Hi everyone,
One of my family members recently had a severe manic episode (i'll call family member Gerry) and had to be hospitalized (first time)- they were suffering from extreme psychosis and were completely out of touch with reality. Bipolar runs in our family, sadly, but this episode seemed to come on very quickly and without much warning (odd behavior for a couple of weeks). Gerry reacted very badly to this, and was VERY paranoid the entire time about being hospitalized, invented all kinds of nefarious plots, and was extremely angry about it. I have heard through other family members some of the very dramatic beliefs Gerry has conjured about the hospital experience, none are even remotely true. I'm pretty sure these stories are told to others for sympathy points, I was there, nothing 'bad' happened. Also, Gerry is suffering from delusions of grandeur/grandiosity- which has not gone away. Upon getting out of the hospital, Gerry was determined to 'change their life' and get rid of the people who were 'bringing Gerry down'.... Gerry thinks that in order to be successful/accomplish whatever (there are TONS of delusions of grandeur going on. Gerry thinks theirself to be a prodigy of some kind... And even blames forces of bad energy for causing their problems), and that certain people have to be cut out of Gerry's life.
Prior to the complete Manic break, Gerry had already started exhibiting odd behaviors (which I was unaware of because I hadn't seen the person in over a week due to a disagreement with other family members). I later found out that I in particular, along with anyone else in the family who has ever had issues with was part of a paranoid delusion. I am in particular apparently considered a bad influence in their life. I have been completely alienated, and Gerry actually considers this almost a mandate from the universe or something so Gerry's life can 'move on' and become 'whole'. I'm at my breaking point with this behavior, I am most definitely not a bad influence on Gerry's life, we have been close for years. I have been informed by other family members about some of the crazy nasty things Gerry has been saying about me, and I know Gerry really believes this and is happy to be rid of me. We grew up together, and I want to know if our relationship will ever recover...
I'm wondering if this sort of behavior will persist? Or if there is any hope Gerry will let this go at some point?