More Questions and Concerns

[4Everloved]

I apologize for having so many questions. Although well-aged like fine cheese, I am new to this diagnosis.

Question: Is it normal to have odd perfectionist obcessions? What I mean by this is, for example:

I'm driving to classes at 65 miles per hour on the freeway. I still have 15 miles to go, but my shoulder belt is rubbing on my neck. There's no pain on my neck, it's just a bit uncomfortable because I have a mole on the left side of my neck. Nevertheless, I stop the car at the side of the road and readjust the seatbelt.

I also find myself adjusting and readjusting the seat, how forward it is and how much it leans...while I'm driving...and I know you're not supposed to do that, but I do it anyway.

When I wash dishes...the thought of getting my sleeves wet bothers me incessantly. I keep rolling up my sleeves up to my biceps. Then my long sleeve shirts and blouses get stretched out. It's so stupid, but I can't stop.

My knee socks have to be rolled down 1 inch below my knee because I have short legs. If I forget, I will even take my pants off so that I can readjust my knee socks. I'm sure you're seeing what I'm getting at?

Is this part of being bipolar?

 

[Alive again]

I apologize for having so many questions. Although well-aged like fine cheese, I am new to this diagnosis.

Question: Is it normal to have odd perfectionist obcessions? What I mean by this is, for example:

I'm driving to classes at 65 miles per hour on the freeway. I still have 15 miles to go, but my shoulder belt is rubbing on my neck. There's no pain on my neck, it's just a bit uncomfortable because I have a mole on the left side of my neck. Nevertheless, I stop the car at the side of the road and readjust the seatbelt.

I also find myself adjusting and readjusting the seat, how forward it is and how much it leans...while I'm driving...and I know you're not supposed to do that, but I do it anyway.

When I wash dishes...the thought of getting my sleeves wet bothers me incessantly. I keep rolling up my sleeves up to my biceps. Then my long sleeve shirts and blouses get stretched out. It's so stupid, but I can't stop.

My knee socks have to be rolled down 1 inch below my knee because I have short legs. If I forget, I will even take my pants off so that I can readjust my knee socks. I'm sure you're seeing what I'm getting at?

Is this part of being bipolar?

Hmmm, more things to think about. I do tend to be a perfectionist, especially with expectations of myself. I also don't tolerate things that I find annoying as well, and some of them have become my early warning signs of a mania/mood shift/impending rage -eg. . when my husband's chewing is so noisy I want to scream. Stands to reason dh's chewing doesn't very, but my reaction to it sure does. I tend to be a lot less flexible about a lot of things. Never related it directly to a bp symptom, but more as a gauge to see where my moods are. And I tend to expect more perfection out of others than I used to. . hmm. FOOD FOR THOUGHT!

Anyone else????

 

[goldenviolet]

lol. i think you'd have to ask a doc. i do so many weird things. lol... i taught myself to enjoy my 'uniqueness'
.... lol it's my 'artistic-deep-thinker' side. like my doctor said 'geneous syndrome' lol... xo dee

 

[Alive again]

oh, did I mention my tendency to overanalyze everything and everybody sometimes!!!

 

[lemonflavor]

You're just weird. Like me.

I lie down on the couch a lot and read. Everything on the coffee table must be laid out perfectly. Bible with another book I'm reading on top of it or below it, then lip balm, then remote control, then pencil, book highlighter and two Bible highlighters, then water, then magazines.

Everything in the house needs to be parallel or perpendicular. Open blinds need to be perfectly horizontal.

When I wash dishes everything needs to be rinsed three times.

I've always been a perfectionist to some degree and would think this isn't necessarily related to bipolar stuff. However when I think about it, when I'm in certain moods, I need this stuff to be in order. It's like it provides some comfort. Other times I can be a little looser.

My wild guess is there needs to be an underlying tendency and our moods can exaggerate them.

 

[rushingwind62]

It could be a part the disorder or it could be a separate disorder. Many time with bipolar disorder other disorders go hand in hand with it. One of the most diagnoised is ocd (obsessive compulsive disorder). I would talk it over with your therapist or psychatrist.

 

[4Everloved]

To be honest, I've done some reading on ocd and these symptoms I describe are not strong enough to designate it as ocd.

I just wondered if others struggle with slight perfectionism or if it was part of bp.

As I can see from some of the above posts, some do at times. It seems as if these times of perfectionism might indicate hypomania? Because I'm not like this constantly. The responses did make me think and answered some of my questions.

Rushing Wind, I am curious about things and want to know, but when I ask a question, I'm not necessarily asking to be diagnosed. I will go to my doctor for that. And yes, I will be honest with doctor.

 

[lemonflavor]

I didn't get the feeling rushingwind was trying to diagnose, just trying to help. It was hard to tell from the original post exactly what was being asked.

I think mine can flare up when I'm more anxious but not necessarily hypo.

 

[Alive again]

I didn't get the feeling rushingwind was trying to diagnose, just trying to help. It was hard to tell from the original post exactly what was being asked.

I think mine can flare up when I'm more anxious but not necessarily hypo.

agree with lemonflavor here, rush was giving wise advice that often symptoms overlap and illness co-occurs and encouraging going to doc. I knew adhd co-occurred with bp, but was not aware about the ocd co-occurrence so it was interesting news to me as I am also "weird".

Dear friend, know that I find myself more sensitive to others posts and wording sometimes and then go back and read it another day when my mood is different and I realize I was "too sensitive" (I hate that as my family always accused me of that growing up. . .UGH!) or just took it slightly off or could see it in a different light; whatever you want to call it. But for me, it somehow tends to be related to the verbal abuse I dealt with growing up and my protective mechanisms and my mood.

I pray this post does not offend you or anyone else here. Tis just for thought not for accusation. and if anyone disagrees they can feel free to post, and if any one here feels I should not have posted this just report this post or pm me and I will gladly remove it. even now my heart beats with fear as I hit post because of my past issues with abuse. It feels unsafe to say these things that might offend.

 

[VictoryNGrace]

I can relate to being that way.. There are certain things that have to be done and I have to have consistancy or I go nuts.. Weird I know but like many of you, I have to do things a certain way or just dont sit right.. My mood dictates how things are done but mostly I get a little more better and its not as overwhelming as it used to be..

 

[berry2000]

Okay I'm jumping in late but I think it sounds like normal ordinary quirks. As you have already said yourself doesn't seem like OCD or anything like that.

In relation to perfectionsism I too am a, what I like to call, recovered/recoverying perfectionist that theory may have some weight to it as being a perfectionist in my mind tends to exacerbate mental health issues.

But to answer you orginal question sounds normal to me

 

[Alive again]

Okay I'm jumping in late but I think it sounds like normal ordinary quirks. As you have already said yourself doesn't seem like OCD or anything like that.

In relation to perfectionsism I too am a, what I like to call, recovered/recoverying perfectionist that theory may have some weight to it as being a perfectionist in my mind tends to exacerbate mental health issues.

But to answer you orginal question sounds normal to me

ah to be recovering! pm me and tell me any of your helpful hints please!

 

[sherr33]

I tend to be a perfectionist as well especially with Floral arranging. Every flower has to be perfect and every bow has to be perfect. I am the same way when it comes to rearranging furniture. If it isnt right I will sit there and look at it until I can find the perfect spot or something. When it comes to my creativity it has to be perfect. Also I have little things that bother me as well.
I am also over sensitive to what people say to me at times especially when they mean well.

 

[4Everloved]

agree with lemonflavor here, rush was giving wise advice that often symptoms overlap and illness co-occurs and encouraging going to doc. I knew adhd co-occurred with bp, but was not aware about the ocd co-occurrence so it was interesting news to me as I am also "weird".

Dear friend, know that I find myself more sensitive to others posts and wording sometimes and then go back and read it another day when my mood is different and I realize I was "too sensitive" (I hate that as my family always accused me of that growing up. . .UGH!) or just took it slightly off or could see it in a different light; whatever you want to call it. But for me, it somehow tends to be related to the verbal abuse I dealt with growing up and my protective mechanisms and my mood.

I pray this post does not offend you or anyone else here. Tis just for thought not for accusation. and if anyone disagrees they can feel free to post, and if any one here feels I should not have posted this just report this post or pm me and I will gladly remove it. even now my heart beats with fear as I hit post because of my past issues with abuse. It feels unsafe to say these things that might offend.

Yes, me too. I grew up in a home that was prevalent with verbal/emotional abuse and some negligence. So I'm real over-sensitive to any hint or shadow that suggests that I might be: A. dumb B. crazier than a loon

So, rushingwind, I apolgize to you. It probably seemed as if I was biting your head off. I know you are a good man or you would not take the time to offer advice.

Thank you everyone who posted. This has really helped me alot because I didn't know what was going on. To be truthful, I even checked out the OCD threads at CF the other day just to see if I might be ocd, but to be honest it seemed really extreme and not like me.

We are all different and have unique stresses and reactions, but we each have much in common as people with the diagnosis of bp.

Sorry again for being so snappish.

 

[Alive again]

Yes, me too. I grew up in a home that was prevalent with verbal/emotional abuse and some negligence. So I'm real over-sensitive to any hint or shadow that suggests that I might be: A. dumb B. crazier than a loon

So, rushingwind, I apolgize to you. It probably seemed as if I was biting your head off. I know you are a good man or you would not take the time to offer advice.

Thank you everyone who posted. This has really helped me alot because I didn't know what was going on. To be truthful, I even checked out the OCD threads at CF the other day just to see if I might be ocd, but to be honest it seemed really extreme and not like me.

We are all different and have unique stresses and reactions, but we each have much in common as people with the diagnosis of bp.

Sorry again for being so snappish.

Dear friend, I am often much more snappish than that!

 

[rushingwind62]

Yes, me too. I grew up in a home that was prevalent with verbal/emotional abuse and some negligence. So I'm real over-sensitive to any hint or shadow that suggests that I might be: A. dumb B. crazier than a loon

So, rushingwind, I apolgize to you. It probably seemed as if I was biting your head off. I know you are a good man or you would not take the time to offer advice.

Thank you everyone who posted. This has really helped me alot because I didn't know what was going on. To be truthful, I even checked out the OCD threads at CF the other day just to see if I might be ocd, but to be honest it seemed really extreme and not like me.

We are all different and have unique stresses and reactions, but we each have much in common as people with the diagnosis of bp.

Sorry again for being so snappish.

no problem here. I didn't know if you had talked with your DR or not about OCD. Sounds like you have researched it and don't feel that is it. I was just offering advice in case you hadn't researched it. So no apology necessary. And thank you for saying I am a good man. I try to be and I try to help others look at avenues they don't normally look down.

 

[4Everloved]

I am very sure now that you are a good man.