Bi-polar and in debt. Help.

savingholmes

Hi - if I was you I would follow the advice about making sure your medical support was set up.

A suggestion based on the ones before: I would also put a letter on file with all your current credit card providers saying that you want to only pay off what you already owe and that you want them to reduce your limit downwards as you do. Say that this is an adjustment you need in line with the Disability Discrimination Act so that you can control your spending when your health deteriorates. I would also cut up and cancel all the cards you can when you are feeling okay so that it is harder to spend. A lot of credit card companies take references from your bank. Put a letter on file with them asking them for a period - to not give you a positive reference for credit - ask them to review say every 6 months with you to make sure you are still okay with that.

Let us know how you get on...

Altho I have nowhere near the medical excuses for debt you do, I have suffered really badly with post natal depression twice and each time went massively more into debt. Now having recovered from that and a bereavement that followed I am now finally taking control of our finances and trying to get everything paid off again. Hopefully this is third time lucky!

Ames

To send a pm click on the person's name, then there'll be a menu comes up that has an option to send a private message.

There's also a new forum on here, disability and dosh, that might be worth you looking at.

skintandscared_2

PM worked scooby - sent you one back. You should be able to click on "private messages" and see it.

boredofbeingathome

Hi Scooby. couldn't just lurk and not post. My best friend suffers from Bi polar as well, and has a whole team supporting her. She can be very reckless when in a manic phase and once managed to run up a total double that of yours in just over a week. luckily we were able to give some of the goods back.
Her CAB was very helpful as was her social worker.

This may also be helpful to you

http://www.rethink.org/living_with_mental_illness/money_debt_mental_health_problems/index.html

And i am pretty sure Martin has an affiliation to a new website which deals specifically with problems such as yours. I will look for it

http://blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2008/05/12/mental-health-and-debt-true-bravery/

I wish you every luck with it all, as it does take an awful lot to get out of debt never mind having to face the hurdles which you have to.

Take care

Bob x

ksh123

Hi
well done you for posting and asking for some help - the first step is always the hardest :rolleyes:

I also have bi-polar and, before it was diagnosed, I ran up £40000 worth of debt in a nine month period:o As I was unemployed at the time (and still am owing to this and other conditions) I have no hope of paying off these debts before I die and I live in constant fear and guilt about leaving my lovely, supportive daughter with my debts.

Have you ever worked and belonged to a Union? I have had some excellent financial support from my Union's charities when I have really been up against it. Its very hard to ask for help in this way - but needs must when the devil drives. And the relief when someone helps is wonderful.

Fortunately for me medication does a lot to control my mania so that I only go a "bit mad" now - lol, and I have trained myself to look for the signs of impending attacks.
e.g. Feeling happy for no good reason ? - oh oh, you KNOW that's not real - put a lid on it and stay home (well it works for me). Luckily (?) I no longer have any money to spend so I now only have to stop myself frittering the little bit I have for running a home.....

I have relatively (considering the state of mental health services) good support from the NHS. And I have put in place all the relevant payment plans etc. although as I have NO disposable income at all I was unable to get anyone to help me sort it out. Had to go it alone. I tried appealing to my creditors and pointed out that my spending was always reasonable outside attacks - as clearly documented on cc statements - they are not interested.

Naturally I have no access to any credit at all now as my credit score is beyond bad and littered with CCJs .


Good luck with everything. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any further help.

mitzimog

Manic spending is a well-known side effect of uncontrolled bipolar disorder. Follow the advice given about getting your moods stabilised, and see if there's a support group in your area (possibly through Mind or Rethink, or social services). That will give you more people who can see the outward signs of hypomania (that "good" stage that sometimes happens before mania) and mania, to give you an early warning.
Also, educate yourself about your meds. A friend of mine runs a Web site that is run by and for psych meds users: http://www.crazymeds.us/
It is a really good free resource. Warning, there is a lot of black humour and occasional "language" on the site, just in case anyone visits who is easily offended. When you're experiencing unpleasant or dangerous symptoms though, hanging on to your sense of humour really is helpful :-)

Also, if you would like a FREE book about coping with BP, send me a message. This "offer" is for the original poster only, sorry! I wrote one some years ago and have a spare copy. Some of the meds info is a bit out of date but the rest is still applicable re: lifestyle changes and taking good care of yourself to stay stable.

ksh123

Scooby - forgot to say one more VERY import thing - ITS NOT YOUR FAULT!!

brettds9

scooby1001 wrote: »

Hi I suffer with bi-polar and when i am manic i run up thousands of pounds worth of debts. I have run up and paid off my debts 3 times so far and after 3 manic phases in the last year i am up to £5,000 of debt. In the past i have tried asking the credit reference agencies to put a note on my file telling lenders not to let me borrow money but they refused to do it. When i am not manic i plow all my available money into paying off the debts only for it to all be for nothing when i go mad again. My family don't know that i am in debt again so i am frightened to tell them, i just say everything is fine. It is not that i can't make the repayments as i can it is the fact that all my sane time money is spent trying to clear debts only for them to go up again. HELP. Anyone with some advice or in the same position. Ta

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First and foremost, honesty is thew key. Holding onto stressors such as debt, on your own and without support will more than likely cause another relapse into your illness. i can empathise with you here, i got into debt by around 6000 and didn't tell my wife until a couple of days before i went on it pays to watch. Ultimately those that care will want to help you even if they get a bit grumpy to start with. Unfortunately even if you had a court of protection order, it wouldn't stop the banks throwing money at you. My approach would betalk to your nearest and dearest, acknowledge the problem and come up with a collaborative plan that you can all sign up to. It won't nessisarily stop it from happening again, but may help you all to have a greater sense of control when you are most vulnerable. Hope this helps!

awehla

d123 wrote: »

You need to go back to your GP or the Health team, if you do suffer from bi-polar you should be under the care of a psychiatric consultant and your meds need to be re-evaluated. Most bi-polar sufferers respond well to lithium as a mood stabiliser with a secondary anti-depressant also prescribed.

You need to go get more help, as soon as you can.

I agree, the first thing you need to do is get your mental health sorted out and to get on the right meds. It's easy for me to say though since I was able to get treatment for my anxiety on the NHS and the service I got was very good.

Oh and I'm disgusted the banks/credit card companies keep lending when they know you are ill.

Good luck getting things back on track!

Lisa
x

westieangel

i work with people with mental health issues incl bipolar 1 thing that i have found useful is when you're well arrange to pay all your bills via direct debit that way when you are in a manic phase at least your most important bills rent/ mortgage etc get paid.

you might not want to do this but a mental health social worker might be able to help cos they can write to the companies for you if you are unable due to your illness at the moment & sometimes (not every time) the companies are more willing to provide help if someone in a professional role contacts them, if you have a psychiatrist they might also be able to help. it certainly shouldn't be that way but unfortunately it is. CAB or a local money advice service may be able to help. as someone else said earlier & as Martin has in one of his books honesty with your family might work out better than you expect, however i don't know your circumstances.

good luck & i hope you feel better soon