Lying and Bipolar

[Dave163]

I have a friend who is bipolar. I suspect that she probably lies quite often about a variety of subjects. Is lying a common side effect of biplar disorder? She is a good person at heart, but many times I just don't know when to believe her. Can someone help with this question?

[rogelio63]

I lie but not habitually and I don't think it's because of being bipolar.  But it mostly occurs when I've done something that I can relate to a incident/event influenced by the condition.  I'm ashamed of it and lie to cover it up.  I've also had issues where I'll dream something, think it's real and tell people about it, only to find out later, it didn't really happen.
So 95% of the time, I'm totally truthful and honest.  I think the meds helped alot.  
And I lie if my wife asks me if I can tell she's lost weight.  But I don't think that should count!

[darlenedaisy]

The way ladymlee explains it is exactly what I was trying to say, for me it is my perceptions that are off, so I might describe a situation with two different perceptions.....which might come ascross as a lie, but it is my truth....

[darlenedaisy]

Bipolar 1 and I dont lie, it hasnt been an issue for me.

[frhodes]

i have had bipolr for a while i guess.  i have never felt right.  i found i girl i loved and for 7 years for no reason i would find myself lying about just stuff.  no it has recked my life.  i hsve tried to kill myself 3 time 2 in the last 6 months because i cant take the way i am.  the lying has cost me a marriage that i was going to have and now i have nothing.  she thinks that i just lye but thats not it.  i find myself loseing jobs, or quiting them i even do things that i know will probably get me fired then for some reason i lye about my jobs.  i have said i was still working even though i wasnt.  i was on workmans comp and even messed that up then lied about still working on light duty.  all i wanted is to be normal and marry the woman i love. the doctors say i have bipoler 1 mixed sever.  i take pills for it maybe it will help but because of it i lost what i love.

[Lost1507]

I am noticing more and more that I am depressed, not sleeping, moody, and at times lie. I often feel antsy and gittery inside which I can't control. I've always felt I needed to keep my house perfect, if not then I felt it made me look bad. I've had family problems for almost all my life. I am the oldest and was always expected to do my best even though my best was never good enough. In the last few months I have come to relize I can no longer control how I feel. I am no  longer that strong person who is suppose to suck it up and move on. My husband wants a Divorce because of my actions. This is making it harder for me. He said once I get treatment/help and get leveled out he will be filing for a divorce. THis being said makes me feel like I have no reason to get help. He has always been the love of my life along with my kids. I also go back to we made a vow to each other for better and for worse. How I am now is not me. With him saying divorce it makes me question his love for me. Because of my disorder(what ever it is) I have been mean, hateful, lied etc, but I have always taken care of the house, him and the kids and work fulll time. I have never cheated on him or even thought about cheating. Our biggest issue is me lying.

I just need to know is this common?

[ladymlee]

In my case, I got confused about whether things actually happened or not.  Sometimes I remembered things differently than they actually happened, or sometimes I could not recall exactly what someone said.  Also, I often over-reacted to things that were said to me or my mind was so confused that I didn't get what was being said so I filled in the blanks.  I was accused of lying, too, but the truth was that I didn't know what was going on because I was so confused.  My BP has been under control for 5 years now, and I no longer am confused in the present-- but there are still times that I am unsure whether something was actually said or really did happen in the past.

On the flip side, there were people in a BP support group that I belonged to who said that they did lie to try and make themselves look more normal to others.

[Crystlas]

No problem!  Dont mind listening at all.  I do question my diagnosis even though I have all the symptoms of both mania and depression aside from screwing everything in site and spending my life savings.  I do shop more when I am manic and want "fun" things, but I am still budget concious (strict upbringing in that department) and as far as hypersexuality, I was also raised to be faithful, so I just bug the **** out of my fiance! lol... anyhow, I have not found another individual with bipolar disorder on either side of my family, but here I am with this diagnosis.  Depression and alcoholism runs rampid (sp) on both sides though.  I also suspect a few family members on my mom's side that are undiagnosed and cover it with drugs and alcohol.  I am just so unsure.  Can anyone shed some light on this?  I truly wonder, am I really bipolar??  When I have an episode I do not doubt it, but where is it in my family, concreatly??

[PetraDee]

Hi All - new to the group!
I was told that when I was young I used to lie all the time and generally couldn't keep my mouth shout so no one told me any family secrets, which caused some problems!  As an adult I found that I tried to be so truthful that it caused me and others problems becuase I would get very upset if someone omitted information as I counted that as a lie too.

I do lie from time to time and this has happened after a manic episode when I'm playing down the awful things I have done or said or during and after depression when I make up lies to excuse myself for months of inactivity,  I don't really think that lies and BP are always connected.

When in remission - up to 10 year periods I'm a loving straight forward person.  Thanks for listening.

[Crystlas]

Geez.. I am BP and I never lie, seriously.  I am very truthful always.  I feel guilty if I lie about anything and if I have to I confess to my loved ones about it.  Is it that common of a symptom?  I still question my diagnosis sometimes.  

[Angela67]

Hi. I asked my friend about BiPolar and lying. She said she used to lie all the time before she started taking meds.She too,is a good hearted and loving person. I asked her why she did and she didn't really know if it was part of being bipolar or not, but felt like alot of it was just to get attention.

[tiffanyz]

We have recently found out that my husband is BP...and i have recently found out how much my husband lies...before we realized it was BP his mood swings and behavior drove a huge wedge between us and we split up a couple of times....i just a couple of weeks ago found out that he had been telling some awful lies...about me, his job, how much money he makes, why we split up...i started thinking that if his mouth was open he was lieing...i dont know about other people with BP but i do know that my husband lies and hasnt stopped even though hes on medication...but then again he has just started the new meds like two or three weeks ago...Im still learning about this disorder....but like i said...my husband has it and yes he lies about important things and not important things...there is no ryme or reason why he is lieing...he just does it...

[DLA]

Yes, it is.  Unfortunately many of us who are bp have to live with all those we told before meds.  Being on meds stopped my lying.