Friend with Bipolar Disorder?

Question

My friend has bipolar disorder. She is in her late 40's. We were good good friends. She does jewelry repair. I gave her a watch and ring to repair. She had it for two months. I finally asked her about it. She said she hadn't gotten to it and that she didn't know what size battery to put in it. I thought that was odd, you just open it up. So finally I told her, you know, let me just have it back. I'll take it to Walmart. It's not that big of a deal. She said, you don't trust me to fix it. I said, no, it's not that. It's that the other battery on my other watch is out and if you haven't had time to fix this one after two months, then I really need them repaired. Ok, so we plan a day I go get them. It was at her work. I called ahead of time and she said she didn't have it that I was supposed to go the day before, I said, no today, she said no, I said, no. So finally I stayed quite. She said, I'm just kidding. I have it, come and get it. BECAUSE I KNOW YOU DON'T TRUST ME TO FIX IT. It was really really odd. She yelled at me really bad. Ok, I go there. I didn't want to be alone with her, so I stayed at the counter with the cashier girl. She wouldn't come to me, I wouldn't go to her. I told her to come to the counter, she said, no, you come over here. I said, I'm tired, come on, just give it to me. What's the big deal? She wouldn't give it back to me. I was like, what the heck is going on. I said, just give it to me. She wouldn't. I started to walk out and she yelled out that she would give it to a friend of ours. I was like, why?? I'm here now, it's mine. I had a friend go back with me. She lied and said she didn't have it with her, it was at home. That was a lie. I called the police. By this time, it's not the materialistic of it, it's the fact that she HAD THE WATCH WITH HER. So police come. I tell them. Turns out they know her and have had many incidences with her in the past. Very scary information to find out. She lied saying she didn't have it. She said should would give it to a friend. Then she lied saying she didn't have our friends number. She didn't know it. Another lie. Are people with bipolar really this personallity change overnight situation? Overnight she went nuts on me.

Answer 1

Some have the disorder more severly than others. My boyfriend has it slightly and they actually have a different name for it, but he has small highs and lows sometimes. On the other hand my dad's ex wife would be your best friend one day and the next she would be mad at you for something completely outrageous. She would interpret things so differently.  My step-mom didn't take her medication so her mind was out of control so maybe this friend of yours isn't on hers.  The mood swings are really crazy and you never know when the next one is going to happen.

Answer 2

It can happen to SOME people with bipolar disorder. We can have rapid changes in mood but we do not all turn into psyco people. Everyone seems to expect a raving maniac in a straight jacket accompanied by two burly but gentle attendants. Plenty of people who do not have bipolar disorder are lying manipulative pains in the *** who are known to the police. So yes SOME people who are bipolar can be like that but just like some people without bipolar can be like that too. Most of us are really nice people all the time and we live normal lives having never been known by the police.

Answer 3

It happens! This is why they once called it "manic depression". it feels as if you are riding a pendulum, going back and forth...from mania to depression...does she have a good physician?

Answer 4

Actually, alot of people who get diagnosed with bipolar disorder kind of milk it. In other words they blame it on being bipolar when really it's just an attitude thing that has nothing to do with the chemical inbalance! I've been severely bipolar since I was rather young. Thing is nowadays they say I have it but I have no outbursts. I still think bipolarly but I don't act on it. All these murders and sick things people get away with for that excuse drive me nuts!!! Bipolar disorder doesn't even cause that kind of thinking! I've never thought of alot of things people do! My suggestion is to just kinda play her game until you get your stuff back. You know, get in touch with her and say that you don't want to do business with her anymore because your friendship is too important and it causes fights and stuff. That makes her think AAWW He cares so much abous "us". After you get your stuff you can let loose! Tell her not to contact you untill she can learn to treat people/you with respect and quit using her disorder as a crutch. Tell her she'll never get anywhere with that, and especially never be able to keep friends. Let her know that all that is her fault and it's psycological not a chemical imbalance. You see it as imature, rude, ect.. Don't let her think she can continue this kind of thing and keep friends/customers. That's probably why she keeps doing it! It's basically about knowing right from wrong. You can think a certain way and not act on it, you know!

Answer 5

i'm bipolar but i haven't e ever done something THIS extreme but when i'm in mania it's like i can't control myself. God help me if someone upsets me when i'm manic because i'll completely go off. if they make me feel bad when i'm manic i usually end up doing something to hurt myself like abusing substances and self injury, **** like that. So yea overnight can change everything. I've gone nuts from hour to hour before, but usually i stay manic for a few days to a week then to depression for a while, then back and forth. i never know what the h**l i'm going to do, which is d**n scary.