Bipolars and Money

One of the symptoms of a manic or hypomania episode in bipolar disorder is excessive money spending, compulsive shopping and impulsive purchases.

 The majority of people have at some stage experienced these activities.  So why this is considered as part of a major mental disorder? Not all reckless spenders are bipolar but for anyone with bipolar disorder it can become a problem with serious consequences.

During bipolar episodes there is often a lack of ability to associate actions with consequence. This might in part be due to the feelings of grandiosity; inflated unrealistic ideas of ability. Also the diminished ability to think and reason contributes but knowing why is not enough when the bills pile up.

There are some for which seems to the compulsion to reach the goal totally dominates the action. The creative capability of hypomania may be the driving force. The reasoning ability is not clear enough to know the compulsion to get what they want at that point in time which dominates all actions is part of the disorder.

For the bipolar individual it is best to accept the potential for inappropriate financial activities exists and to take precautions to limit the potential damage. Access to credit cards is vital. Any cash allowance should be spread over time instead provided all at once.

 Often it is the compulsive need to spend, without regard for the desired or need for the items that the act satisfies. Whatever the case it is known that the inability to handle money by bipolar people the paramount issue is to prevent catastrophe and avoid the consequences that come from the symptom.