[Moose72]

I spent the weekend with my boyfriend and kids. Felt okay until yesterday. This morning, especially, I felt more manic. Yesterdya and today, I've been researching huge fish tanks for a puffer fish I saw that I want! I'm talking about 300 gallons! I already have a 5 gallon (with a tiny puffer) but there's a puffer I want that actually needs 200 gallons or more. So I've just been obsessed with finding them on craigslist and ebay. And now... its after 1 a.m. and I'm still up watching tv- even repeats of shows that played earlier on the same channel. Oh- and this evening, after the kids and I got home, I couldn't stand any noise- playing the piano, computer, etc. All normal stuff that doesn't usually bother me. I took the kids out to a movie and ice cream and such. Just more than I usually do. Over all, it doesn't add up to much, but I just felt like I was spending a lot. I also got lots of $ lately from my ex so I got my car fixed and other things that needed doing on my car. I've tried to stop myself from spending and such but its so hard. And the weird thing is that my BF wanted lots of sex this weekend and I didn't really. Not like I had in the past when manic.

[suze999]

One thing I've always wondered, and I'm wondering in your case, is how much awareness we really have that what we're doing is harmful when we're manic. A lot of people guiltily overspend on hobbies and things that just sound good at the moment (when I was in college studying marketing, "buyers remorse" and cognitive dissonance as it applies to consumer psych were biggies). It sounds like you are into puffer fish (which are really cool...especially Mrs. Puff ...gotta know your SpongeBob), and I don't see why it's necessarily a problem to lust over a humongous tank. Certainly getting your car fixed is a necessity (wish a little extra money had floated in from my ex when my son's car needed $1700 of repairs lately...).

But yeah, maybe with the other stuff, maybe. I just know when I went through my last bad hypomanic/manic stage, I really just wasn't aware of my behavior until months into it when someone finally sat me down -- my boss, unfortunately -- and pointed it out. I was off my meds and way out of control. Also, it probably would need to be an ongoing change of mood, not just a couple of days -- we all have irritable days. Maybe it's just a trend to keep an eye on at this point?

[BIPOLARSMOM2]

I agree with Suzy, My daughter who is Bipolar1 ultra rapid cycler, can spend thousands in two days at least she did before she was medicated properly. I still always get paranoid when she goes shopping..LOL. Maybe your just OCD ing about the tank more than mania setting in. Just be careful.. maybe you could find someone else to partner up with that has to agree with your purchases for a while... Maybe that will keep a lid on overspending.. I hope your taking your meds.... that is usually where this starts.... good luck to you.

[Amazonmom]

Getting the car work done sounds more like fixing your busted car than any sort of manic behavior. Manic would be buying a brand new one because the old one was busted. I was in a Zoloft hypomania and bought a new minivan. Of course I had been talking about replacing my 20 year old car with a minivan for months, and my husband was agreeing with me. The most the hypomania did was make me a bit more aggressive with the price negotiations, which was probably healthy.

If you are worried about the spending on hobbies and such, just run them by the BF, or some other person whom you trust. Even when I am not hypomanic I obsess over hobbies and research stuff. I just don't actually buy things.

The fact that you are aware and watching your behavior is great. Hang in there!

Originally Posted by Moose72

I spent the weekend with my boyfriend and kids. Felt okay until yesterday. This morning, especially, I felt more manic. Yesterdya and today, I've been researching huge fish tanks for a puffer fish I saw that I want! I'm talking about 300 gallons! I already have a 5 gallon (with a tiny puffer) but there's a puffer I want that actually needs 200 gallons or more. So I've just been obsessed with finding them on craigslist and ebay. And now... its after 1 a.m. and I'm still up watching tv- even repeats of shows that played earlier on the same channel. Oh- and this evening, after the kids and I got home, I couldn't stand any noise- playing the piano, computer, etc. All normal stuff that doesn't usually bother me. I took the kids out to a movie and ice cream and such. Just more than I usually do. Over all, it doesn't add up to much, but I just felt like I was spending a lot. I also got lots of $ lately from my ex so I got my car fixed and other things that needed doing on my car. I've tried to stop myself from spending and such but its so hard. And the weird thing is that my BF wanted lots of sex this weekend and I didn't really. Not like I had in the past when manic.