Is this a Bipolar thing - the immediate jumping to conclusions and thoughts of worst case scenarios?

For me this usually involves people and has affected and nearly ruined relationships. It could be a simple let down and I quickly come to the idea the individual is doing me a great deal of wrong intensionally. Or it could be a difficult situation that I blow out of proportion. Yesterday it was an honest mistake of a best friend and my immediate thinking they did something to me on purpose nearly ended the relationship. Yesterday and this morning it was a situation involving the post office. Longer story but I came to the worst of conclusions.

In both cases I am left feeling humiliated.

[mindwrench]

I find myself always playing out every possible scenario in relation to everything in my life. Anything that could go wrong, I think about how it will happen an am always watching for the signs that it is happening. Relationships are definitely one of the common simulations that I run through, analyzing every communication and replaying it to match things said up against any perceived strangeness in their behavior or frequency of contact. When people change their habits or behavior towards me, some part of me always thinks it is because they have turned against me and it's only a matter of time before that is revealed. By the time they say or do something again that reassures they are still on my side, I've already made mental lists of how to fight any impending war with them and trying to connect their behavior to other peoples that may be co conspirators with them.

It is tiring to do all of that, but not doing it is not an option.

[LucyG]

Originally Posted by justafriend306

Is this a Bipolar thing - the immediate jumping to conclusions and thoughts of worst case scenarios?

For me this usually involves people and has affected and nearly ruined relationships. It could be a simple let down and I quickly come to the idea the individual is doing me a great deal of wrong intensionally. Or it could be a difficult situation that I blow out of proportion. Yesterday it was an honest mistake of a best friend and my immediate thinking they did something to me on purpose nearly ended the relationship. Yesterday and this morning it was a situation involving the post office. Longer story but I came to the worst of conclusions.

In both cases I am left feeling humiliated.

It sounds like the core problem is that you're still depressed.

If you felt happier, you might not think these things are being done intentionally.

I just to conclusions when I'm under high stress, not sleeping, high anxiety and/or Manic or depressed. Usually I'm pretty level headed (I think the people who know me would agree to this) but when I'm extended past what I can handle, I'm very touchy and get things wrong frequently at this time.

(((Mindwrench))). I related completely to what you wrote....it's all so hard and confusing eh?

(((Hugs to you both)))

[Icare dixit]

It sounds like a borderline personality trait. It could also be an anxiety disorder or delusional thinking. It depends on how certain you are and for how long (and how you react).

If you're certain you were wrong but for a moment you were very certain and you felt confident and quick to judge and act and after you discovered your mistake you felt suddenly very guilty and depressed, it's most likely (a part of) BPD.

It's a bit like a weak, highly unstable and changeable and chronic BP/psychoticism.

It's borderline normal. Borderline intense.

Also experiencing mania and depression is not uncommon. Yeah!

[Fuzzybear]

((((((((( hugs )))))))))

[st0psign]

totally feel ya

[Unrigged64072835]

I jump to worst-case scenarios a lot. It's part of my anxiety disorder.

Thanks everyone. I have been away and unable to respond to you all.

I am thankful I am not alone.

I find the reply regarding BPD and delsuional thinking quite interesting. Before my psychiatrists finally arrived at the diagnosis of Bipolar, it was first suggested my MI was Borderline Personality Disorder. meanwhile, my CBT therapist copied for me her session notes. One time there was the statement "Pzchyzo Affective(?)"

Whatever. This is most unpleasant. It comes on instantly and subsides equally quickly. I feel rather sheepish afterwards as I try to explain to the other party my thinking and how sorry I am.

[TishaBuv]

I'm not bipolar, have been diagnosed borderline traits. I totally do what everyone here described. I was raised by my mother to do this. The thing is, the negative conclusions I arrive at are not necessarily wrong.

I'm doing CBT now and there is a category called Jumping To Conclusions in that negative thinking to watch out for.

But honestly, how often are your conclusions really wrong? Even when that person denies their bad intentions? Perhaps you caught them, called them on it, and they simply deny it.

For example: I just had an incident where I took my anger out on my husband's records thinking in a rage that he cares more about those than he does me. He and I discussed it and he accused me of faulty thinking. However I defended my position. Look how he had treated them and how he has treated me. Am I really wrong? Sure he denied it, but look at his actions.

So trust your instincts and prove to yourself whether you are really wrong or right.