Zbaby

You may have had moments of mania and not even known it. From my own experience, I always thought my creative instincts that drove me to write into the wee hours of the morning were part of my eccentricity as an artists. Now I understand that some of that creativity was fueled by mania.

The shopping thing is very common among BP people. Ditto for the depression. I'm more depressed than manic, so I was diagnosed as depressed for years. I didn't believe it the first time a doc told me I was BP. It wasn't until the third time that it really sunk in. Mind you, there was a span of 12+ years between my first diagnosis and my correct third one. The docs in between all treated me with SSRIs, didn't even consider mood stabilizers.

Please check out previous posts on this board and do a little research on BP before you write it off. You may find you have more in common with us than you think.

Outside of BP, there are any number of MH conditions that you could be the root of your problem. My brother has an addictive personality that led him astray with gambling. Ditto my paternal uncle who used to steal from grandma and shake her down when he needed more money.

Come to think of it, my brother may have a mild case of BP. Never noticed this, but he's got some of the symptoms that would indicate this.

Anyway, it's important to look into past history and any curious behavior or poor judgments you've made thus far. When you do meet up with your p-doc, you'll be able to fill him in on details for or against the BP diagnosis. Whatever you do, DO NOT SELF-DIAGNOSE. Please find a professional you trust and respect in whom you can confide. Your marriage is far too important to lose over inexplicable shopping binges.