Is obsession a part of being bipolar

[Fizzy74]

I was diagnosed about a year and a half ago with Bipolar II, I find that and probalby have been all my life, but I can get obsessed about something and have to know everything there is about it, until I have literally done the topic to death!  It seems to always be around death as well, for example at the moment it is in relation to the Luger who has died at the Olympics in Vancouver, I cannot seem to be able to get enough of reading the articles, and seeing the pictures, and my heart is aching for his family, as I imagine what they are going through and how they must be feeling.  

It will happen with many other things similar to this, does anyone else experience it, and is this a part of bipolar or not?

[Fizzy74]

I know exactly what you mean about people.  I find that there are certain people that I just have nothing to do with, and then am all over them like a rash when I feel better!  So they're like WTF what's going on!  

I know I am not 100% at the moment as I don't answer my phone, I use work as an excuse, as I work from home, but I just let it go to answerphone a lot of the times.  

But I find I just obsess over things, and it can be something as simple as wanting a particular toy for one of my boys and i will go to the ends of the earth until I find what I want, or if I am sorting out their birthday parties everything has to be perfect, even if it means that I go days without sleeping!  I know for a lot of people this owuld be the case, but my husband now knows not to say anything and just let me go on with my party organising and mad baking and everything else.  I started baking when I had both my boys, as I wanted everyone to go wow look at her, she does all her own baking she's amazing, when in real fact they don't really and half the time none of my stuff gets eaten.  So you'd think I'd learn, but I don't!  

[bbgirl011]

Just over objects sometimes I have to have my ipod in my sight and always with me. If I dont have it I freak.

But does anyone sometimes do this over people?

Sometimes in my manic moods I can let certain people go and not have to talk to them but other times it's really bad that I have to talk to them. And when I do it's - "where have you been, you haven't talked to me, how are you, are you hurt" - which gives them the impression that I'm a stalker or something so I tend to avoid people as much as possible. I feel like a creeper in these stages. What's worse I can't stop it or know why I do it.  

[ApRiLGeTsAngry77]

You should try using some distraction coping techniques when you start obsessing over somothing over and over.

[heyjude1]

I do the mental thing too.  I don't know if it is part of Bipolar or just obscessing.  I am extremely bad about it when something or someone has upset me.   I play the whole scene over and over in my head all day, several days at a time sometimes.  My mind will not stop and I can't sleep.  Over and over, who did what, who said what,...the whole thing over so much it drives me crazy.  I try to make a mental effort to think of something else but before I know it  I am at it again. It is maddening...like a squirrel cage in my mind.

[Fizzy74]

Thank you its good to know that I am "normal" with regard to the buying things yes I have done that too, and I will get an idea in my head about what I want and will keep looking until I have it, I have spent days going around shops until I have exactly what I want.  I will then buy heaps of stuff I don't need, but at the time was very relevant.  

At the moment it is the Luger guy who is my obsession but next week or month it could be something completely different.  When I was younger I was obssessed with going to jail for a crime I didn't commit, I thought about it heaps and heaps, but of course back then didn't know that I was suffering from Bipolar II.  

Thank you, you have all been really helpful

[ApRiLGeTsAngry77]

This is kind of getting off topic a bit- but when I am manic I get obsession with things. Like I will splurge and buy 15 pairs of earrings, or 25 pairs of socks, lip glosses,etc. I get obsessed with a certain item and go manic on buying it. Most recently it has been panties.

[wj74]

I do that all the time! It's not usually about death though, it could be anything.

[ILADVOCATE]

Yes this happens to me when I am manic. Sometimes what appears to be an obsession with death can be dysphoria where the person has the down quality of depression but the speeded up quality of mania and is a form of a mixed state but you could ask your psychiatrist about that.

[ApRiLGeTsAngry77]

I sometimes have obsessive thoughs when I am manic. Analytical people border the line of being obsessive about things so it could just be you are very analytical!  :-)