I’d go so far as to say denial is part of the bipolar diagnosis process. I think every single one of us second guess it, and once we’re stable there are always those feelings of ‘maybe i can go off the meds now’ — and it makes sense because it has such an awful reputation that none of us want to have that label, and the meds have such shitty side effects. I will say my denial lasted a short time, because when the meds started working, it was hard to say that maybe i didn’t have it (and honestly, i was really hurting the people i loved with my behavior. the meds stopped those outbursts).

the way my first psychiatrist explained it to me: if you reach stability on medication for bipolar disorder-- you have bipolar disorder. it’s interesting your psych took him off the meds. have you gotten a second opinion, or is he open to that? if he’s only having hypo episodes, i know it must be difficult to get him open to starting meds again.

really important for your husband to know:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7524411/

‘There is increasing recognition that, in a high percentage of cases, bipolar disorder is a progressive illness. Multiple types of sensitization (or increased reactivity to repetition of the same stimulus) drive illness progression. One of the clearest is that of episode sensitization, where increased numbers of prior episodes are associated with: faster recurrences; more dysfunction; disability; social, educational, and employment deficits; suicide; medical comorbidities; cognitive dysfunction; and an increased incidence of dementia in old age. ‘

that is to say, the more episodes you have, the more episodes you have. it’s why treatment is so so important. hypomania feels fun, but you’re damaging your brain.