[imaginethat]

Help! I've been manic to some degree for a few months. I'm not sleeping well, shopping non-stop, and am very irritable. My ability to focus and remember things is gone. I'm afraid of the crash that inevitably occurs when I come down.

I'm not sure how to stop shopping. My shopping is all online. Some big stuff, but mostly purchases under $50. I really enjoy getting little packages in the mail every day. Ha! I feel l like I'm getting little presents.

I know to wind down early and meditate or listen to soothing music, but do I do it? I get into bed around 1:30, smoke weed to get sleepy, do some deep breathing, then fall asleep an hour later. Is that so bad? At least the deep breathing is good.

How do you trick your brain into doing what's good for you when you don't want to do it? Do you basically have to slap yourself and say "Self, damn it, it's time for some changes!" ??

[~Christina]

Well... Maybe look at your bank account ? Literally physically write down every time you bought something the Price.....Do same with Credit cards too

Sometimes those numbers are enough to get someones attention.. Someone posted on PC somewhere cant remember where, but they had spend over 1400.00 in a month of " stuff" She now doesnt know how she will pay for her rent..

Remove all your account info from online check outs like Amazon etc. If you have to get your card and manually enter name address acct info , It can give you a moments notice to reconsider..

Do you have a trusted family member that can hold your cards? or a trusted friend? You can have your bank put a limit of how much you can spend at once..

The only way to stop it is for you to make the changes needed... Just stop, Yeah its hard.... Unless you have someone who can take over your financial life and pay your bills and give you X amount of money to play with a month, Then the only person is you.

Hope you find a way to make changes.. Just becausee a person is manic doesnt mean they will Always fall into a soul sucking depression.. what does your Pdoc and or T think about your spending?

[imaginethat]

I've avoided looking at my credit card statement. You have a good idea there.

During my last visit to the pdoc, I was still enjoying the high. I plan to call him and make an emergency appointment. We both thought I was stable the last time I saw him! That was a funny notion.

For me, the highs are usually followed by a low mood. But I've been working very hard on not giving in to depression, so perhaps I won't get depressed this time.

I really appreciate all of your advice, Christina.

[~Christina]

Your Welcome I hope that you can come down for a soft landing this time and not in flames

[sarahsweets]

Definitely see someone who can help you with this situation. Are you on medication?

[BlueSkyGirl]

I hate to be the bad guy here but, I think you should stop smoking weed. People with bipolar don’t need that crap to mess us up more than we already are. It affects the part of the brain with motivation and inhibition, and are brains are already at a disadvantage with more gray matter in those areas of the brain.

Second, go to bed earlier. You are doing yourself injustice by staying up that late. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

For spending, I hear you. It’s so hard. Compulsive shopping is so tempting, especially with all the sales going on and the fact we are stuck at home. I did a lot better with a debit card compared to a credit card. That way I know I can’t go into debt or spend more than I can afford.

[sarahsweets]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyGirl

I hate to be the bad guy here but, I think you should stop smoking weed. People with bipolar don’t need that crap to mess us up more than we already are. It affects the part of the brain with motivation and inhibition, and are brains are already at a disadvantage with more gray matter in those areas of the brain.

I agree that the OP may need to stop the weed but I do not agree with your assessment that bipolar people should not smoke weed or that weed causes the deficits you say it does in all cases. I just began a medical MJ program and when I was in my consults my main concern was being sleepy and dopey. So they taught me about strains and how each one works. There are stains that do not make you sleepy but actually help with pain and activity. When I wake up barely able to walk I take some MJ and in half an hour am able to move well, exercise and be productive and active. All my doctors know about it and support it, even my psyche. My biggest issue is not liking to smoke it. I am experimenting now with different methods of injestion. I only wanted to clarify this because the lack of context or information is misleading to people that havent had training or gone for consults or done any sort of research on weed. I am bpII and on psychiatric medication and have no interactions. The OP is likely not in a MJ program but I just wanted to share this from a different perspective.

[Moose72]

I agree that weed affects bipolar brains differently/more than normal people's. Even if I just have a little bit, I react strongly. It might not happen right away, which gives me time to eat even more fudge, etc. with weed in it. Then it hits me big time and I black out repeatedly!

[imaginethat]

Yes, I'm on a lot of medication that works well most of the time. When I get manic or depressed, we increase the dosage.

Originally Posted by sarahsweets

Definitely see someone who can help you with this situation. Are you on medication?

[imaginethat]

The implications of ingesting weed worried me at first. After many months, i discovered that it didn't affect my mood at all. I thought it might help with depression, but it unfortunately didn't. It does help me sleep and for that I'm grateful. I've tried Klonopin but have to take an increasing dosage for it to work.

Originally Posted by BlueSkyGirl

I hate to be the bad guy here but, I think you should stop smoking weed. People with bipolar don’t need that crap to mess us up more than we already are. It affects the part of the brain with motivation and inhibition, and are brains are already at a disadvantage with more gray matter in those areas of the brain.

Second, go to bed earlier. You are doing yourself injustice by staying up that late. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

For spending, I hear you. It’s so hard. Compulsive shopping is so tempting, especially with all the sales going on and the fact we are stuck at home. I did a lot better with a debit card compared to a credit card. That way I know I can’t go into debt or spend more than I can afford.

[BlueSkyGirl]

Originally Posted by sarahsweets

I agree that the OP may need to stop the weed but I do not agree with your assessment that bipolar people should not smoke weed or that weed causes the deficits you say it does in all cases. I just began a medical MJ program and when I was in my consults my main concern was being sleepy and dopey. So they taught me about strains and how each one works. There are stains that do not make you sleepy but actually help with pain and activity. When I wake up barely able to walk I take some MJ and in half an hour am able to move well, exercise and be productive and active. All my doctors know about it and support it, even my psyche. My biggest issue is not liking to smoke it. I am experimenting now with different methods of injestion. I only wanted to clarify this because the lack of context or information is misleading to people that havent had training or gone for consults or done any sort of research on weed. I am bpII and on psychiatric medication and have no interactions. The OP is likely not in a MJ program but I just wanted to share this from a different perspective.

Thanks for your perspective. I was lured into the MJ world when I was in college and it was AWFUL for my MI. It promoted depression and made me more scattered. It affects the same part of the brain where BP brains have more gray matter (frontal cortex) and affects inhibition or lack there of. Since being off that stuff I can think much more clearly and I'm happier overall.

That said, I think medical MJ is different. Perhaps they strain out some of the THC? I honestly really don't know how it's different but I'm sure it is. I'm very interested that it makes you more productive. In my experience it has always done the opposite for myself and those I know on it.

[Fuzzybear]

hugs