Bi-polar and in debt. Help.

System

A very interesting thread. Scooby - have you asked your bank to reduce the maximum amount of money you can withdraw each day? If your limit's say £300, reduce it to £50, so you're limiting the damage you can do.

My mom's got bipolar and is absolutely useless with money.

She'll hibernate when she's in a depressed stage and nothing is spent and then when she's in a normal or "pre-manic" stage she'll go and blow £200 in a day.

Over the years (mom's retired and had poor health for years) we've reduced wastage by gradually taking control of certain bills. The phone bill was shocking at one time - sometimes near to £100 a month by phoning Richard & Judy's bloody competition line . That's now down to about £15 a month, but I've had to put the a/c in my name.

Scooby - are you registered with the Telephone Preference Service? That should cut down on cold-callers offering you credit.

Will check back and thanks to the posters who've posted links - gonna have a good read of them later.

scooby1001

Thanks to everyone for their wonderful support and advice. Having just come out of a manic phase and despairing at the debt i have run up makes me wonder what to do for the best. I have set up direct debits for all my bills and credit cards. I have gone through my credit cards and cup them up(again), i have opened a basic bank account for my day to day money(no overdraft etc) and my current account has all my DD and SO's on it and i have cut up the card so i can't use it to run up any more debt. All my on-line accounts(amazon/argos etc) i have deleted my cards details so i can't order anything. I just wish my credit rating was rubbish so even if i apply for credit cards i get turned down. I am not on medication at the moment because i believe it is a way of mind control brought about by the goverment and psychirists to keep people in line so i won't take it. I was on sertraline and quertipine and they did not do anything for my highs. Anyway thanks again everyone much appreciated.

chocolateclaire

Hello scooby1001, I've never posted before but felt motivate to after reading your story. I work in health and social care and recently had an introduction training course about the Mental Capacity Act. I wonder if you could google it to learn more, as I'm sure it would apply to you when you are in your "manic" phases. It is a fairly new Act but there are lots of new initiatives being put in place such as IMCA's, Independant Mental Capacity Advocates who work with people to improve their lives. Sorry I haven't got more information or be more specific but if I get more information I will let you know.
In the meantime, best of luck and try to treat yourself with kindness, you are human and need TLC too!

stixman3

Well done Scooby! You are really trying your best and deserve all the support you can get. I work for a charity called Christians Against Poverty, that has several mentions & support from mse.com In our local Swansea centre, we are helping two families with members who also have bi-polar. Under our advice, they have got rid of their cards and we are helping them to budget with their own free account with us, and they really do find the benefit of this. Our site can be found at www.capuk.org and if you are interested, you can just put in your postcode to find a local centre. We don't need to tought for business, as we are a charity who do not charge, but I just wanted you to see that there is another possible option on the financial side available to you. Much respect to you, as you have fought with much courage in areas most of us would not have a clue. All the very best.

nigwife

Dear Scooby and other contributers,

This is the first time that I have joined a forum on MSE although I have been receiving the newsletter for quite a while. However, i just felt that I had to write to say how touched I was with the advice, support and compassion that was offered. It really restores ones faith in human nature.

I am a mental health worker but have also suffered with mental health issues myself on occasions. I frequently have contact with people with bi-polar and over-spending during the manic phase is very common. I don't really have any different advice to offer to that you have been given already although another organisation that may be worth contacting is MDF - the Bi-Polar Organisation. There is likely to be advice and help available from them. They will also have a list of local self-help groups which can be of benefit to individuals as they offer the opportunity to 'network' with other people and share experiences.

I do hope things go well for you. Take great care of yourself. x

skintandscared_2

nigwife - I sent scooby a link to that MDF site - it's really good isn't it. I spend quite a lot of time on there in the "friends and family" bit

sarah*a

Hi

I can't really add anything to whats been said before except to repeat that you are not alone :rolleyes: I too have mad spending spree's when I am manic and have gotten into a fair amount of debt with it. Its still not under control completely - but I now have a cash-card only and a small credit card limit which is for emergencies only which my husband holds for me. My major problem is/was catalogues as I have a tendency to go a bit mad as I love the thrill of getting the post - it sets my day up on a high and I go from there subsequently I have a HUGE credit limit with the catalogues which I have to keep paying off :rolleyes:

I am on quetiapine and it's taken almost 2 years for it to kick in - but it's getting there and my last 'high' was no-where near the levels I have had before so I can see it working. It's gonna be a fair few years before it works 'completely' but I'm determined to see it through (this time :rotfl: )

Anyway - I just wanted to wish you all the best maybe you should reconsider the meds? but I wouldn't push them on anyone but believe they are working for me

Sarah xx

ksh123

Well done Scooby for all you have done so far!

Ames

Oooh the catalogue thing reminds me of when I used to spend hours on ebay buying rubbish, I loved getting all the parcels. I don't have an ebay account anymore, thankfully.