Lately, I haven't been getting any work done. When I say "haven't been getting any work done", I mean I literally haven't done a thing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. No exaggeration. I just stare at my work laptop screen for about 2 minutes or so, enough to catch up on my email, then close the lid and wander off to do something else. (I've been working from home.) I have not submitted for vacation time, which I know is immoral.

I've been so enamored with books that all of my focus has gone into books and none into the actual work I must complete for my job. I get a huge thrill in buying books upon books upon books, and yet, I haven't read a thing. I've just bought, bought, and bought... Once the book comes in the mail, I lose interest in reading it. I mean, I still think the topics are cool and such, but once I buy, I just sit there and say "wow, that's an awesome topic!" Then I go off and buy something else that I think is even cooler.

I'm not sure if this behavior is a premonition of mania, but I am scared of what may happen. However, I am getting normal amounts of sleep because of Seroquel. 8-9 hours? Dunno. It's bizarre.

I was also deaf in my right ear for a good 5 days (no exaggeration) due to an ear infection from hell. I was distracted from work because of it, and I had to see the doctor to see what I could do about it. (I was stupid and didn't see a doctor right away.)

I used to have a book buying addiction too and read about half of what I bought. Now I stick to audiobooks as I enjoy them more anyways and I have a big enough collection of books in case of an apocalyptic event. I'm sorry your floundering around.....I can definitely relate. You have ADHD right? I think I *might* have a touch of that myself. Could that potentially be the issue here?

[Nammu]

Books are my kyptonite. I still miss books I lost decades ago from up and moving in a mania. Don't know what to advise you tho.

[Moon Lotus]

Books always hold a special place in my heart, whether physical or Kindle. I went on a splurge last night at Amazon, so I have a few shipments coming in. I hope that your latest book buying is not a sign of mania. Stay well.

[scatterbrained04]

I have TONS of books I've bought and never read. I think it is a hypomania thing for me. Now when I feel like book shopping I just go to the library. Would that be an option for you? You can "impulse buy" a bunch of books then return them when you lose interest.

Originally Posted by ElsaMars

I used to have a book buying addiction too and read about half of what I bought. Now I stick to audiobooks as I enjoy them more anyways and I have a big enough collection of books in case of an apocalyptic event. I'm sorry your floundering around.....I can definitely relate. You have ADHD right? I think I *might* have a touch of that myself. Could that potentially be the issue here?

I recently discovered audio books.

those on here who read my thread know that i stopped reading proper books (just can't focus on them)

but if I have the focus for audio books, they may actually come in handy. we'll have to see

[Sunflower123]

There are two types of book purchases that I make: (1) I'll see a book and think it will help/heal my condition so I purchase it and never read it or (2) download fiction books on Kindle. I have over 2,000 at this point. I download so many that I couldn't possibly read them all.

I am working on curtailing this behavior.

[Hairball]

I just impulsively bought an area rug, and do not even like it. I only bought it because it was a good deal. I also bought a couch that I thought I needed and also thought it was a bargain at the time.

Now here I sit with a couch and rug that i just hate.........lol.

I get a new smartphone, get all excited about getting the phone and setting it up the way I want to, using cool new features, etc. Then? I grow tired of the phone and look to either return it where I bought it or possibly sell it / trade it on Craigslist for another phone.

Last night I felt like my wife baited me into a discussion about getting another phone. She had sent me an innocent text that if read out of context could sound bad. Inappropriate at least. I was pretty sure that the person sitting directly behind me at the choir concert last night could read my screen. Pitfall of owning a 7 Plus. My wife toyed with the idea of sending more messages like that - to which I protested. Then she made the comment about the screen being too big for me, and I agreed. I even said it was starting to become annoying. Then she says "you'll live".

My son is using my old phone now, and occasionally I pick it up and it makes me miss the feel of it. It was an SE - much smaller, more pocketable, just a great overall phone. I think my wife has seen me look at my son's phone and others.

I feel that once the interest is lost in buying and trading cell phones, I replace it with something else. Last week I screwed around on my computer and installed Linux as the primary desktop OS. Wife didn't appreciate that. Then I switched from one computer tower that I have to another. And back again. Each time I lost interest or changed my mind about the setup and wanted something different.

The longer I own this iPhone, the less I want it. At one point I said I should have a regular flip phone and a separate PDA (if needed) for my calendar and contacts. Wife said I would never be comfortable with that.

My phone splurging stopped with my switch from Cricket Wireless to Verizon. I signed a two year finance agreement and bought an iPhone SE. Within two weeks I swapped it for a 6S Plus. Then I went back to the SE after a week. Two months later I sneakily added a line of service to the account and bought a Google Pixel XL. The wife caught me, made me return the phone and cancel the line. Then a few months later my wife decided to add our son to our current wireless plan, so he could get my phone and I would upgrade to another. I wanted a Pixel or some other Android phone, but my only option was an iPhone. I've had the iPhone since January, which is a longer stint than recent memory. I still think my wife enabled my behavior some by allowing me to upgrade in January. Between the three iPhones - four if you count the insurance replacement I got after I "dropped" one of the SE's on the ground because it got a smudge on the screen I couldn't get rid of - and Google Pixel I've had 5 different phones since August. All changes were approved, sometimes begrudgingly, by my wife.

Problem is, I've been wanting another phone for a few weeks now.

[glowsinthedark]

I do this exact same thing! I love buying books but I rarely feel like I have the attention span to quietly sit and read them (except right before bed, with my headlamp on). Seeing them makes me happy though, their spines lined up are like an inspiring 'to do' list I usually end up reading a least parts of them at some point. If I actually lose interest, then I just re-sell it on amazon.

[Plastic Fork]

I buy movies, DVD's. I always have. I escape into the story and because I'll watch the same movie, sometimes 10 times, I justify it's purchase.

I quit loaning them out because people often don't return them.

Don't we all collect something? Even if it's dust, lol.

[Wild Coyote]

I love books and bookstores. I have to stay out of bookstores and away from online booksellers.

I've done a couple of purchases $300.-$1,000. rather impulsively, much to my dismay. The trouble is, both DH and I can be a bit impulsive at the same time. When that happens, we both approve the purchases. We keep the agreement to check in with one another for any purchase over $50.00. The only time that is not a safety net is on a day when we are both impulsive, which is rare for me. I have to be hypomanic in order to be impulsive.


WC

Don't we all collect something? Even if it's dust, lol.

Yeah, but when your purchases range from $200 - $500 and you are constantly buying, selling, and trading it can add up. I have close to $2,000 tied up in finance agreements between three iPhones right now. One 6S, an iPhone SE, and a 7 Plus. It might even be more than $2,000. I kind of don't want to look right now.

I have to ban myself from Craigslist and Swappa to prevent purchasing anything on a whim.

Co-worker just mentioned reading and collecting comic books. Tomorrow is free comic book day if anyone is interested. I collected comic books for a while. I still have some that might be worth money, but I'm afraid to sell them off because I would probably just spend the money unwisely.

Originally Posted by shattered sanity

I recently discovered audio books.

those on here who read my thread know that i stopped reading proper books (just can't focus on them)

but if I have the focus for audio books, they may actually come in handy. we'll have to see

I stopped reading books due to concentration problems too. And it's painful to my neck also. I would keep changing positions, laying on my belly, on my back, sit back up and round and round and it just plain hurt. Audiobooks are so much better but when my concentration is bad, I still can't pay attention. I have much better luck than with hard copy books and I hope you find the same is true for you. Some audiobooks are AMAZING and way better than regular books because they really put on a production for the listener. Enjoy!

[LadyShadow]

I have had this problem too. I have bought TONS of books I just don't read. I mean even my Kindle is overflowing, haha. But you know I do think it's a manic thing. It's like for me. We see something shiny and new and go OOOOOOO! And it doesn't have to be a book either, it could be a DVD, a videogame (which I just buy and never play), or even a new person we meet.

I just say it's a bipolar thing, and just deal with it, just like the zillion other things we have to deal with. But try the audiobooks idea, I recently bought a few and managed to get through them.

Good luck!

[Unrigged64072835]

I do that with books, and also with clothes. I buy something and it sits in my closet, with me going "What the hell did I buy that for?"

I think part of it is the "thrill of the hunt", as it were. There's usually an adrenaline rush that goes with shopping, and I think dopamine is up there too. Afterwards it's kind of like, meh.

[Hairball]

I downloaded the app "letgo" a few weeks ago, and I bought two things off of there already so I actually uninstalled it. It was quite addictive. Now I want to download "offerup" app but afraid I will do the same. If a person has a problem with impulsive buying that is not the thing to do, and I know better.........lol.