For awhile now I have had the thought of being Bipolar. It all started when I had a woman suggest that I might be a couple of years ago. She was a counselor and I had told her that I was having racing thoughts, scary thoughts, and that I get irritable at times. I have struggled with scary thoughts for awhile (hurting other, sexual, homosexual, losing control)and have come a long way on replacing them and using the skills that i have learned through the method. But this bipolar thought keeps rearing its head. It seems every time I get happy or excited now I get anxious and think it is the manic stage of bipolar and it kills the moment. Then I start having scary thoughts and feel like I cant control them.
For example tonight I came home from work excited about the weekend and when I got home as soon as I saw my mom I got scary thoughts and felt like I was going to loose control.
The best part is I know a handful of bipolar people (that live normal lives) and really dont even know why I would fear the fact if I really was. I mean just talking about it makes me feel that I know for a fact that I am not and its nothing more than an obsessive thought because i rarely get depressed and if I do it doesn't last long cause I use the skills, self encouragement, the funny friends around me, and my faith to know life is to precious to spend the day moping around.As far as being manic ya I have my good days but I never feel a consistent high of excitement and I never get angry. But i miss being excited and happy without having to question it and getting anxious over it, and I dont know what I am going to get from this post but maybe someone has some advice. Just sharing this has made me feel better.
Thanks for reading, God bless
Obsessive thought of being Bipolar
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Guest
Hi JCB22,
Don't know if I can be of much help. But thought I could share a similar experience that I am going through that may help. I too was told by a psychiatrist a few years ago that I may be bipolar and this has scared me ever since. But I believe he didn't take the time to understand it is anxiety... This entire program revolves around similar symptoms to bipolar that are in fact just anxiety.
I tell myself of a contiuous basis that it's just anxiety but would too love to hear feedback from others.
Thanks for your post JCB22 and take care.
Don't know if I can be of much help. But thought I could share a similar experience that I am going through that may help. I too was told by a psychiatrist a few years ago that I may be bipolar and this has scared me ever since. But I believe he didn't take the time to understand it is anxiety... This entire program revolves around similar symptoms to bipolar that are in fact just anxiety.
I tell myself of a contiuous basis that it's just anxiety but would too love to hear feedback from others.
Thanks for your post JCB22 and take care.
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Guest
Hi JCB22,
I recall hearing other sufferers of pure-OCD/scary thoughts fearing they were schizophrenic. My friend who went through scary violent thoughts also had a fear he was becoming schizophrenic. He suffered OCD at the time A Beautiful Mind came out. It's the movie about schizophrenic Nobel Laureate John Nash. My friend was so scared, he would be afraid to look at posters or ads for the movie. But he wasn't schizophrenic.
Schizophrenia and Bi-Polar Disorder are clinically considered to be major mental health ailments. Alot of folks with anxieties and depressions imagine worst-case scenarios. So what would be the worst type of a mental ailment (as per medical professionals) you can imagine having? Schizophrenia and Bi-Polar Disorder.
Scary obsessive thoughts can be any topic: being violent, gay, cheating on spouse/partner, blasphemous, or having a major illness.
It definitely doesn't help when one medical professional says you are X or have X-disease. It often isn't their fault for making a certain type of diagnosis because of overlapping symptoms. Second or sometimes third opinions would then come into play.
I suffer from mild occasional chest tightness, which can be a cardiac or asthmatic symptom, anxiety, or the little know Costochondritis. This is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone (sternum). It causes sharp pain in the costosternal joint — where your ribs and breastbone are joined by rubbery cartilage. I had extensive cardiac tests done and the ole ticker is normal (though I do get a little afraid when I get the tightness and fear it's a heart attack.) I have some doctors who say I am mildly asthmatic and others who say I am not asthmatic at all. I do also suffer from anxiety. So when I get the chest tightness, what is it? (Shoulders shrug.) I cover all the bases: I’ll take a couple of shots of Albuterol, up to .25 mg Xanax and/or put a muscle patch.
I would suggest getting a second opinion by a counselor, or just take if for being an obsessive scary thought.
I recall hearing other sufferers of pure-OCD/scary thoughts fearing they were schizophrenic. My friend who went through scary violent thoughts also had a fear he was becoming schizophrenic. He suffered OCD at the time A Beautiful Mind came out. It's the movie about schizophrenic Nobel Laureate John Nash. My friend was so scared, he would be afraid to look at posters or ads for the movie. But he wasn't schizophrenic.
Schizophrenia and Bi-Polar Disorder are clinically considered to be major mental health ailments. Alot of folks with anxieties and depressions imagine worst-case scenarios. So what would be the worst type of a mental ailment (as per medical professionals) you can imagine having? Schizophrenia and Bi-Polar Disorder.
Scary obsessive thoughts can be any topic: being violent, gay, cheating on spouse/partner, blasphemous, or having a major illness.
It definitely doesn't help when one medical professional says you are X or have X-disease. It often isn't their fault for making a certain type of diagnosis because of overlapping symptoms. Second or sometimes third opinions would then come into play.
I suffer from mild occasional chest tightness, which can be a cardiac or asthmatic symptom, anxiety, or the little know Costochondritis. This is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone (sternum). It causes sharp pain in the costosternal joint — where your ribs and breastbone are joined by rubbery cartilage. I had extensive cardiac tests done and the ole ticker is normal (though I do get a little afraid when I get the tightness and fear it's a heart attack.) I have some doctors who say I am mildly asthmatic and others who say I am not asthmatic at all. I do also suffer from anxiety. So when I get the chest tightness, what is it? (Shoulders shrug.) I cover all the bases: I’ll take a couple of shots of Albuterol, up to .25 mg Xanax and/or put a muscle patch.
I would suggest getting a second opinion by a counselor, or just take if for being an obsessive scary thought.
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Guest
Thanks both of you for your feedback! I'm just going to keep on keeping on and get a handle on my thoughts. I have been trying to write down my neg thoughts for the last week or so and slowly get better at it. I think if i can catch this obsessive thought before hand, with my self talk,then write it down and replace it I can stop it from spiraling out of control.
And by the way Charlie I have the exact same chest problem as you. I found that exercise helps because it reinforces that it is not a heart problem and then you can just give it time and watch it pass.
And by the way Charlie I have the exact same chest problem as you. I found that exercise helps because it reinforces that it is not a heart problem and then you can just give it time and watch it pass.
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Guest
Good move on thought control.Originally posted by JCB22:
Thanks both of you for your feedback! I'm just going to keep on keeping on and get a handle on my thoughts. I have been trying to write down my neg thoughts for the last week or so and slowly get better at it. I think if i can catch this obsessive thought before hand, with my self talk,then write it down and replace it I can stop it from spiraling out of control.
And by the way Charlie I have the exact same chest problem as you. I found that exercise helps because it reinforces that it is not a heart problem and then you can just give it time and watch it pass.
Sorry you have the same chest tightness. Thanks for that primo advice! I like it and appreciate it!
