When Glenn was alive, I knew there was something about his behavior that he struggled to control. I saw him try. I saw the conflict it created in his life and in our relationship. But I didn’t understand that hypersexuality could be a symptom associated with bipolar disorder.
I learned that only after Glenn died.
Looking back, I believe his struggle with hypersexuality may have contributed to some of the pain he carried. I will never know exactly what was in his mind when he took his life, and I don’t believe there was one reason. He had experienced other profound losses, including the loss of his mother and a very difficult relationship with his father.
There was also a family history that complicated the picture. Glenn grew up seeing behavior involving women that was treated as normal and acceptable. I don’t know how much of what he experienced was learned, how much may have been connected to his bipolar disorder, or how much was simply part of who he was. Perhaps it was some combination of all three.
What I do know is this: I wish I had understood bipolar disorder better while Glenn was alive.
I wish I had known that hypersexuality could be associated with the illness. Not because understanding it would have made me accept behavior that I wasn’t comfortable with, but because it might have helped me better understand what was part of the illness, what was a choice, and what I simply didn’t understand.”
And perhaps that is the reason I want to talk about this now.
There are partners and families living with bipolar disorder who may be experiencing things they don’t understand. They may feel confused, hurt, angry, or even blame themselves.
I was one of them.
I don’t have medical answers, and I am not a mental health professional. I can only share what I learned from loving someone with bipolar disorder—and what I wish someone had told me.
I am sharing my personal experience, not providing medical advice or attempting to diagnose anyone. Bipolar disorder and its symptoms vary greatly from person to person.
Resources
If you or someone you love is struggling with bipolar disorder, a qualified mental health professional can help you understand symptoms, treatment, and available support.
National Institute of Mental Health https://www.nimh.nih.gov
National Alliance of Mental Illness https://www.nami.org/
Lifeline Dial 988 – https://988lifeline.org/get-help/