I care about deeply is having a hard time- in fact he is quite ill. He will tell me what’s going on, but if I get upset or ask for anything from him, such as a phone number where I can reach him or at least a general location where I could find him if something happened, he says, “Why do you have to be so demanding all of the time? I knew it was a mistake to call you!”
You know what? I only have so much energy for this. I’m tired in fact. I’ve been here for this person for years and he has often been there for me- but when he gets ill or feels that I’m being too emotional, he cuts me off. The ultimate and most controlling way to cut a person off is to refuse to tell them where you are. It’s hard for the caring person to deal with this.
I have learned that I come first. It’s not selfish. The only way I can be stable is if the people around me treat me with respect.
Eventually, it becomes a question about what I want.
Julie
