Some stories don’t fit the stereotypes we’re taught to expect.

In this episode of Forensic Nurse Files, we hear from Dennis, a 46-year-old blue-collar man battling autism and highly recovered from Bipolar II, who loved someone living with Dissociative Identity Disorder after severe childhood abuse. What began as a reconnection turned into a year-long relationship shaped by mental illness, alcoholism, blurred caregiving roles, and ultimately intimate partner violence.

This is a story about loving someone with complex trauma, recognizing your own limits, and the hard truth that empathy does not equal safety. It’s also a reminder that men can be victims, caregivers can be harmed, and silence helps no one.

⚠️ Content warning: intimate partner violence, dissociation, suicide, mental illness, substance use.

Bluntly Bipolar Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4SttSLOSWCuXploDPmQXN7?si=r6ac8kqFTqmO1CzbAAso3A

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:

Call or text 988 from any phone in the United States

Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention:

https://www.strangulationtraininginstitute.com/

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:

https://afsp.org/

Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN):

https://www.rainn.org/

National Center for Victims of Crime:

https://victimsofcrime.org

Victim Connect Resource Center:

https://victimconnect.org

National Crime Victim Bar Association:

https://victimbar.org

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA):

https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI):

https://www.nami.org/help

HOW TO REACH US:

Website: forensicnursefiles.com

Gmail: forensicnursefilespod@gmail.com

IG/Facebook: @forensicnursefiles

Tiktok: @forensicnursefilespod

Are you a nurse or healthcare provider in the forensics field? Are you a victim of assault? Reach out to us! We would love to feature you or your story anonymously on an episode!