[searching4732]

So, I did a search on this topic and nothing relevant came up. So maybe I am just as crazy as I think I am...

Does anybody else, when they're hypo or manic, find themselves exaggerating or lying to people, fully aware that you're lying?
In a few of the hypomanic episodes I've had in the past (and actually a LOT during this last one) I found myself exaggerating my achievements and abilities to people, to the point of actually kind of making stuff up. Not to people I know, obviously, but to strangers that I'd meet (or men that I'd flirt with, or whatever...) I'm not talking about delusions of grandeur, because I obviously knew that the s*** I was saying wasn't true. But it was totally believable. And I did think I was pretty fantastic at the time, but yeah. Totally lying... about a lot of stuff.

Am I just a really horrible person, or has anyone else found themselves doing this? I'm so embarrassed about it now. Like, really embarrassed. I'm really hoping I never run into these people ever again, or that the things I said don't come back to bite me in the *** somehow. I'm newly diagnosed, and having a pretty serious identity crisis, trying to piece together which things are symptoms of my illness and which things are actually just me...

[TishaBuv]

I'm not bipolar and haven't done that, but I am sure there are a lot of people that do. I never thought about them being bipolar because I didn't know- I just knew they were lying. Like one of my friends was in the audience of a talk show once, and she stood up and said she was a lawyer and was therefore an expert on the subject and gave her opinion like it was gospel, and she wasn't a lawyer.

[bioChE]

Originally Posted by searching4732

So, I did a search on this topic and nothing relevant came up. So maybe I am just as crazy as I think I am...

Does anybody else, when they're hypo or manic, find themselves exaggerating or lying to people, fully aware that you're lying?
In a few of the hypomanic episodes I've had in the past (and actually a LOT during this last one) I found myself exaggerating my achievements and abilities to people, to the point of actually kind of making stuff up. Not to people I know, obviously, but to strangers that I'd meet (or men that I'd flirt with, or whatever...) I'm not talking about delusions of grandeur, because I obviously knew that the s*** I was saying wasn't true. But it was totally believable. And I did think I was pretty fantastic at the time, but yeah. Totally lying... about a lot of stuff.

Am I just a really horrible person, or has anyone else found themselves doing this? I'm so embarrassed about it now. Like, really embarrassed. I'm really hoping I never run into these people ever again, or that the things I said don't come back to bite me in the *** somehow. I'm newly diagnosed, and having a pretty serious identity crisis, trying to piece together which things are symptoms of my illness and which things are actually just me...

Good luck with your new diagnosis. It's hard to differentiate what is illness and what is "just me", and eventually you'll end up trying. It's a futile exercise, as the meds change fundamentally who we are, or at least how we act around others.

Welcome to the club.

[searching4732]

Originally Posted by bioChE

Good luck with your new diagnosis. It's hard to differentiate what is illness and what is "just me", and eventually you'll end up trying. It's a futile exercise, as the meds change fundamentally who we are, or at least how we act around others.

Welcome to the club.

Thanks... this is hard.

I realize on occasion I have exaggerated incidents or situations I have been involved in. I realize I am a teller of stories and sometimes exaggerate parts in order to stress my point or garner the emotion felt at the time it occured. I hate this, am aware I am doing this at the time, and beat myself up for it afterward.

[OctobersBlackRose]

I've done this for job interviews or applications, especially my favorite interview.where I thought I could be a dog groomer, btw I'm legally blind and can't groom dogs, don't even know how. Never want to go back to that particular Petco I interviewed at either...

Delusions of grandeur proclamations ("I'm a f'in genius!" etc.), yes.

Lying, no.

[searching4732]

Originally Posted by OctobersBlackRose

I've done this for job interviews or applications, especially my favorite interview.where I thought I could be a dog groomer, btw I'm legally blind and can't groom dogs, don't even know how. Never want to go back to that particular Petco I interviewed at either...

Haha! This made me smile. Thanks.

[JustJace2u]

Never have I lied, but I have been known to exaggerate a little.

[manicminer]

Is it lying when you believe the ridiculous things you are saying to be the truth?

That's the problem I've ran in to

[vjdragonfly]

I can ever recall outright lying but I do know I was delusional and believed I was something I'm not. I think there is a LOT of embarrassment and regret that comes with mania. Losing control and doing things I don't normally do has it's own repercussions.