[Bcefbc]

I am a relatively young person with bipolar disorder and I am just learning the symptoms of manic and depressive states. One thing I don’t really understand is hypersexuality. Everything I’ve read kinda skirts around what they are saying and I don’t have a lot of experience in the sex department so I want some clarification but I have no idea how to bring it up to my therapist. Talking about sex makes me very uncomfortable but I really want to understand hypersexuality. Any advice on how to go about this convo?

[PinkyDoo]

Maybe start with that, exactly how you said it here. "I'm very uncomfortable talking about sex, but...." Good luck. I'm struggling to find the right words with which to approach my own T about my own issues, so I feel for you. Awkward!

[SoConfused623]

Twice now,when i havent been able to verbalize something, i've typed the words on my phone and passed the phone to my T to read. She then makes a comment about it and next thing you know we are discussing it, like everything else. Doing that has helped me a lot. Good luck!

[writingwithink]

I don’t know. Is this an appropriate thing for therapy? I would rather eat a bowl of dog s*%t than talk with a therapist about this. Like, seriously!

[LonesomeTonight]

I find it helps to stare at a spot on the floor when talking about sex with a T...but I also think of what my marriage counselor said the first time we brought up sex and said we felt awkward about it: "I'm a psychologist--I've heard everything!" It might be really scary for you to bring up, but I doubt it's the first time they've heard it from a client. I agree that saying you feel nervous talking about it can help...

[mostlylurking]

I have also typed stuff onto my phone and passed it over when I couldn't say something out loud.

[SummerTime12]

If it’s too difficult to say it or write it, sometimes I make my T guess. Poor guy lol. So in your case I’d probably start by saying something like “I want to ask you about something but the topic is embarrassing for me.” Then I’d say “it is a symptom of mania” and wait til he guesses it haha. I’ve done things like this so many times

[MessyD]

Originally Posted by LonesomeTonight

I find it helps to stare at a spot on the floor when talking about sex with a T...but I also think of what my marriage counselor said the first time we brought up sex and said we felt awkward about it: "I'm a psychologist--I've heard everything!" It might be really scary for you to bring up, but I doubt it's the first time they've heard it from a client. I agree that saying you feel nervous talking about it can help...

Mine said the same thing when I was hesitating, maybe it's another one of the things they say "I've heard everything"! Well there is always a first time..
I also stare on the floor, lately trying to challenge myself not to.

[annielovesbacon]

I've struggled with this too. Sex hasn't come up with my T except once, when I was telling her about time when I was hypersexual (I also have bipolar). I vagued over the details, since it was more important what I was doing rather than how I was doing it.
It was definitely super uncomfortable but I try to remind myself that T's are used to uncomfortable topics like this. Plus, sex is natural and normal, even if it is a little weird to discuss!

[Favorite Jeans]

How about if you just say: "One thing I don't understand about my illness is hypersexuality. I'd like you to help me understand what that's about."

I think it's you therapist's (or treatment team's) responsibility to address this with you in a really proactive way. You need to have a really good understanding of the phenomenon and an awareness of how it manifests in your life. You need to be tuned into how your body is feeling as you start to become (hypo)manic and your libido goes way, way up. That way you can make better decisions about what to do with those feelings. The consequences of not having this awareness and skill set can be extremely painful.

I say all this as someone who has made many not great decisions about what to with those feelings. Understanding the illness and being aware of my mind and body has helped a lot. It is harder, for sure, to make good decisions when my neurotransmitters are doing bad stuff to me, but it's still possible for my rational brain to have the upper hand. It's really a question of having some space from my feelings (sexual and otherwise) so that I can be aware of them and take care of them without actually being them.