[teresapooh98]

My mania has kind of got out of hand. My OCD is worse, I'm confused and I forget things. I'm not sleeping very well and I get moody and irritable. My life seems to be taken a turn for the worst and for the better because I am getting a lot accomplished with my mania. I'm doing a lot of cleaning and rearranging and stuff like that. I'm very proud of myself for all I'm done but I'm afraid it's just going to get worse. I've also been spending a little too much money but I've got a little bit better handle on it right now. I'm not really sure how to cope with what I have and how to just relax and let things be. And let go of some of the stuff that I don't need to be holding onto. I could ramble on and on all day but I think I'll stop. Any helpful coping skills or information or whatever will be greatly appreciated.

[blackwhitered]

1. Are you taking any meds? Are you prescribed any meds/seeing a psychiatrist?

2. Do you have someone you can confide in? A friend, family member, counselor, mental health professional? If you can do that, you'll have someone to support you, watch out for you, help keep your thoughts in check, etc.

3. Have you tried CBT techniques? People usually think of CBT as helping with things like depression, but it can help with distorted thoughts that are present in mania. For example, while a depressed person may overgeneralize by saying "I failed this test, so I must be stupid," a manic person may think "I didn't crash my car while speeding, so I'll be fine if I drive recklessly," or something like that. Those thoughts seem positive, but they can still be harmful. Especially if they become delusional, like thinking that you can fly and jumping off a building. Using those kind of techniques can help you recognize your irrational thoughts and cope with them. CBT will also help with obsessive thoughts/OCD.

4. You have to recognize when you're going too fast and need help. For example, if you start to lose control and need hospitalization. Or simply to slow down and think through your thoughts instead of acting on impulse. If you can do that, you might be able to ride this out and even be productive with it (acting on good impulses like cleaning while resisting harmful/obsessive ones).

I wish I could help more. I have had OCD-like thoughts once as a result of a bad depression and med problems. I can't imagine fighting it every day, that takes a lot of strength.

[sweetmadness]

I can't even get in with a therapist right now because they put me on an on call basis over missing appointments and my therapist cancelled on me the same day, yet I'm on this on call basis over missing one appointment this year. So I'm really upset I just feel like giving up.

[teresapooh98]

That sucks being put on an on call basis for just missing one appointment. That is not right but giving up is not an option. We will pull thru from this somehow. if you have to get another therapist and a place that won't do this. that is just ridiculous. I wish you luck. Hopefully they will call you soon with an appointment.

[teresapooh98]

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner been running high. I've been taking my meds and my pdoc upped one of them over a week ago and I think it is finally helping. I really have no one to confide in except when I see my therapist once a week. No I haven't been using any CPT techniques but I do realize that my thoughts are irrational but it's hard for me to do something about them. I am doing my best. The OCD has the best of me though.

[sweetmadness]

Yeah I just started Buspar, which was difficult to adjust to without being able to make appointments easily. I stopped taking it because it kicked up my paranoia and mania.