a call out of the blue

i've just hung up the phone from a quick conversation with my ex in Australia. i'd sent him an email to wish him a happy birthday and he called the number at the bottom of the email. he had no clue where he was calling country-wise, despite the fact that that's also written at the bottom of the mail. and then what he said... it worried me.

he suffers from bipolar disorder, and already did when we met, although neither of us knew it at the time. it appears the medication worked for a while but the dosage was upped from 200mg to 2000mg and then it basically stopped working. he had to give up his business and sell his house, so he now lives with his parents. his career is over, because stress sends him into hospital. so right now, he lives at night, helping people with bipolar in the States over the Internet, and sleeps by day. i asked him if he couldn't get a job 'without stress', but that didn't seem to go down well. i know manual labour isn't what he'd hoped for, but he did say he didn't want to rely on his parents.

he told me he had hoped i'd have answers for him. but he sprung it on me out of nowhere, so i had no idea what to tell him. i certainly didn't have answers. but his words: 'my life is finished'... he didn't sound suicidal, and knowing he talks to people who are makes me doubt he was, but it can't be easy, turning 33 and knowing there isn't much you can do anymore and that your life is ruled by your illness. i just hope he finds some answers that will help him.