My last relationship was super complicated and i didn’t really get into the whole “I’m not exactly mentally sound” until almost a year in, and it ended because he finally saw me during an episode, the day I had my eval and got diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and went nonverbal after the appointment. He couldn’t handle me at my worst so he dumped me two days later.

I don’t want my diagnosis to blindside any future partners or for my worse days to result in another heartbreak while my mental health is already at a low, but I don’t know a good time to bring it up.

I’m on a handful of dating apps currently and sometimes I’ll talk with a match for a while until I have a depressive episode and stop responding or have a manic episode and forget they exist for a couple of days then accept that they’ve probably moved on. No first dates because the only matches that ask me anywhere are only making a booty call.

Is before a first date too soon? Do I wait til it starts to get serious between us or do I tell them when I have an episode? Wait til I feel a spark? When? How?