There is a sizable literature on the incidence of suicide and suicide risk in those with bipolar disorder. However, the nature of the disorder, particularly the manic phase, there would seem to be conducive to fostering severe suicide risk in those with intimate relationships with bipolar sufferers, especially spouses. Lavish spending sprees, unwise financial decisions and resultant debt, quitting jobs, other consequences of grandiosity, impulsive sexual indiscretions, dangerous substance abuse and other risky behavior, hostile put-downs, may create suicide risk in spouses. Rapid cycling more common in women may be a contributing factor to suicidality in male partners.
Hi Tony, check these out:
Impact of living with bipolar patients: Making sense of caregivers’ burden
Maurizio Pompili et al. World J Psychiatry. 2014 March 22; 4(1): 1–12.
Suicide Among Soldiers: A Review of Psychosocial Risk and Protective Factors
Matthew K. et al. Psychiatry. 2013 Summer; 76(2): 97–125.
The symptoms of a bipolar disorder you describe are also characteristic of individuals with sociopathic behavior, whether diagnosed as individuals with anti-social personality disorder or a psychopath, which are other ways of referring to a sociopath that is the popular term for this. (I'm writing a book called The Lies of a Sociopath, so I have done extensive research on this area). You might consider looking at the relationship between the partners/spouses of sociopaths and suicide too -- another topic I am especially interested in since I have a film I wrote and was an executive producer of being released in January or February next year called Suicide Party: Save Dave which deals with a potential suicide from economic causes, which has increased due to the fall out from our recent economic turmoil.
Good suggestions! I'm somewhat familiar with the literature on those who have lost a loved one to suicide and risk and behavior have been found among some survivors. I will look into the studies of sociopaths. My question was motivated in part by the case of a young man whose wife had suffered from that disorder since her teens. She manifested many of the manic phase signs that I cite. He had no psych history and had seen a psychiatrist shortly before his death who did not find suicidality. His death fits Joiner's model very closely. It appears that his wife's actions cost him jobs, his savings, put him in great debt, ended his marriage, and more. He left a tape from his answering machine filled with dozens of debasing and disparaging messages from his spouse who reportedly decided that she no longer needed lithium. I think that there are many other cases of "collateral damage" like his that are overlooked given the research fixation on those with mental illness.
Tony,
My late husband died from suicide. Though I do not know if he had bipolar or any kind of mental health illness at the time. I do know towards the end he was showing signs of risky behavior with drinking heavily and keeping to himself. He was in the navy for 15 years divorced with two small children who lived in another state. We dated for six years and married for only 13 months. Your topic is very interesting I would love to learn more about it. Thanks for sharing.
Via other channels I received some anecdotal responses to my question. All regarded reports of suicides or serious attempts by spouses or partners of individuals with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The possible triggers associated with the spouse/partner with BP cited fell into 3 categories: (1) significant credit card debt; (2) infidelity and promiscuity; and (3) psychological and emotional abuse. In all of the cases it was a male who attempted or completed suicide.
Another pertinent reference:
Chessick CA, Perlick DA, Miklowitz DJ, et al. Suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms among bipolar patients as predictors of the health and well-being of caregivers. Bipolar Disord. 2009;11(8):876–884. doi:10.1111/j.1399-5618.2009.00765.x
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