I personally have NEVER heard of Bipolar disorder being seasonal. I have never had any seasonal differences. It is always constant. Bipolar isn't as predictiable as the seasons. If only that were true, it would make lots of lives easier since we would know when we were going to go through a change. Perhaps he is being untrue to how he if feeling or is using his disease as an excuse. I would talk to him since he is being dishonest with you as well as himself if he truely believes that. He should talk to his pdoc and see if maybe around the holidays,,,it stresses him out or maybe he stops taking his meds? Hope this was helpful and good luck.

Bipolar frequently has a seasonal component. Since I was a teen, I came to expect that I would experience depression during the winter months. This is common, although some people have a pattern of mania during the winter.

While some people may not experience or recognize a seasonal component to their illness, it still is a consideration for many. Personally I am very sensitive to light, and it effects my mood powerfully. The use of blue light (Apollo's goLite) has been very effective in preventing a serious depression during the past three years. The test I take to determine how to use the lights, as well as the light, was developed by the Apollo space program. The NIMH is studying the effects of light in depression.

Now, let's assume that your husband doesn't have a seasonal component, which could be a possibility. The holiday season could be destabilizing his mood to the point that he is not well enough to be with you. There could be other factors as well (a loss at this time of year, an experience that is triggering his mood instability, a change in work responsibilities).

Some psydocs are now checking vitamin D levels, which can be lower in some people during the winter months. Normally we get plenty of vitamin D through sunlight hitting our skin, and vitamin D being stored in the body, but during winter months, the production of vitamin D is greatly decreased and stores don't always last throughout the winter.

I hope your husband will discuss these issues with his doctor, and that you will be able to find a better way to deal with this issue without it affecting your marriage so much.

DrJane, Author of Bipolar Disorder: Insights for Recovery and Beyond Bipolar: 7 Steps to Wellness.

Dear HM, I won't touch the diagnosis without more information, however, the situation that you describe is not normally related to bi-polar disorder, but can be depending on situation, but rather may be a symptom of a secondary disorder. In clinical studies, some people become very depressed at times during the time of the year from November, around Thanksgiving, till at least a week or soor maybe the month of January. These issues are called the Holiday Blues. If you can't handle this behavior pattern, you may want to explore alternatives. It seems that your friend may need some very specific counseling to go along with his medication. You may want to search your own feelings with regard to this relationship and possibly set boundaries. There seems to be some control issues here along with unwritten boundaries. I wish you the best of luck in your decision making.

HM

1/18/10 9:07am

Thank you so much for your insight.  I have come to the conclusion that it really is not my place any longer to try and help this man.  In the process of trying to make his life easier and better, I have given up on mine.  I have tried so hard to help him and be there for him through this rough time but he has been taken advantage of my help and does not reciprocate. It has been a hard decision, but I feel that it is best for me to start looking out for myself and I do believe that maybe he will realize that he needs to start taking his medication and realizing that he needs to stop using his condition as an excuse to treat people badly.  Thank you all so much for you help with this issue, it has really helped to give me piece of mind.