Think I Met A Bipolar Customer

While I was running a cash register, a man came into the store and approached my register. He was very physically antsy and talking very, very fast, he could not seem to stop talking with very pressured speech, and half of what he was saying I couldn't even make sense of. Probably in part because I was trying so hard to focus on ringing up and processing is items right, but also in part because it was all over the place.

I think he mistook my nervousness about being new to cashiering as being uncomfortable with the way he was acting. He asked me and the other cashier if we thought his energy was too much. Without waiting for us to reply he started rambling about how he was having a good day, how he has good days and bad days, and the bad days are very bad but the good days are great. He repeated this in different words a few times while I was making up his change.

My coworkers didn't seem to think anything of it, we do get some drug addicts every shift and I figure they assumed he was one of them, but of course my very first and instant thought was, "Bipolar, he's bipolar!" Of course I was nice to him, but more than anything I felt a weird kindred comfort in recognizing another likely bipolar person. I was very tempted to say something like, "Nah you're fine, I'm bipolar, too, I know how it is," when he started seeming nervous that we were judging him. But luckily I thought better of it at the last moment and didn't want to accidentally embarrass him or anything. After all he might not even be diagnosed.

Anyway not that I'm glad other people suffer or anything, but it was kind of a cool, secret experience to see "one of my people" on the job. When we can recognize each other, it's like we're not so rare.

That does sound very much like he was manic. Of course that's not 100% confirmed to be the case, but I see why you'd jump to that conclusion. If I saw someone that way, bipolar would also be the first thing that came to mind. I've definitely been asked if I was on drugs while hypomanic!

Have you ever seen the video on Youtube of the Maine State Trooper who pulled over a driver for speeding? I won't post the link here but the offender definitely seems BP......pressured speech, extreme anger, up and down, all in five minutes. It's an incredible video that sort of speaks well to elements of BP behavior as well as the training of the trooper. The trooper is a bit sarcastic but he keeps his cool with this guy who goes absolutely bonkers when he gets pulled over. Search "Maine State Trooper Speeding Ticket". It's posted a bunch of times, total views of 1 mil so far.

People here may consider it funny, offensive, or something in between so please know I'm not advocating anything either way. My take is that I'm most impressed with how the trooper handled this guy.

Warning - the language is VERY coarse so if you're offended by it, don't search it. Or use headphones so the kids don't hear.

I looked it up and watched it. I agree that the trooper handled it beautifully. The guy who came into the store was similar except he was excited in a happy way.

Behavior always a touchy subject on these boards - I suppose it is what drives us all to be here. At some point in my life, I may have acted the same way especially in my thirties. I noted how he was so up and down in such a short period of time - going from angry to extremely angry to calmly talking about stamps and his glasses to being philosophical about Bill Clinton and the economy.

Furthermore, I sometimes forget how my behavior affects others, especially people in my family.

I honestly wonder about several customers per shift that I work. I've had my fair share of both BP and BPD behaviors/attitude issues, so my first thought when running into certain behaviors/attitudes in others is, "I wonder what you have?" I can't help it after my own journey and all of the people I've known who also went through mental illness/disorder journeys.

Had a customer two days ago who was in a very sarcastic rage over everything. I was just ringing up his items and didn't even say anything the whole time because I felt like he wanted to fight someone. At one point he was half-yelling that the music in the store was too loud and that it sucked, and then he started loudly pretend-singing along in a very mocking way. He just seemed severely agitated and couldn't stop talking. I couldn't help but find it more curious than anything else, wondering what his would-be diagnosis was.

Was it me? I used to be like that but have toned it down a bit.....still a work in progress.

Idunno, did you break out into an angry rendition of Coldplay?

I will admit that sometimes the music in our store is a little weird. We sell hot foods, gasoline, beverages and cigarettes. And yesterday Enya was blasting from the ceiling. I was standing there making the coffee like >_>

The first thing I thought was, "OMG is that what I look like when I'm manic?" LOL

Retail is a rough score, though. You have to deal with EVERYBODY.

Well don't feel bad. I get paranoid mixed states. I would be the customer screaming at everyone to run because the FEMA camp troops are coming.

I've been a customer in a store (Walgreen's) with someone else in the store that I really think was BP. Because they only have two register at the front the guy was cutting up right next to me. He was buying all kind of crap then he kept adding more to his order. He was scaring the little young sales rep. He was laughing and singing out loud then get mad and ask what was taking him so long to ring him up? Then he asked what grade he was in? And started laughing again.

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And yes the customer you had definitely seemed as tho he was one of us. LOL

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The hard part is telling the difference between someone in am episode or someone straight up on drugs lol
Bit I remember being g in a book store manic buying cards books and anything at the checkout. ...I kept adding and adding things super hyper talking away and I was getting a crazy look from cashier. I'm like whoa settle down girl

I have definitely seen people who I can tell are BP, even a friend or two. It is hard with people you don't see all the time.

This has only been in the last few years after I have been diagnosed.

One time I was at the vape store and the clerk kept saying what? What? He was laughing at me like I was on drugs or something. I then realized that my words were coming out so fast that I had to forcefully slow down the pronunciation- that was hard.

There was one time that my head was in a fog and I made an illegal left in a school zone in front of a deputy Sherriff, he was side by side with me as he was in the U-turn lane. Upon seeing him, I instantly realized the mistake I made....I felt so busted and it struck me so funny that I started laughing as he crossed lanes to pull me over. I kept laughing and giggling when he walked up and got my license. I couldn't quit laughing, I was feeling too good. After a little while he said that since I was in such a good mood that he's giving me a warning and he then let me go! I laughed all the way home! I couldn't believe it! I literally laughed my way out of a ticket! Lol.

I spend a lot of time alone when i'm depressed, which is most of the year. I get Sring hypomania -- beautiful, euphoric high mood. Unfortunately i get really social and spend recklessly and mistake the interactions i have with salespeople for social relations. These people are selling me stuff. They are not my friends. Sometimes [after i've crashed] i even feel exploited by them, like the time i kept buying book after book in a bookstore -- none of which i read. I don't like to read anymore. I just keep remembering the cashier laughing her head off every time i approached the cash register with another book. Couldn't she tell there was something wrong with me? I guess it is her role to sell and she doesn't have to spare a thought for how her 'good customer' may be unwell... I sure hope i get another religious hypomania next Spring or some other non-shopping, non-renovation hypomania, something benign.

She was probably just nervous and unable to voice any concern without risking her job. Where I work, we have a ton of pressure on us to push sales (without any incentive, we all just make minimum wage per hour lol) and to go along with whatever customers want. We would be in big trouble if we actually hindered sales in any way. I even got in trouble for giving a homeless man a free coffee drink, even though we are allowed to give a free drink to an angry customer to try to appease them. But apparently not a stickly-thin homeless man since he wasn't going to be "profitable" anyway. The whole retail industry can be pretty depraved.