[pommybt]

is it me or do other ppl self doubt themselves all the time? Even when I was give legal advice to do something I still self doubt myself if I'm doing the right thing?

i am plagued with self-doubt, regret and remorse. i cope by being inactive. if i don't do anything there is nothing to worry about.

[Hobbit House]

self doubt is my constant companion.

[Angry1541]

you are definitely not alone

[BipolaRNurse]

Self-doubt? I wrote the book on it. j/k

Seriously, I think it should be listed as an "official" symptom of bipolar, along with overconfidence. Everybody has moments of self-doubt, we just take it (like everything else) to an extreme.

You don't have to feel alone. You have plenty of company!

[cashart10]

This is the story of my life...especially right now. Sounds like we are in good company.

[r010159]

I have allot of self-doubt over the smallest things. But once I have made a decision of significance, then I jump into my plan. But still getting to my decision is full of self-doubt. And when I get the desired result, I then start to second guess myself. Did I do anything wrong? Have I considered another persons feelings? Maybe the result is not what I really wanted? I ruminate allot about these kinds of things.

[pommybt]

Wow come on stop it now guys how did you all know exactly how I feel? Seriously the best thing ever finding this site. You are all so much comfort to me and reassuring

[pommybt]

Originally Posted by BipolaRNurse

Self-doubt? I wrote the book on it. j/k

Seriously, I think it should be listed as an "official" symptom of bipolar, along with overconfidence. Everybody has moments of self-doubt, we just take it (like everything else) to an extreme.

You don't have to feel alone. You have plenty of company!

You read my mind BipolaRNurse! Everything to the extreme! I don't get the overconfidence to busy stressing about my behaviour and how i seem to piss everyone off!

[Double Edge]

I am constantly doubting myself, even in the face of objective data to the contrary. One big one is my academic success... I have a 3.85 GPA, I won "undergraduate student of the year in the psychology department," was the Treasurer and then President of the Psi Chi Honor Society chapter at my school, won money to buy our department an EEG for research, got my original research accepted as a poster presentation to a national psychology conference... and yet I still doubt myself as a student and constantly worry that I'm not going to be able to get accepted to graduate school. None of it feels like "real accomplishment" to me, for some reason, like it doesn't count somehow. My friends constantly remind me to stop being so self-critical, but for me, the self-doubt always comes down to feeling like I "could have done X better, or Y better." I think it stems from feelings of inadequacy for me. The self-doubt also becomes paralyzing at times, out of fear of making the wrong decision. This has gotten me into trouble mainly with deadlines for school papers... for the second time now, I've had to take an incomplete because I couldn't decide on a topic to write for a final paper because everything I came up with I just doubted would be "good enough!" I also lost out on an awesome research job opportunity because I doubted myself being "good enough" to apply, even though two professors had written me outstanding letters of recommendation and I more than met the qualifications. I ended up never applying. You're definitely not alone in your frustration and feelings.

[pommybt]

WOW Double Edge what an achievement. Quite easy for me to sit here and say you should be so proud, but I totally understand how you feel. Why do we do it? I'm the same as you feelings of inadequacy it's so unfair. I think I annoy people because I always think I've made the wrong decision. Hugs to you too.

[Double Edge]

Originally Posted by pommybt

WOW Double Edge what an achievement. Quite easy for me to sit here and say you should be so proud, but I totally understand how you feel. Why do we do it? I'm the same as you feelings of inadequacy it's so unfair. I think I annoy people because I always think I've made the wrong decision. Hugs to you too.

Thanks so much. Hope you're hanging in there alright. I thiink we do it for so many different reasons. I also feel like I annoy people who look at me and say "look at all you've accomplished!" and all I can say is "yeah... I guess it's alright," then immediately jump into everything I didn't do better or perfect. A neuropsych eval I had revealed I have very perfectionistic tendencies so I think that might be part of it too.

I've been having a real hard time with the self-doubt and negative self talk lately. My tdoc keeps telling me I need to celebrate my accomplishments and that they are all so remarkable and show my resiliency... but no matter what she says, I still feel like all of it is meaningless. I really need to get to the bottom of this... I think I'm just scared that it's going to go REAL deep, into the scary pits of childhood neglect/abandonment type issues. I'll admit it, I'm just afraid to find out what's there. But the alternative isn't much better. Just gotta hold my breath and jump in the deep end, I guess.

I wish you the best of luck and hope you're doing well.

[Downsideup75]

Every day I have those thoughts especially if I have to make a decision I'm afraid that no matter what it will be wrong and even if I do make a right decision I have that fear that somehow someway it will end up going wrong if I am happy then something bad is just around the corner

[Angry1541]

I will add to me first post -- I have major self doubt at times -- but always about really small stuff, it's also coupled with major indecisiveness -- hasn't much of an issue lately, but can become majorly annoying to my wife, when I can't make any decisions around the house...which I think might be a result of being often wrong in my decision making when younger and I have psychologically determined it's easier to not make any decision or let others make it for me...then I don't make the wrong one.

[Parks]

Originally Posted by pommybt

is it me or do other ppl self doubt themselves all the time? Even when I was give legal advice to do something I still self doubt myself if I'm doing the right thing?

I also cope with this kind of thinking constantly, esp. when depressed.

[IsabelAmy]

If something goes wrong at work I have to ask myself if I did it, or caused it. Logically I know it isn't the case, but I still can't stop thinking about it. "Maybe I did do it and I just don't remember?" Self doubt plagues our little universe and it sucks.

[wiretwister]

i have been doing the same job for 27 years am senior tech told by everyone i am the best,, and every day i worry if today will be the day i'm fired..I can make decisions but then i second guess myself..if not for xanex it would be unbearable...

[Jayv]

I constantly doubt every decision I make. I'm also very paranoid about everything. I know it's my brain playing tricks on me but knowing that doesn't help

[Curious651]

unfortunately. This does not seem to go away. Some days very confident and others, like a light switch being thrown and can't break the doubt. Been trying to deal with this for years. Thought it would get better, but does not seem to in my case. Tomorrow will be another day and hope the doubt does not come with the sun.

[hamster-bamster]

Just playing a devil's advocate - could it be that you are overcompensating for manic overconfidence in the past? As in "oh I was manic and now I should be ashamed of it, so let me make sure that I am not overconfident... not confident...not in the least confident, etc."?

[notALICE]

Originally Posted by apfei

i am plagued with self-doubt, regret and remorse. i cope by being inactive. if i don't do anything there is nothing to worry about.

Ugh! Me too. And for me inaction can make it worse yet that's often what I do.

[cookieM]

I was just writing about my frustrations this morning in my journal. I struggle with decision making constantly. I never associated it with my Bipolar Disorder also I constantly struggle in social settings because I always say the wrong thing. I had a blow up with a fellow church member this week. It seems like when ever I am corrected by another person I launch into BATTLE mentality. I don't understand why I do this. I always run home crying and confused about what happened to me. The desire to just stay alone becomes stronger and once again I have to muster up courage to step back out again. I'm so thankful that I found this web site you are all such a blessing to me.

[Tucson]

I have episodes of self-doubt that can last for some time. I hate it when my insecurities show in my relationships.

[Creative1onder]

I have trouble making decisions, often in conflict with self over things. I thnk the self doubt issue is related to low self esteem/low self worth and difficulty being assertive, not nec linked with illness. I think a lot of people have issue with low self esteem, being critical/hard on themselves.

[Nixie_K]

I know what you mean. I've had the seed of doubt planted in my head since I was a child. The more I believed it, the bigger it grew to this monstrous creature that has taken over me completely. Others tell me to be positive daily and it will vanish, but what they don't understand is; this isn't something that happened over night or the past week. This way of thinking has been ingrained or branded into my brain. Its frustrating for me and those around me. Its hurting my relationships with people I care about a lot. I can't go on living like this. I need to end this for me, but I have no idea where to start. My first start is here...