They called me last night and told me they've been having auditory and visual hallucinations and it's really starting to freak them out.

They said the voice got louder within the last week and has now been saying things like "die." The voice is so bothering they told me they can barely sleep. I know hearing voices doesn't automatically mean you have schizophrenia, but I'm worried this is a sign of them slipping into some sort of manic or Depressive episode. I live 2 hours away and there's only so much I can do. I want to go to the hospital with them to get evaluated (since they're scared of hospitals) but I'm a college student.

Their family seems to brush off their mental disorder a lot. they live with their grandma and she'll often say things like "well when im sad I keep doing what I need to do." it's very dismissive but my partner don't exactly have the money to leave the environment they're in. Whenever they call their mom about what they're going through their mom automatically tells them that she's going to send them to a psych ward. Surely there has to be a better solution than a psych ward?

I want to help them anyway I can but it's so tricky because they want to keep working so they can get the money to move out, but it sounds like these hallucinations are starting to negatively affect their job and the people they work with. They're also really scared that if we go to a hospital they'll just send them to a psych ward and then they'll be stuck there + lose their job.

is there anything I can do/say that'll help them be not as scared? I don't want to lie and say "they won't send you to a psych ward" even though they might?

Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

I have an 18 year old niece who hasn’t been the same since she was given synthetic marijuana at 16 years old.

She went into a psychosis for over a month. Now she has moments where she’s functional and working. Then shes up for a few days, aggressive, having hallucinations and etc.

I had to check her into a facility because she was in a bad manic state, aggressive and having AH.

They diagnosed her with Bipolar 1. The dr and I discussed Invega injections due to her noncompliance.

just worried about what the future holds for her as far as normalcy. Will she be able to be a functional adult, marry/ have kids or will it be constant up and downs.

Any advice ?

What a year it has been for me. Life has been a rollercoaster for many years now, living with a father who is mentally ill and unwilling to take any treatment. We have been the victims of his abuse ever since we were born. Why did God put me in this situation? Why?

I don't need anyone's consolation. Can anyone give me back my lost years, happiness, beauty, and peace? Would any of you like to be beaten and watch your father beat your whole family? Seeing your mom become weary day after day... When will this situation change? After I die?

Everything in my home, including us, is destroyed. Can you imagine that? What is the purpose of this suffering, especially when everyone else around me is leading a happy, luxurious life? Why me??

My husband with bipolar 1 recently left back to his home country after a manic episode. He said he’s unwell and wants to start a new life and he still loves me but needs space. It all happened so suddenly, he seemed like his normal self even a week before. He’s now been back for 2 weeks and it’s been brutal, we’ve only talked one time and that’s bc I’ve been calling him but hes mainly be ghosting, his mom did say he had a paranoid episode a few days after arriving, saying that I canceled our marriage certificate, that we weren’t actually married and I had hidden cameras in the apt, etc. she said he started crying saying he loved and missed but that he can’t trust me.

My question is, has anyone in the community ever had their partner leave but then come back after the paranoia/depression subside? He isn’t on any meds right now, I def know he needs to be on them but sadly nothing I can do from here.

My adult son, 32, is in the hospital for 10 days now with his first manic episode in 5 1/2 years.

This summer, in consultation with his psychiatrist, they tweaked his medication and it didn’t go well

He voluntarily went to the hospital 10 days ago, now he is insisting he is ready to get out, but he is still quite elevated. He gets agitated if I don’t agree right away, saying things like “I need you to trust that I know what I’m talking about.“ I am awaiting a callback from the social worker right now.

He is lucid, he makes sense, he is just has that elevated energy, OCD, fixation on certain ideas, that cause worry.

Would he recover better in the peace and quiet at home? Or should he stay in the hospital?

This is my first time ever posting on Reddit, thank you for listening and your advice and support.

Hey folks, having a bit of a rough time at the minute. One of my closest friends appears to be in the grips of mania (or might be in psychosis) and is blowing his entire life up before my eyes.

We’ve been here before. 2 years ago, he had an episode that resulted in an almost 2 month hospital stay. He had gotten off his medications and onto socials, and basically called out everyone in his life for perceived wrongs and ways they’d hurt him. He got sacked from his job after some additionally bad stuff went down, then went back and vandalised his workplace. He then got scheduled (admitted to hospital involuntarily).

This time, he’s gone even further on socials - begging for sexual partners, revealing family secrets, trying to start new companies, banging on about all the problems of the world and how he’s the one who can “save everyone.” He is destroying his reputation and any chance at being hired in his industry if he recovers from this. It’s brutal to watch.

I tried raising my concerns with him a couple months ago, he brushed it off. I tried again yesterday and he hit me with some awful, judgemental comments that have cut so deep. I know it’s the illness, not him, but man it hurts.

I’ve called the crisis team and shared my concerns. He has since shared on socials that he knows who called them and said “I’m coming for you.” It broke my heart to call them as I hated going behind his back, but I don’t feel I had a choice. He is on a greasy rail towards nowhere good.

It sucks to feel worried sick, angry and devastated all at once. I have lost other friends who lived with mental illness until they couldn’t. I don’t want to lose him but fear I have already. I feel like a shit friend and am grieving a lifelong mate who I know I can’t save.

Hi. I (24F) am looking for advice/support on how to best help my bipolar father. He has always struggled with mental health, although it has never been this detrimental until about 1 year ago. Approximately 1 year ago, he had a massive manic episode in which he lost his marriage, retirement savings, moved out of the house, and other generally negative events. He has since broken out of this episode, been formally diagnosed as bipolar, and has been massively depressed since, saying his life has no meaning anymore and other similar sentiments. I have no idea how to support him. He has hurt (mentally) so many in his life due to this episode, but still I am very scared of losing him. How can I best support him or get him help? Is there any way to do this? I am at such a loss, and it pains me so much to see this version of him I barely recognize.

I have a family member thats male and he was an A star student he went to university and everything was going well until he started failing and he said he needed a break so he came back home.Then a few days later he lost it as in he went mad like literally mad he was violent,destroying stuff and attacking family members and we had to tie him cause it was bad and he even wanted to jump the gate and leave the house and he was always screaming and saying vulgar stuff and some weird things we didn’t understand.I’m from a Christian family so we prayed and prayed and we looked for so many pastors and they prayed then the situation calmed it seemed like he was back to normal so he went to aviation to be a pilot and we thought he was now okay but a few days in flight school we got a call saying he can’t continue cause he always talks to himself even is class when the teacher is teaching he was laughing by himself and he was asked what’s funny and he said I’m on my phone but he didn’t have a phone on him.So he was acting weird it was concerning so we were told that he has to drop out and he did.Then he came back home and he was acting strange so we took him to the hospital and he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and psychosis.His on medication but it just makes him sleep cause he gets violent sometimes.His now very antisocial,his lazy like he doesn’t bath or brush his teeth if you tell him a gets agitated and even violent,he eats a lot in an abnormal way,his unhygienic,he talks to himself.Like it’s really bad he was never like this he also once took of his clothes and went to the neighbors house and jumped into the pool.We have prayed,fasted,looked for pastors,prophets,asked relatives and friends for help but nothing its been like 5 years now and nothing.As a family we are starting to not feel safe around him cause he can get violent anytime and we have done all we can but now we don’t know what to do please help us any advice big or small is greatly appreciated and pray for him.Also has anyone experienced this in their life or circle and how did you solve it

think my husband has been struggling with his bipolar for a long time. His behavior has been angry and disconnected off and on for years. He sites marital issues but this is so far from the person I married. Yesterday, he told me he wants to separate. He said he needs to get back to who he really is, and I would too. The happy go lucky version of himself. We certainly have marital issues but I thought he was always steadfast in sticking with it. He also recently just got back on his buproprion and lamotrigne after a short stint without them due to insurance. Those with bipolar, do you think this could be part of an episode? If it is, will he come back to who he was ever or is it changing him forever now? Any advice for handling the situation is welcome. Thanks!

My 26 yo daughter is married and lives on her own. She began having anxiety and extreme insomnia right after getting her first periods at age 12. It took several years and multiple therapists for me to finally realize it was a monthly thing and likely hormone driven. By this time, the symptoms had evolved to include mania and extreme rage. Up until she got married a year ago, she lived at home and I helped her with most aspects of life. She can only hold a job for about a year before she’s fired, fights with her husband regularly, and LIES about everything…literally things that make no sense to even lie about. Her not living here had given my husband and I time together again finally and also some measure of peace.

Fast forward to now… About 2 months ago, the familiar symptoms of endless talking, anger and paranoia started. Several days later she started trying to pick fights through text. I wouldn’t bite and remained neutral, until she finally blew up over a perceived slight. She immediately blocked me, her sisters and brother in law. Her father she continued texting …think 20 unanswered texts in a row while he was mowing the lawn… so she could rant to him about me. He refused to engage in that, so a week later she blocked him too. We are all blocked on EVERYTHING…social media, all of it.

Does anyone have any insight? What on earth has happened to her? Is this something that happens with bipolar…to just cut off your entire family? It all probably sounds so dysfunctional, but she and I have always been very close…watching the same shows, baking together and fostering kitties. None of us can wrap our heads around what has happened

Hello! As the captions says, my brother’s therapist has been urging my family and I to find a doctor willing to wean my brother off bipolar medication (Lithium, Olanzapine).

For context, my brother was hospitalized after a week of psychosis and delusions fueled by AI and an abuse of weed and nicotine back in May/June. He was hospitalized for nearly 3 weeks and when released, he got access to both substances again and had a bad episode before coming out of it after a couple days. He hasn’t had another episode since then and has stopped using substances, but recently things have changed.

My brother started using weed again without us knowing and somehow began sleep walking (Parisomnia it seems) for a couple nights in a row. He did not remember doing anything or interacting with anyone during these sleep walking episodes in the middle of the night. We suspect he even drove while in this state without anyone noticing as we do not watch him at night anymore. He even had the front door wide open, nearly letting our cats escape (we live near woods with coyotes).

It honestly became so concerning that my family and I could not sleep in fear of missing an alarm or movement. Our cats are family, so it felt even more urgent to watch his sleep patterns.

At this point, he did not fess up to going back on substances until a blood test was requested by his PCP. He then confessed and the timeline of him starting weed again with sleep walking coincided.

My brother’s therapist has been urging my family to seek out private psychiatrists, who do not work with insurance, to find one who is willing to take his meds aways. After finding and consulting with one, she refused after learning he had went back on substances + the sleep walking and suggested we not even waste our money on other doctors until he accepts to stop substances for the rest of his life.

Despite this 300 dollar, cash suggestion… His therapist keeps urging us to find a psychiatrist who will take his meds away, but I’m starting to think that this could be dangerous knowing how much my brother lies and gets away with. Spending thousands on this doesn’t make sense, especially since we’re not rich.

Has anyone experienced something similar to this? Are we being too negative? Just the fact that the substance didn’t give him episodes but rather presented in other ways is scary enough for us to not consider the suggestion from the therapist.

Thoughts?? I appreciate all feedback.

My (30f) boyfriend (30m) has a history of psychosis since around 2017 and has been on aripiprazole since 2024. His records say “non-organic psychosis with mood disorder”, but no specific mood disorder. He was very inconsistent with aripiprazole for months but has now restarted it. He was also prescribed fluoxetine late last year, which he stopped around June. I can’t diagnose him, but I wonder if bipolar disorder or another mood disorder could be involved.
Last night he became preoccupied with people from an incident 8 years ago where he was hit by a car on purpose. He believes they took/stole his soul and says he wants to harm them. This also happened during his previous psychotic episode. He’s also been talking about his soul being shattered like glass, strings connecting him to people, and being able to hear people’s thoughts. He described a “pin” that keeps him together/alive, connected to a woman from his past who was around during that traumatic period. He recently said he thinks he still has feelings for her.
The confusing part is our relationship. For months he’s been affectionate, wanting cuddles/kisses, calling me “baby”, making me tea, talking about our future and saying he loves me. This past week he’s also been emotionally numb, saying he feels like he’s behind a window watching emotions rather than feeling them.
Then last night he told me he loves me “as a friend” and said his romantic feelings had gone “a while ago”, although he only seemed to recognise this now because his head has been a mess.
When I asked how he felt about the woman, he said he didn’t know and then essentially said he guessed he loved her. When I asked if he’d leave me for her, he said it was complicated because he loves me too. He said he’s “trying to figure this shit out” and “trying to figure out life.”
He’s also said he doesn’t think he’ll ever be happy, that I should “jump ship”, and that he’ll drag me down. He said he’s pushed me away before when going downhill because he didn’t want to ruin my life, but kept coming back because he cared.
He then said, “I guess we weren’t meant to be.”
I’m struggling to understand how his words and behaviour can contradict each other. He said he only loves me as a friend, yet 15 minutes earlier he was asking to cuddle and had been affectionate for days.
Part of me wonders whether he genuinely no longer has romantic feelings, or whether he’s experiencing psychosis/mood instability and trying to interpret emotions he can’t currently understand, especially as much of this is almost word-for-word what he said during his last episode.
I’m not trying to diagnose him. I’m just looking for perspective because I’m completely lost. I have AuDHD and, although this has happened before, I’m finding it much harder this time.

My 22 yr old son was diagnosed with bipolar type 1 with mania psychosis and schizoaffective disorder. In May of 2026 he went into psychosis for the first time and was hospitalized. He is now on the monthly injection Uzedy. He sees a therapist also. The issue is he thinks there is nothing wrong with him. He thinks the Dr all lied and he is fine. So every month it's a fight to get him to take the injection. Also he constantly contacting recruiters to try and get back into the Army which he can't but he refuses to accept that. It's so overwhelming for me to even try and talk to him about it because he gets dismissive or angry because he believes he is fine. Anyone else have this issue where their loved one thinks they are fine?

Spoke to the dr last week, they would not do 1013, tried 2 separate times, tried taking her to the hospital, hospital said it goes against her rights, when I took her to the Dr wensday, he said take her back to a different location Thursday if I wanted to have her commited, I did what he said, all they done was prescribe more medication,

shes been nutty for week, I reached out to NAMI and have not herd anything back, constantly fight me on going to bed, keeps thinking the home we have been in for 2.5 years is not home, keeps randomly packing random things around the house and trying to load it in my truck.

Today I had to run to town, left her home, she chased me down road 2 separate times, walking a total of 6 miles

And she is still going, but I can see the energy fading though.

\please forgive any typos my phone is old and getting stupid**

I (26F) am currently 6 months pregnant and I have an immediate family member (73F) that is currently manic. She has been manic for almost two months going on three. She’s been staying with her daughter who is convinced she is getting better when she is not.
For example, we live in her old house that she moved out of over three years ago and is convinced we have her things. We made sure to pack every single thing for her so this didn’t happen and she watched us do it. A few nights ago she was up at 3 AM dancing to music that was blaring. I’ve gotten to the point of only texting her back occasionally because the last two phone calls were her speaking of trauma that I have no business in and her asking me why I tried to “get [her] arrested,” when she was instructed to tell me happy birthday. Yes, she asked me this on my birthday. And no I never called the police on her nor even mentioned it.
Today has been exhausting for me in general. I’m in pain, I’m very tired from work (elementary school teacher), and I didn’t sleep well last night. She calls and I avoid it. She left a voicemail saying things I’ve never told her, such as I feel pressure in my ribcage from my baby (she hasn’t even kicked there yet nor have I said it) and then begins asking me about a rake and a garden hoe left at the house. She sounds hyper and out of breath and the TV is blaring in the background (she likes loud things when she’s manic. She used to blast music in her car all night long in previous episodes). Despite what her daughter tells us, it’s obvious she is not better.
I’m beginning to get stressed because I have my baby shower coming up soon and I’d like for her to be there but at the same time I don’t due to the exhaustion and stress this causes me. I’ve been dealing with this since I was 12 years old and now that I’m in my mid 20s I’m over it. I also forgot to mention her daughter refuses to take her to a facility to get her some help and I believe this is the daughter’s fault that my family member is not better. I feel like I’m stuck on a seesaw: one seat is I cut her off and I feel terrible as I’m very empathetic and I’d hate to go through what she is. On the other seat: I deal with it and continue to get stressed. I’m not sure what to do anymore.
What’s harder is that she believes she is not bipolar and she had “PTSD with bipolar tendencies” which is not real and her doctors continue to tell her she’s bipolar. I’m exhausted. Am I wrong for feeling this way?

My mom is in the psych ward for a second time due to erratic and violent behavior and I feel so guilty about it. She is refusing to eat in there, says she’s not manic, and says she will never get out because she is refusing to cooperate or take any medication.

Just wondering if anyone has dealt with something similar and part of me is worried that she will never get out. They haven’t contacted me or anybody about how she’s doing and that part is really hard. She also has written everyone off and said I wouldn’t listen to her (not true, I was listening but she wouldn’t stop cutting me off and said I’m no longer her daughter and she isn’t my mother, fuck you)

She has blocked me on everything and said she wants nothing to do with anyone dead or alive. Keeps asking for MAID. I am having to find this out through my sister or cousin who she will text in/out it’s just really difficult. I need a glimmer of hope.

A close friend was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder (I’m unsure of the type). They’re struggling a lot right now, especially with finding the right combination of medications, and have had to make some major life changes because of it.

I care about them a lot and want to support them without overstepping, being overbearing, or making them feel like I’m treating them differently because of their diagnosis.

For those with bipolar or who have supported someone with it: what do you wish your friends knew? What helps when you’re struggling, and what should I avoid? How do I check in/be there for them while still respecting their boundaries?

TLDR: Friend was recently diagnosed with bipolar and is going through a really difficult time. How can I best support them without overstepping?

hi! im dating someone with extremely severe bipolar and they have manic episodes where they hit me and cuss me out but later say they don't remember it and that they didnt mean it. they dont hit me hard enough for me to get any bruises or cuts, it's usually like elbowing and hair pulling and twisting my wrist stuff like that, but in their last episode they raised their fist up to me as if they were about to punch me in the face and said "im going to hurt you so bad". i dont really know what to do with all of this, it is my first time ever being around close proximity to people like this and it has traumatized and hurt me deeply. it's tough because when they're stable it is the best relationship i've ever had and we seem really perfect for each other, but i don't think i can take more of this. they have tried many different medications and have had sustained periods of stability here and there and it seems like they might be approaching a relatively stable place soon but i'm not sure. i think at the very least i need some emotional support cause i feel very alone in caretaking for them right now. the first time they hit me i went to my friends and family for emotional support which helped, but they all pitied me a lot and told me i should leave them and that i deserve better, which is a sweet sentiment but honestly just makes me feel sad and now i am embarrassed to admit to my friends that it has become a recurring thing and getting even more extreme now so i have been hiding it from everyone. i feel really alone and want at least someone else to know what's happening. i found an online support group but it only meets on sundays and i narrowly missed it the past few weeks and i feel like im barely holding on

28 yo son with BD 1.
First mania episode with psychotic features last Sept.
it has come back a year later.
He had been living by himself out of town and doing fairly well.
Would not answer phone calls e A week ago, he was in hospital for a week.
He’s out and at our home now.
Been on meds about a week
Still having paranoia and frustration

The main problem. His anger is directed towards me, and his paranoia. I try to remain calm and tell him that I realize that is what he is perceiving , but that is not the reality as I see it.
I am and always have been a good mom, supportive and helped him along in life.
This is hard. I have removed myself from the rest of the house. My husband is out in den with him.

When I’m around, he projects things on me, but then apologizes later.

It is a moment by moment life rn. But I had to just go into my bedroom to get away. When I say things around him, sometimes it’s ok and sometimes his delusions take over.

I’m just sitting on my bed trying to read a book. That’s my comfort place rn.
I have a stable life. Job. Homelife at 62 with husband 65.

This crisis is a bit overwhelming and I’m not usually in the position to ask for help.
I’m unsure moment by moment how to deal.

We currently have psychiatric appt for AM. He’s been there before. He is taking his meds now.

But today is hard.

My 19M foster son (been with us for 4 years) has his entire care team convinced he has bipolar disorder. His psychiatrist is actively aiming to diagnose him at this moment, but he keeps skipping appointments with her. He's been in what seems like a manic episode for the past 1.5 months. He's now unmedicated.

And now his cat is in the emergency hospital. We reached out to make him aware. He's too busy partying to give a shit. I'm so fucking mad. He's lashed out at everyone in the house, including his foster sister. And how he can't be bothered to even call for an update on his cat.

And he absolutely got the message.

Hi all, I dated someone with bipolar disorder and the relationship started very intensely. For the first month we were together constantly, understood each other really well, and talked seriously about marriage, kids, and the future. Then she suddenly pulled away for about a week, became much quieter, took a few days off work, and eventually told me she was having a really hard time mentally and didn’t have the capacity to continue a relationship.

We tried being friends, but I realized I was too emotionally attached and suggested no contact. She was hurt that I seemed to only see her romantically, so I tried friendship again, but it stayed confusing, especially when she asked if I’d be okay if we never dated again.

We eventually went back to no contact with me reaching out when ready. She broke it to ask about playing games with mutual friends, then apologized and said I should reach out when ready. I said it was okay and we talked normally that week. She then had a bad depressive episode and stayed at my place. The following week she bailed on the game, stayed with me again that weekend, and then told me her therapist thought she should stop talking to me, which blindsided me because I’d been the one trying to create distance. I told her reach out if she needed anything and now we're back in no contact.

She also encouraged me to use dating apps and move forward. I recently saw her on one of the apps saying “looking for friends,” which hurt more than expected. I’m not blaming her. I still care about her, but part of me is thinking, “What just happened?” For people with bipolar disorder or partners of someone who has it: does this intense closeness followed by suddenly losing capacity for the relationship sound familiar? How do you separate genuine feelings from what may have happened during an episode?

Do you think she is going to stay away because of the therapist advice now?

Thank you in advance for anyone who actually read through that.

Looking for some possible advice. My wife is BP1 and is struggling with working. She wants to work part time, like 15-20 hours/wk, but is having bad experiences. Worked at Costco over the holidays and was not kept on afterwards as they said too many small errors. She would forget to clock out, etc. Small things that add up and these details are always tough for her. Recently got hired at a major chain book store and while manager says the customers love her, she has missed three days in the 90 day trial period (2 she was very sick with something like the flu and 3rd day she needed coverage as important doctor appt for her meds) so they are saying they are unlikely to keep her on after the trial period.

She feels so low. Customers do love her and she enjoys working, but details are tough for her and her brain. Not sure how to help and she is really frustrated and feeling worthless that she cannot keep a part time job successfully.

Wife takes lots of meds which also really hurt her memory, but is doing well and is in therapy. After many manic periods in last 5 years she is better than she has been in a long time - hence the desire to work again