How To Make Fake Body Signs?

Couvade symptoms? Or Warning signs of Mania?

• My Husband suffers from manic depression, he has gone into full blown mania or psychosis three times in the past. He has been stabilized and leveled for over a year now, not taking any medication bc the doctors feel its not best for him based on past experiences. He has been managing it with diet, supportive people and exercise (which he could do more of). My concern is I am 11 weeks pregnant and this is his first baby (i have a 2 year old from a previous relationship) he is a very energetically sensitive person and he is experiencing Couvade rather intensely. I know most of his symptoms are Couvade bc he is displaying a lot of the same behavior that my ex did when we were expecting my first child. But its also hard to differentiate couvade symptoms with the warning signs of mania. He is very fearful of going manic again so every time he feels or experiences something out of the norm he automatically wonders if its a warning sign of mania when its typically just a normal "off day" or something like that. I am concerned bc I am aware that someone like him, who is predisposed to depression and mania can be triggered into another episode by such a huge thing like pregnancy. I dont want him to go into a full blown manic episode while we are expecting and not be able to "be present" during the pregnancy and when the baby is born. I am in the process of finding him a new dr since he has relocated from a different state. Expert advice in the mean time would be appreciated His symptoms: Couvade or Mania? Insomnia or irregular sleep patterns hypersexuality (which really he has ALWAYS had an overactive sex drive) could be he is more attracted to my curvy body, larger breasts or the fact that his baby is inside me or could be just a symptom of mania..... Anxiety (he had a full blown anxiety attack last night) Emotional ups and downs similar to a hormonal pregnant woman Delusional thoughts of insecurity (like hes not good enough for me, or i dont feel the same for him as before, a fear of us becoming distant, which i feel a stronger closeness to him so these feelings are irrelevant) Changes in appetite- one day he will eat the whole kitchen and the next day he will eat once and not even realize has hasnt eaten all day Irritability (some what irrational with responses, ie thinking the worst of a situation, dwelling on negative thoughts, and blowing small meaningless situations out of proportion) incredibly high maintenance- needs my attention, love, affection, sex, and nurturing CONSTANTLY, if he doesnt get it, he becomes an emotional wreck, picking fights and blowing this outta proportion with irrationalizations. Something similar to the "nesting" symptom women experience, for example- yesterday he kept himself unusually busy with things around the house like fixing the door, cleaning, laundry and things of the like to the point where he realized he hadnt eaten anything but pizza rolls and forgot to make our 2 year old a sandwich bc he didnt eat his hot dogs. This could also be considered a surge of energy associated with mania but this is the first time its happened so Im not sure what it really is. (I have left out other symptoms like aches and pains, food cravings, nausea and things bc those are clearly couvade and not easily associated with the warning signs of mania) I am aware seeing a doctor is the best solution to this concern but finding the right one can take some time, esp when you're insured by the medical card, so in the meantime, if anyone has advice or solutions, it would be greatly appreciated. Also, I am afraid of seeing a doctor that will try to push medication on him when it has clearly not been inhis best interest in the past. I really dont want a zombified, numb and absent husband during one of the most important times of our lives.

• Answer:

  It really does sound more like the onset of mania but he needs to see a doctor now, If he needs medication then that is what he needs and the sooner the better.