Hello Confused; it's always nice to know you are considering your partner's needs and Wanting to; this can be encouraging for us, as bipolars.

I hope you are taking care of yourself Too, because everyone in life needs to Balance how much time they give to another/others, and how much they give to Themselves as well.

It is not easy for us to just 'tell you' or even Suggest any best ways to help, because we are Different, have different triggers, and different high and low points.

If you are around here often or even periodically, why not join the Family and Friends of bipolars (it's a group I have linked below), who can share from the perspective of those Without the illness, hopefully while having (or trying to have) a healthy, loving relationship with someone who Is bipolar? :)

Here's the link - all the best to you -

http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Family-and-Friends-of-Bipolar/support-group

Thank you so much. I will definitely go to that group. I love my boyfriend dearly and want to help him any way I can for him and for us.

Hi, I know its hard to just sit by when someone you love is not well, but until he's ready to admit to himself that he needs to manage this disease and that it is an active part of his everyday life, just like eating and drinking...until he's to the point where he's ready to get treatment, and it's not just meds, its a combination of meds, therapy, life skills, a lot of things...until he's ready to do this, you can't do much for him.

You can be supportive and caring and loving....but he's got to take the responsibility for himself and take the responsibility for getting himself treatment. Managing BiPolar is not just taking meds, its like managing any other permanent disease, the management of it has to be woven into your daily life. It changes everything and everything changes it, the meds, the therapy, how you eat, how/when you sleep, what your triggers are,.....

I'm not trying to scare you, but I do believe that people need to know what their getting into, because it will never just be about getting him to take a pill.

Since he doesn't seem to have a Pdoc (psychiatrist) right now, you might make a list of a few in your area, look them up online, read abut their treatment style, because they aren't all the same, look for the style that you think he might identify with, and just leave them somewhere for him, on the table, the dresser, wherever....letting him know that you don't need to have a big discussion, it's just some info. for him.

Take care,