Spending money - symptom or just me?

I have two illnesses, Bipolar and Borderline. Both illnesses have an impulsive side, and spending money is a known symptom.

So when I start to spend money, what is going on? Am I going manic? Am I Borderline? Or am I just ME?

What if it's not the illness, and I just have a poor lack of self-control when it comes to finances?

How can I know?

With my old psych nurse (I had to switch because of insurance) it seemed that every time I told her I was spending money, she automatically thought I was manic. But I really wasn't manic, I had no other symptoms. So maybe it was the Borderline? Or maybe it's just me?

We have $73,000 in debt right now, partly due to a job loss and unemployment, but mostly due to my inability to control the finances. It really needs to get under control somehow.

I've been reading a lot of stuff from Dave Ramsey lately (financial guy, about getting out of debt) and it's helping, but now I'm just obsessing over money and getting a bit crazy when I run out.

Hey I have Ocd and adhd and I also a heavy spender my groceries end of being like 200.00 and I still have thoughts of spendng money its not you its your sickness that causes that because my sister and brother both have bipolar and theyspend like crazy just like me It could be a shoping addition that what me and my siblings think.Do you crave for spending things or when you at a store it just happens.No thats no being manic.She crazy cause manic is being in a rage.

A question that I would ask is. "What are you spending money on?". I presume that when you say that you are spending money, you're buying things that you don't really need, and leaving yourself short for the rent or mortgage and other expenses.

Many people do manage money poorly. There is lots of research that indicates that if we get a windfall of money, like a tax refund, we tend to spend it several times over, rather than using it to pay down debt, as we might have intended. One of the more helpful things that you can do, and it takes only a few minutes, is to write down your income and expenses, and see how much of a monthly deficit you have even before you put the first dollar on credit cards. One place where I agree with Dave Ramsay is in the need to pay cash for everything. The bills get paid FIRST. After that, no more money, no more stuff. It's that simple. A complication is that both you and your spouse have to agree on spending limits.

This may not be the most helpful response, but filing for bankruptcy is an option, particularly because you and/or your spouse have been out of work. Under bankruptcy reform, you have to be making less than the median income for your family size (3) for the county in the state where you live to get your debts discharged under chapter 7 (so-called "straight bankruptcy").

Assets that are protected in bankruptcy include, but are not limited to, one's retirement accounts and a certain amount of personal assets. Debts that cannot be discharged under bankruptcy include student loans and debt to the IRS. There is an exception that allows student loans to be discharged if you can prove that having to pay them back would be an undue hardship, but that has to be decided in court.

Hey there Martina,

I had a friend before I moved interstate, she has BP and every time she had a manic episode, and felt "high" or "positive" she would go out and spend.

Even when she was on zyprexa she would have these episodes of spending. If she saw something she liked she would buy 2 of them, if she saw someone she liked she would impulsively buy them a gift and act as if they were her best friend but if the person said one wrong word she would start yelling at them and saying awful things to them (one of the situations when my avoidant personality worked for me).

I don't know how she is now because we left that state behind a couple of years ago now, and I haven't heard from her. But she was defintely manic when she spent uncontrolably,

Rhia

I have the same problem...I have never mentioned it to my Psychiatrist or anyone...My family knows it happens and I need my daughter to manage my money for me...I go shopping because I feel the need to, especially when I get nervous and depressed...Not sure what to do either. I really do not need anything and get guilty after I shop,,,Then it leads to more depressed and anxious. Not sure what to do either.

There are classes to help you...I see you are in Oregon,,I found this for you

http://or.easterseals.com/site/PageS...ename=ORDR_MMP

Think about what you want; if it's helping, put up with the "bit crazy" feelings. You have to get this under control; doesn't matter if it's symptom or just you; either way, it's hurting you and others. It's impossible to feel good around spending and be that much in debt at the same time.