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Laura Yeager: Overspending and Bipolar Illness

 
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I hear through the bipolar grapevine that outrageous overspending is a symptom of mania. Manic people have been known to go out and spend thousands and sometimes millions of dollars they might not have on things like cars, homes and yachts.

My husband, for one, is particularly grateful that this is not a symptom of my mania. I am too.

I am definitely not an overspender. In fact, I’m cheap. I buy my clothes and my child’s clothes at thrift shops and on Ebay. I never buy anything unless it’s on sale. I clip coupons. I don’t eat out much.

This is not to say that my mania is not problematic. Again, it is. I just don’t have episodes where I blow money.

A disease that can bankrupt you!

Some experts tell people with overspending issues to give their credit cards and checkbooks to their loved ones if they feel they’re escalating into a manic phase. These same experts advise that if a manic person needs go to a store, he or she take along a sort of “babysitter” to guard against overspending, or even send a proxy to the store to purchase what he needs and nothing more.

What about you? Are you an overspender? Have you gotten into trouble because of money issues during manic phases?

How do you handle it?

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EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

hi, yes i overspend wen im manic,gratefully my daughter is an accountent and manages my pay which goes in to her bank accouts and we do most of ower monthly payments as direct debit. and she puts my pocket money in my bank weekly. food money goes to my other daughter that lives with me,and the rest is put to a joint savings account which ,i do not have or want card or account no,and we are doing great, out of dept, and now have savings and fixing my kitchen. ivi

May 9, 2009 - 5:52am
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