Unbroken,

Perhaps your GF makes you feel needed and important? It is a wonderful feeling, to be needed. But, do you really want to take on a parental role with someone with whom you are in a romantic relationship? From what you write, she will never be able to be an equal partner. You need to use caution here, in my opinion.

She will not change. You need to understand that. She has had PTSD and bi-polar for a long time. PTSD is not curable. Neither is bi-polar disorder. Bi-polar disorder is nasty. It is difficult to treat. In all probability, she will never be able to be on her own; and she will never be a responsible adult.

You may have met her during one of her up cycles in the bi-polar disorder and that is why she seemed so great. Gosh, I remember dating a guy for a short while, some years back. He seemed so awesome at first. And then he cycled from his up phase to his down phase, and it became abundantly clear that he was not capable of maintaining a relationship. He was bi-polar. I'm not saying that all bi-polar sufferers are incapable of maintaining a relationship, but I'm sharing this so you can take a hard look at what you are facing.

Your GF having bi-polar disorder on top of PTSD is going to make anyone's life with her more than challenging. You can see that in how she treats her family. Do you want to be part of her family, to be treated that way? She will cycle from good times to down times. Some bi-polars are more often depressed than manic, so that wonderful up side you saw might be fleeting and rare.

As Nicolette said, there is more to a long-lasting relationship than love.

Good luck to you,

Cowgirl