[Serious] People who are dating/are married to someone with a mental illness, how do you manage and what do you wish more people knew?

Most recent ex is bipolar, however I think he wasn’t honest about what he actually has, I think it’s BPD not bipolar disorder, he just never wanted to talk to me about it. I can’t deal with it because he never wants to get help.

Today since 8:30 AM he was behaving very belligerently, yelling, storming around, cussing, calling me names, being very outrageously cruel. If I’d have called the police, he probably would have went to jail if the cops seen how he threw all my clothes around the house and the furniture all thrown around. This all lasted until 3 pm today and he finally took off.

We will get a long well for a period of time, and then something will snap, whether it be after two weeks, or the longest being a couple months. But he alwyas snaps and hell breaks loose and I’m left traumatized and having to pick up the pieces. I let him back usually because I’m an idiot and we have a son together. I always think I can do something to keep it from happening but I never can. He always blames me too, never takes responsibility. If I cook him two meals a day instead of three, it’s my fault. If his car won’t start, it’s my fault. Once he even lost his phone and I wasn’t even with him and he still blamed me. He’s also a master manipulator and gaslighter...to where I end up feeling like it really is my fault. He strong arms arguments to where I can’t even talk or he will intimidate me by pretending he’s gonna hit me or putting his finger or fist in my face. Or he will just walk out of the house after he gets to yell and stomp and blame. I’m glad he left. I need to keep my own sanity. But I can’t help but feel very sad and can’t stop this bad feeling in my chest.

/r/AskReddit Thread