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shutterbug · 09-30-2005, 03:07 AM

....and the excessive spending is why many bipolars have to have others keep tight grips on the persons money or access to money because a severly manic person can easily drain out an entire savings or checking account during the episode. I only have mild manic episodes (or hypomanic if you will) where I don't "empty" out my accounts...but you can be certain that I will spend ever last dollar of cash that I have on me and then start spending what ever change I have left in the bottom of my purse.

During this current depression episode, I HAD to give control of all my money over to my mom because I wasn't keeping up with how much I had in the account...and would just buy whatever amount seemed "about" right....well, in just a two months...I racked up more than $500 in overdraft charges from writing checks when there wasn't the money in my account to cover the checks.

And I NEVER balanced the account...I also would let my mail build up in my mail box until it was over-flowing or my mom stopped by and grabbed it when she came in. And if I ever DID get a wild hair and finally retrieve it from the box (which is only about 6 inches away from the door) then it would come inside, but it would pile up...unopened...so bills NEVER got paid until I recieve cut-off notices.

When manic I was just to busy and scatterbrained...when depressed I was too fatigued and unable to concentrate.

I am slowly starting to take back control of my check book, but mom still fills out the checks and the pay stubs and puts them in the evelopes, stamps them and puts them in the mail...that whole process is just too over-whelming for me to feel responsible for right now. Sounds silly, I know...but that's our reality some times.

I also know personally 2 others that have had to hand over their money/accounts to others for safe keeping. It was hard for me to do that at first because of my pride...having a college degree, but I can't pay my own bills..."you've got to be kidding me" kind of things.....But I am SO glad I did...it's a TON of stress taken off my back.

---anyway, just want to add those few notions before I head off to slumber for the night.(morning actually...lol)

09-30-2005, 03:07 AM	#6 (permalink)
shutterbug A picture's worth a 1000 words Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: With any luck, I'm lost in a view finder Posts: 2,947 Blog Entries: 5	....and the excessive spending is why many bipolars have to have others keep tight grips on the persons money or access to money because a severly manic person can easily drain out an entire savings or checking account during the episode. I only have mild manic episodes (or hypomanic if you will) where I don't "empty" out my accounts...but you can be certain that I will spend ever last dollar of cash that I have on me and then start spending what ever change I have left in the bottom of my purse. During this current depression episode, I HAD to give control of all my money over to my mom because I wasn't keeping up with how much I had in the account...and would just buy whatever amount seemed "about" right....well, in just a two months...I racked up more than $500 in overdraft charges from writing checks when there wasn't the money in my account to cover the checks. And I NEVER balanced the account...I also would let my mail build up in my mail box until it was over-flowing or my mom stopped by and grabbed it when she came in. And if I ever DID get a wild hair and finally retrieve it from the box (which is only about 6 inches away from the door) then it would come inside, but it would pile up...unopened...so bills NEVER got paid until I recieve cut-off notices. When manic I was just to busy and scatterbrained...when depressed I was too fatigued and unable to concentrate. I am slowly starting to take back control of my check book, but mom still fills out the checks and the pay stubs and puts them in the evelopes, stamps them and puts them in the mail...that whole process is just too over-whelming for me to feel responsible for right now. Sounds silly, I know...but that's our reality some times. I also know personally 2 others that have had to hand over their money/accounts to others for safe keeping. It was hard for me to do that at first because of my pride...having a college degree, but I can't pay my own bills..."you've got to be kidding me" kind of things.....But I am SO glad I did...it's a TON of stress taken off my back. ---anyway, just want to add those few notions before I head off to slumber for the night.(morning actually...lol) __________________ I'M FINE!! Fanatically Insecure Neuratic & Emotional Bipolar/Depression support: 1-800-950-NAMI(6264).