You're not off. You're always on! Just sometimes you might be on a slightly different frequency from other people. It's frustrating yes, but not always. The more awareness you gain about yourself, the more you'll be able to start working on things that will work for you to help keep you more balanced and safe.

It's reallllly frustrating at the start though - when you're just learning to be aware of things. It's hard to change when you're just learning what things are potentially harmful (or things that you really don't find acceptable for yourself).

Like.... when I'm hypomanic? I'm usually game for a one night stand. At any other point (baseline or depressed) I'm really not going to go in for that. So.... I set myself up some safety rules. 1. I will only respond positively to guys who are known by at least one person I know - so a mutual aquaintance. If there is no mutual aquaintance, then I will not go home with him. 2. If I really think that I'm in the sort of state where I may not follow 1, then I will not shave my legs - I'm shallow enough that I will NOT have sex with someone if I hadn't shaved my legs that day (ridiculous yes, but I hate shaving my legs sooo this works for me sometimes! haha).

With spending? Well. I'm careful with my money. But when I'm hypomanic, I'm more likely to want to treat myself. I won't run up a huge bill or anything - I always and only spend within my means. However, I'll want things that might be larger purchases than normal or really frivolous and things that might not fit in my apartment or that I will probably lose interest in quickly. My solution to this: I don't make any larger purchase without considering it for a few months. Even if I'm baseline or depressed I will do this, because it's how I keep to it when I'm hypomanic.

It just takes time to learn what things there are that you don't find acceptable for yourself... and then being open to being creative and experimenting until you figure out what will help you not indulge in those behaviours quite as often.

BUT - and this I find key for me.... you have to forgive yourself when you slip up. The behaviours are a result of an illness, and it's alright to not be perfect. Just roll your eyes or laugh at yourself (or try to make ammends if it's been upseting for anyone) and then keep on going and try to remind yourself of it the next time you feel like doing whatever it was.