My therapist says that I have unrealistic expectations for myself and that I put those unrealistic expectations on others as well. She says that I am 'putting my words or actions' onto another person. I assume what they will say or how they will react based on how I feel or how I think.

This is normally a negative or distorted view on my part. "They don't like me, they won't help me, they think I am strange, so they will react to me like I am an idiot with no common sense!"

I think she is right, but I don't know how to stop doing it! Is this just a habit, or does this come from past experiences that I am not consciously aware of? Is this just a part of being bipolar?

I need to get my thoughts together on this for Monday. That is when I see her again and we are going to discuss this. I am stumped on this and don't know why I am doing it, or how to stop it. It's not like I am aware of it at the time, but she calls me out on it when she sees me do it in therapy. Evidently, I am doing this a lot more than I thought.