Why when I'm manic..........(serious answers only)?!
Question: can't i stop spending money and thinking about money??? Im so peed off coz i keep getting in trouble because my husband doesnt understand my illness!! How can i sort this out?? Please dont be mean, i need real advice not abuse. Thank you xxxxx
Answers: can't i stop spending money and thinking about money??? Im so peed off coz i keep getting in trouble because my husband doesnt understand my illness!! How can i sort this out?? Please dont be mean, i need real advice not abuse. Thank you xxxxx
you can't stop spending money or thinking about it cos thats one of the joys of mania unfortunately.
i have the same problem as you, i go absolutely nuts when i'm manic and have cash (not that i have it for very long), if i have no cash i convince myself i'll win a whole heap of money and plan out how i'll spend it etc.
the only thing that works for me is having somebody ELSE control my money/put me on a budget (god i hate that word) when i'm like that. maybe you can work out how much money you actually need a day for transport/food etc and get your husband to make a "contract" with you so he gives you ONLY that money while you are manic, but allows you your freedom the rest of the time. i have my sister do that for me cos as i said, it's the only thing that controls my spending.
have a look at this site under the bipolar section as well as the carers section for tips on how to deal with your mania, as well as some advice/info etc for your husband so he can better understand your illness. best of luck!
http://www.abssn.org
u can go on the show, spendaholics
women shop to make them selfs feel better although in the long run it doesnt help at all !!
you should search online and see what sort of help there is out there..there are helplines for this type of thing !!
dont use that old excuse "its an illness". try to hide your spending better from your hubby
Maybe because this is generally how you make yourself happy, or relieves tention for you when you have spent money and bought something you wanted.
It may be hard but why don't you try and focus it on something else, like other people take a hot bath to relieve stress or things of the sort, or maybe some chocolate (with milk if prferred) whilst sitting down doing nothing. Apparantly chocolate has something in it that makes the body feel better from stress.
Hey I'm always up for some chocolate, and it always makes me feel good so it must be true. Anyway, i hope this helps.
Your a spendaholic, going cold turkey is the only way to help yourself.
You are angry that you keep getting into trouble with money because your husband doesnt understand your illness? Are you taking medication? You should be as you make no sense.
Mania makes you impulsive; one impulse is to spend. The only solution I know of it to school your husband and put him in charge of the finances. If you don't have access to the money, you can't spend it. That said, if you're having serious manic episodes like this it might be time for a med change. If you're not on meds, you should be; being stable helps everything.
Yep it's apart of your mania, compulsions can only be stopped by a mixture of meds and meditation, in meditation u feel the desire and compulsion and learn not to react, u detatch from the feeling to do it.
I don't know if it will help you but it's free and is worth a shot? google simple breath centred meditation or buy a little book.
Tests in prisons have proved it's drastically reduced drug taking etc
i dont no but i think i have the same problem! theres not a day goes by wen im not out spending money i dont have an on weekend i make my partner spend all his money too! wether its on going on day trips,eating out or just going round shops an buying things for the sake of it :s my partner goes mad at me too cos he likes to save,save,save an i cant save a penny if ive got it i must spend it! we usualy joke about it but its actualy not funny as ive got into some serious debt problems in the past
I don't know the answer but to all the people saying you're a shopaholic......... you are so wrong and so misunderstanding...
money plays a huge part in manic behaviour, i have a family member who regularly stands outside his house, naked, giving money to strangers!!
I hope you find some peace with this x
I used to do this. I would get depressed and to make myself feel better, I'd buy things. I didn't care how expensive they were, if it was going to make me happy, I bought it. Then I'd still buy stuff after I wasn't depressed anymore because of how great it felt. As long as I still had a few hundred on my card which looked substantial enough, I wasn't worried about the money. I got myself a pet (rabbit) and she is what makes me happy now rather than buying things. I still do buy stuff but much, much less than before. Consider it because pets take up time, energy and your thoughts. You can think about them instead of money.
If you don't think a pet is right for you, there are places you can go. Your doctor can help you find group support or if you prefer one on one. You could get involved in a hobby.
Don't worry this is only temporary and should stop in a month or so and your husband is an idiot coz he doesn't understand.
This is a serious answer......spending money is one of the symptoms of mania...you said you are manic now. Obviously your meds are not working....you said that you will be seeing your doc in two weeks....you need to go NOW and see him, do not wait two weeks...
It is good that you are seeking some advice from us, so you are on the right track, just contact your doc and get in right away....don't wait. You may end up doing more than just spending alot of money.
When you are manic, you have a feeling of euphoria, that nothing you do will have any repercussions. This is why, when people are in manic states they take risks they would not normally take. I once experienced a manic episode due to a medication I was taking. My doctor told me not to "make any major purchases". Is there anyone who can understand what you go through during these times and try to "talk you down".? My husband served that role for me.
http://psychcentral.com/ this has a section about bipolar. alot of usefull information there, it has helped me and my hubby understand alot of things.
What I've done in the past when I'm heading for mania is to stash the credit cards, checks, etc at the house so that I'm not as tempted when I'm out and about. Well, of course I'm AS TEMPTED but I just can't act on it. And chances are that if I can manage to get home, get the funds, and get back to that store WITHOUT being distracted then it was an ok buy.
Pretty much, I've learned to be very conscious of where I am on the mood spectrum since I also have a problem with impulse buying while in the manic portion. I try different methods to minimize the damage. Right now I'm recovering from the Christmas spending frenzy. The ONLY time I'm even going near a store is with a list of items to buy. The list helps. I can focus on it and keep from being tempted. I'm not in the danger zone right now but I'm trying to dig myself out of the hole caused by Christmas.
I wish you the best. My ex could NOT deal with the concept of me being occasionally loose with the money. But money was his GOD. Good riddance.
It depends on the type medication you are taking. They don't all work the way they are supposed to work. A lower dose or a higher dose may make all the difference. It is hard to say. I think hoeing up grass and making flowerbeds is a good way to deal with mania.
Hi there you don't state here if you have bipolar disorder (formally know as manic depression) or if you just become manic. The need for you to spend money and create huge debt is part of the illness that you have, if you have bipolar then you may not realise or know that you are unwell when you reach this point or on the other side of the scale when you become low in mood. As far as your husband is concerned he needs to be educated on this so that he will be able to understand and help you get through it, when you are in the manic phase you could have someone else control your money for you until you become well again maybe your husband could take over this for you.
Here are some of the symptoms of bipolar disorder that i found on the nhs direct website
In the depressive (low) phase symptoms may include:
feeling sad and hopeless,
lack of energy,
finding it difficult to concentrate and remember things,
loss of interest in everyday activities,
feelings of emptiness or worthlessness,
feelings of guilt and despair,
feeling pessimistic about everything,
self-doubt,
difficulty sleeping and waking up early, and
suicidal thoughts.
The manic (high) phase usually comes after 2-4 periods of depression and may include:
feeling extremely happy, elated or euphoric,
talking very quickly,
feeling full of energy,
feeling full of self-importance,
feeling full of great new ideas and having important plans,
being easily distracted,
being easily irritated or agitated,
not sleeping,
not eating, and
doing lots of pleasurable things which often have disastrous consequences e.g. spending a lot of money which you cannot afford.
Ask your husband to click on the NHS website link below to learn a bit more about the illness. There is also alot more information on the internet both good and bad you could get some leaflets from you doctor that your husband could read through. Better still make an appointment for yourself and your husband to go and visit the doctor he will then be able to answer the many questions that both your husband and yourself may have.
Hope this helps :)
i think why you have this compulsion is because you are bi-polar. and your trying to forget your problems. i suffer from depression. and i play roulette in the betting shops which helps me to forget my miseries. i wish you well.
You need to educate your husband, that way he can understand better.
It is an illness, and sadly many people just see it as being inapropriate and a nightmare.
I know many, many couples/families who have had to learn to deal with this, and the good news for you is it can be done!
Speak to your psychiatric nurse/Gp and ask them about therapy for you and your husband (they call it family therapy in the uk)
Good luck!