Although I'm young (21) I have worked a job since I was 13 and lived on my own since I was 16. My father and I have less of a parental relationship and act more like friends. I'm becoming really irritated with him lately. He has bipolar 1 and has gone off his medication with professional supervision. He is doing very well except the mania has made him 1) overly sensitive 2) clingy with me. I think the mania makes him crave company and since I only live 15 minutes away he often invites himself over, won't go away, or constantly calls me. He has also suddenly become overly critical of my boyfriend who I have lived with for 2 years now and my dad had never had a problem with him before. He says he is a dead beat because he has no car so I drive to and pick him up from work everyday. However his job pays my rent and buys food while I only work half the hours he does. Point being we do not have a one sided relationship but I constantly feel my dad trying to subtly suggest that my boyfriend is no good. I've called him out on this behavior and he has apologized but he continues to do it. I'm honestly not sure if he's aware of himself. He's recently started on being more critical of me. He's also become incredibly hyper because of mania. It gives me a headache to even speak to him on the phone sometimes because his excess of energy is OBNOCTIOUS. My dad is a good guy and I can tell he's happier and healthier off the meds, despite the things I've listed here. But it's putting strain on our relationship to the point that I dread picking up his calls. I know he cares about me but for the love of God I want him to leave me alone. I hate not wanting to spend time with him. But he's abrasive, clingy, overbearing, annoying and way too sensitive. (Last week I accidentally cut him off during a conversation and he reacted by throwing a temper tantrum and crying. I had to handle it as if he were 5 in order to get things under control.) if I ask him to go back on medication I know his quality of life will suffer. On the other hand if I just keep trying to adjust his behavior myself I am eventually going to burn out and end the relationship completely for my own well being. What do I do?
My dad is too much?
- Posted:
- 3+ months ago by Alice49
- Topics:
- father, dad, relationship, bipolar disorder, relationships
Added 3+ months ago:
@ softbabe
You really think so? I mean I understand that problems are cropping up. But on the other side of things he's been able to exercise more regularly, he's been mentally more sharp with problem solving at work and every day life. He's decided to enroll in senior classes at university, all of this since going off the medication. I truly believe that since going off the meds his overall quality of life had improved despite the areas that seem to have taken some damage. These new problems inpact me more than his old problems did, but overall he is better I think.
Answers (1)
You have to do what you think is better for him with out medication hes doing theses things cause theres no control.Bipolar getts worse with out medication quality of life means he is free of the things that cause mania events so much to say leave well enough alone.But you can't expect him to get better with out medication i would put him back on it no quality of life being off them.