Q:  Difficulties w/Ex & His Mother

Can you make some suggestions for me here?

In 1991, I was married and had a special needs child. What I now know was bipolar II destroyed my relationship. I became a non-custodial parent with joint guardianship, but have been slowly chipped away from input into my daughter's life. I was diagnosed in April 2001, have been put on Valproic and stabilized, but not before several years of misdiagnosis as major depressive w/a variety of subconditions and phobias and being overdosed with antidepressants until toxic.

That said, I have maintained a strong positive presence in my daughter's life. Quality of time vs. quantity of time. However, with my new diagnosis and in previous court cases, my ex-husband lies and projects "crazy" behaviour in affidavits about me. He and his mother are fearful, ignorant and stigmatizing, as well as telling people at my daughter's school I am mentally ill. They both refuse to speak to me. Any ideas?

Dear Ms. A' -- 

I’ve gotten way behind on replies so am opting for now to be "short and sweet" (hopefully, and hopefully still useful):

This is an awful situation.  Two of my patients are in it too.  If your ex' and his family will accept information, you could send them first to this general site and then to this specific one re: BPII.  But I fear that most folks in this situation are too afraid to really look, they think that burying their heads is easier.  

Dr.Phelps


Published November, 2001