| Can an Ana-Mia Love a Bipolar? |
Q: Can an ana-mia love a bipolar? Or are the personalities so self-disruptive that the two will only
trigger each other? A: From the information you've given me about your struggle with binging and purging as well as obsessive thoughts about food and your boyfriend's bipolar disorder, it sounds like you both have issues that you must face on a daily basis. However, whether these issues will affect any relationship between the two of you is a question only you can answer completely. In some situations, partners who are both struggling with issues like these are able to help each other. You might find that your boyfriend is a good person to confide in when you are experiencing a tough day. He might also find this to be true. You say that he says talking to you calms him, so perhaps he is indicating this. You also indicated that you wish to know more about bipolar disorder. The main indication of bipolar disorder is the experiencing of very drastic mood swings -- these mood swings are switches between extreme depression and extreme euphoria states. Often times, in euphoria states a person becomes restless and this can lead to a variety of consequences ranging from increased sex drive to drug or alcohol abuse or spending large amounts of money. The depressive states can lead to being suicidal or experiencing loss of pleasure, insomnia, or feelings of hopelessness. People often find themselves crying for no reason at one moment and almost dangerously happy to the point of exhaustion or reckless behavior in the manic states of euphoria. Often times, these states can be better controlled and the person is able to live a normal life through use of medication and counseling. Also to answer your question, I think that, yes, a person suffering from an eating disorder and a person suffering from bipolar disorder certainly can love each other. Absolutely. A relationship like this may require extra effort and understanding on the part of both people involved, but it certainly is possible. I also hope that you are able to resolve your eating disorder issues, and it sounds as though you are a strong person who is making good progress in realizing your behaviors so well. It is an important step for anyone to face up to issues like either of these. If you and your boyfriend are having trouble understanding each other's issues, you may want to try attending a couples therapy session, or otherwise just setting aside time on regular basis to talk about issues that may arise in your lives or relationship could be helpful.
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