Yesterday was a perfectly good day until my husband made a casual/half-joking comment about "reigning" in our spending. In a matter of minutes I was talking about divorce - not in an angry/screaming sort of way, but in a devastated/hopeless/things will never get better sort of way.

I've had a problem with overreacting (and totally losing all perspective) for as long as I can remember and it's ruined or caused problems in most of my close relationships. I want to stop but I just don't know how to control myself. It's like the circuits in my brain just take off and a little meaningless comment gets blown way out of proportion and then I spiral out of control. I always feel terrible and like I'm waking up from a nightmare after I calm down but then BAM! it happens again...

Is this part of bp or just a very unfortunate personality trait?

[lunaticfringe]

Definitely relate to this. When I was manic I was very dramatic and overreacted about every little thing, and ultimately really embarrassed myself and then ended up losing a couple friends over it. So yes I would say it is definitely a component of how my illness manifests and probably many others as well.

[simplydivine1030]

I understand how you feel. I basically over-react to everything.

Wow! Are you me?
I relate to this as well. I thought it was my personality, (a tendency to be insecure, and take things far too personally) but now that you mention it, I guess it could be part of the illness.

I really hate this part of myself - it's so exhausting. I feel like I'm apologizing to my husband for my overreactions at least twice a week.

Oh, sorry. Hi, I'm new. I have bipolar II, but haven't got around to introducing myself in the BP section yet.

[lunaticfringe]

Welcome Tea Biscuit!

[LettinG0]

I definitely think it is part of the illness.....and I totally get what you are saying. I can go to over-reacting/irrational in a split second....and then ruminate on it for ever. And, then like you said, only later do you realize...oops, I did it again.

[Homeira]

I have a tendency towards overreacting also. It was getting steadily worse over the years, as my BP was manifesting itself more and more. The last year or so it has gotten better. Therapy has helped me get it more under control. Also some adjustments of my meds has helped.
I think it is part of BP.

I do this as well but I'm also borderline personality. I know that's part of that

[avlady]

I also think it is part of the illness. i also get depresses easily up and down all day, does anyone else get depressed too on and off like this?

[Homeira]

I remember my therapist explaining that when one has BP, the level for becoming overwhelmed can be a lot lower than for people without it. So naturally, when that level is reached, one can easily have a tendendency to overreact. And be triggered into an episode also.

[blue_eyed_panda]

I don't know if it's a part of it, but that'd make a lot of sense.

I rarely have this reaction with the people I've known my whole life, like family, but if I'm dating someone, or its one of my friends... Yeah I totally do that.

It's always frustrated me that I do that because it's like a reflex I can't control no matter how hard I try.

[hopeless2015]

Yes I agree and understand, was doing good, started new meds a month ago but wake up call last couple of days that it takes more than the meds. I have to work on coping skills otherwise I'm going to be back where I started. Back in my own dark place were everything is magnified 10 times and I derseve all of this because I'm a horrible rotten person. I cant let the irrational thoughts takeover again or I'm going to end up inpatient again. Being kind to ourselves is so hard and SO important

wow...it's actually really comforting to hear from everyone (though I'm sorry you have to deal with this problem too!)

my reasoning for thinking it might be part of bp is that it is consistent in that it's happened all of my teenage/adult life, but at the same time seems to come in waves...like I can go weeks/months without getting all worked up.

[RisuNeko]

It sounds more like a borderline trait than anything specific to bipolar to me. I can see it happening during a mood episode like an agitated depression or a dysphoric mania, but if it's happening all of the time it seems more like a personality trait. But it's not surprising that you all have this in common and have bipolar, as borderline traits commonly show up in BP even if you don't fully have BPD.

[Trippin2.0]

For me personally, its more my BPD reactions, that affect me daily, it can be a facial expression, what I perceive to be a condescending tone, and yes, even the "wrong" words do it to me as well.

I've gotten better at catching myself now though, so sometimes if I'm "lucky" all that happens is I shed a few silent tears while I try to reign in my thoughts and feelings and find perspective.


Yes I have huge BP overreactions, but the nature of BP is cyclical so I don't have any symptoms outside of a cycle...


How do I know the difference?

Well for one, like I said, the BP ones are episodic, and I personally refuse to attribute anything to BP that's not an actual symptom.


2. The beliefs behind my thoughts that evoke specific emotions and trigger these (daily) over reactions are classic BPD distortions.


But that's just me.

[RisuNeko]

Yeah I agree. It's not in the DSM for BP, but is for BPD. Just seems like more of a BPD thing.

For me, the overreacting stems from a depressed state. When I'm depressed I don't always react well to a sudden shift, no matter how innocuous.

[BipolaRNurse]

I used to have horrible overreactions during mood episodes back before I was medicated. I didn't recognize them as mood episodes then, of course, but in retrospect I can remember long periods of time when I didn't overreact or come unhinged because of some minor thing. My last screaming fit happened in front of a crowded restaurant over three years ago, before my BP diagnosis and medication intervened.

[chzfries]

I also overreact a lot... I'm not sure why, but it makes me feel better knowing that I'm not the only one

[Shadesofdark]

I overreact sometimes whether I am manic or depressed, the smallest thing can get me going, unfortunately I usually take it out on my wife. When I calm down and apologize, she accepts it, but I will still worry for days if not a week about going off on her. Then when I try to talk to her again about it, she has usually forgotten about the whole episode.

Good luck with getting this under control, I was almost happy (that doesn't happen a lot these days) to see all the posts of people with the same problem, you are not alone.

[lostwander]

I can be very touchy when I'm depressed too.