Talking a lot during a manic phase

Hi,

Just out of curiosity, does anyone else find that when they are in their manic stage they tend to talk a lot about nothing? My thoughts seem to race whenever I hit this period, and I find it difficult because as much as I want to talk, I realize that I don't have much to talk about, yet I continue to talk in spite of this! I'm just scared that the mania creates an increased need for social contact, and that the need itself will actually hurt my relationships more than help them.

Thanks,
Completely_Blank

You have a lot of insight:
- you identify your mainia,
- you know that you talk more when manic,
- you know you are saying a whole lot of nothing.

Armed with that insight, you can monitor yourself and work on holding back, no matter how difficult it seems, or how important your "whole lot of nothing" is to you at the moment.

Not only do some bipolar people talk more when manic, I also believe there are those of us who listen a lot less.

I think this is a time when we need special friends who know us well and accept us as we are, knowing that the "chatty kathy" is not us.

Take care,

My mouth runs like the Energizer Bunny.
If there was an Olympic Medal for talking too much about nothing, I'd have at least 6 gold medals.
It drives my boyfriend crazy, sometimes he totally snaps at me when I start talking too fast or being repetitive, and then I end up getting embarrassed and down on myself. I notice that I'm starting to bottle up and isolate myself more and more as I become more self-conscious about these kind of things.

I do this and have caught myself, thinking, --like, who really cares about my detailed opinion?---then, "so,anyway, I just can't get the point of..." You get my description hopefully. I've done a lot of theorizing / thinking/ talking at great speeds about absolutely NOTHING important to those around me

And I'm like--KEEP UP--- Lol

crackerjack wrote:It drives my boyfriend crazy, sometimes he totally snaps at me when I start talking too fast or being repetitive, and then I end up getting embarrassed and down on myself. I notice that I'm starting to bottle up and isolate myself more and more as I become more self-conscious about these kind of things.

Hi Crackerjack,
We need support, not criticism. A good friend can tell me how they are perceiving me without being insulting. Yes, you probably can work on cutting out the detail and repetition, but a person who makes you bottle up, isolate yourself, and become self conscious is not your friend.

Try and figure out who your true friends are and spend time with them. The ones who accept you and help you feel good about yourself.
Also work on becomming less "chatty".
You have a lifetime ahead of you, and you deserve to feel good about yourself.

Take care,

Yeah, I do that too. Sometimes I'm with a group of friends, I'm expressing my opinion on whatever is being discussed and I'll realize I'm talking waaaay too much. Usually I'll start thinking "shut up, shut up, shut up, shut the f*** up!!!" while at the same time babbling on and on. It's something I have some trouble controlling, but I'm aware of it, so it could be worse. So far it hasn't caused any problems in my relations. But I tend to like being alone when (hypo)manic, so it's not all that common that it happens. Usually at the same time I have trouble articulating words, it's like I'm talking too fast so some words get "run over" by other words.

I agree with what Skilsaw says. You have insight, that's a major advantage. Try and use it to help you monitor and control your speech. It's not easy, but it's possible! I think my main problem is not caring at the time. I know I'm running too fast, but I don't care, so I don't do anything about it. Part of the description of manic, right?

I do that. My boyfriend just kind of dozes off and nods politely every now and then. I notice, and I am aware I'm talking things that he has zero interest in but MOUTH WON'T STOP.

Thanks,

I have a friend that I am able to talk to. She listens to my babble, but I just do not want to burn any bridges with her. There's a point where, I think, understanding can only extend itself so far before it turns its back on you! What I have been doing is just "machine-gun" writing whenever I feel the need to talk a lot. It really, really helps, and I don't feel like I annoy anyone! ;D

Not only do I talk way too much to anybody who will listen or sit still for a second. I find that my mouth can't form the words fast enough and I stumble over very simple things, including forming sentences correctly.

But I also find that I talk to myself a lot when I am manic, this is how I can determine how bad of an episode it is. If I am just talking and talking to myself, it is a minor episode. If I find that I am talking to myself and answering myself, then it is a major episode. But some of my funniest moments are from major episodes.

LandorAiel wrote:But I also find that I talk to myself a lot when I am manic, this is how I can determine how bad of an episode it is. If I am just talking and talking to myself, it is a minor episode. If I find that I am talking to myself and answering myself, then it is a major episode. But some of my funniest moments are from major episodes.

Oooh, I do the same thing! But I have trouble identifying it as part of an episode, at least in the beginning. I live alone, and have for a few years now, so I sometimes talk out lout, regardless of mood. But still, I notice that when manic I talk to myself a lot more, I laugh a lot and grin. For example, when I'm going to the toilet I pass by the mirror, look at myself and start grinning or even laughing. Sometimes I even say something like "Aren't you awesome?" or similar. And I argue with myself too. This is only a problem when I'm in public... I can stop myself from talking, but not from grinning, which makes me feel like a lunatic! At the time it doesn't bother me, but I still try and keep it in check.