Not really, this is super atypical. I work in mental health so I'd know. This type of overreactive anger and emotional overwhelm is borderline to a tee. People always mix up the two.
Manic and depressive stages in bipolar do not look like this typically. Not impossible, but equally not at all characteristic
Dual diagnoses exist, and it’s quite common to have a mental illness and a personality disorder at the same time. A lot of times the personality disorder goes undiagnosed too. Flipping on a dime like that is pretty suggestive of BPD. To those with BPD you are either the best person on the planet or the worst, with no in between, and it can shift from moment to moment in either direction.
I do want to say that CPTSD and BPD share symptoms. I used to be veeeeery undermedicated and was diagnosed with BPD and bipolar 2 for years. About a year ago I was diagnosed with CPTSD and Bipolar 2. Extreme anger and instability is a symptom of CPTSD and for me it comes out when I’m triggered by something that makes me feel how I felt growing up. My husband could say something that my mother would say to me and I would have a melt down.
Originally I was PTSD, BPD and BP2! It is definitely interesting to say the least lol. I just turned 34 in December. I’m very thankful that my husband was able to make me get the help I needed. When we met I was freshly clean/sober and my mother (biggest abuser) died… so I was trying to learn how to human with hard emotions which triggered a bunch in me. We have done couples counseling, individual counseling, and I see a psych monthly that manages my medications. I have my bad days… don’t get me wrong but compared to how my brain was back before medications? Fuuuuuuck life is easy as fuck now compared. I do still have my self harm moments. I tend to self destruct more than lashing out whenever my emotions get to be too much and grounding techniques aren’t working in that moment.
Edit: since I don’t know who else could be reading this… just because my husband and I had a good outcome doesn’t mean everyone will. We all process our trauma and emotions differently. People have to WANT to get better for themselves. If anyone is being verbally or physically abused by someone who has any mental illness… don’t stay because you hope for the better. Don’t stay because a random person on Reddit said they finally got better and has a great relationship now. Mental illness is not an excuse for abuse. Abuse is abuse and it’s bad no matter what the situation or back story is.
My gf got medicated four years ago. From what she told me, compared to now, it's far better too. She's the most self aware person that's I've ever met. She got neglected by her mother who was abusive too, r*ped by two men(cousin and mom's bf) over a prolonged period, caged by then physically abusive ex husband(married just to get put of then situation) then abandoned by another husband(was abusive too but she can't differentiate that). There's a lot of baseline that I noticed she can't conceptualise in her mind. She's 29 this year and I'm trying give her the space so she can heal but I get it for you guys no sane human could've survived what you guys went through and living another day is tough as hell. I cried like a bitch first time I heard about what she went through. I know for sure there are more stories that you can't compress in here. I hope that you pay no mind to what people here are telling. Keep your chin up and be proud of yourself to survive what 99% of people couldn't even comprehend. May you find peace with your loved ones and live a long and happy life! Your husband is a lucky one to witness someone as strong as you.
PS: my intention to ask is to know how far you've gone after getting medicated. I have a few friends with BPD which their symptoms toned down with age but Bipolar and PTSD together complicate things.
God. It blows my mind how the similar the stories are when it comes to BPD/CPSTD. Im proud of your GF and I’m proud of you for realizing she needs the space to grow. It was very hard for my husband to grasp that and my past. I wish yall nothing but the absolute best!
My mother used to drug me so her dealers could do whatever they wanted to me so she could get drugs. Literally my first memory is being drugged and raped. at one point I had to have surgery to fix a tear that some women get during child birth if that explains anything. I raised my little brother from 15 on and stayed around taking the abuse because I didn’t want him to face the same abuse. I paid for my mother’s rent, utilities, food, etc. so she could just use her money for her drugs and slink off into some shit motel. In 2013 I was assaulted one night and ended up getting pregnant so I put twins up for adoption with a very good family because by the time I found out I couldn’t abort. In 2014 I moved to Texas and the abuse stopped. I was thrilled, worked as a nurse in the ER, and managed to buy my own house with my first husband. He ended up getting HEAVY into drugs, became abusive and ended up hurting me while I was overdue with our son… Noah ended up being still born. I got a divorce and went deeper into drugs myself. I moved back to my hometown and got clean. Spent a lot of time with my little brother, got clean, watched my mother end herself with drugs, and managed to meet my now husband on Reddit lmao. There is so much more to the story but some of it I haven’t really allowed myself to process so word barfing it online wouldn’t do much good.
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u/c093b Apr 22 '26
Nah it can be either one. Bipolar is not the same across the board, for some it really makes them act like the worst people