Can't Think of a Title

What you describe is pretty similar to my normal state of being. Except for the ability to resist the urge to shop.

I feel for you. Not sleeping is the worst.

I have an urge to shop often, not connected to mania, though.

I do hope that things even out for you...it's good that you are so aware of the onset of symptoms.

I second what Spinsterwitch says. Its great that you are aware and see the onset of symptoms. I wish you well and hope that you feel better quickly.

That's me too. Sleeping is on-again, off-again. I do have to do some shopping, but for a good cause. I have to buy some sneakers for a fellow with a club foot...

Well, you see, there's shopping, and then there's shopping. I'm talking about the sort where you go out and max credit cards and empty checking accounts, maybe even becoming overdrawn. And for what? What you thought while shopping was indispensable and how could you have lived this long without it, is crap. You look at it and wonder what the hell you were thinking. I haven't done that in years, thankfully. A friend of mine (who also has bipolar) taught me a trick: if you see something you want to buy, add it to the cart. Fill up the cart if you want. At the end of the shopping spree (or perhaps even during) you start putting things back and the compulsion to buy it wanes. "Well, maybe I don't need to buy myself that mustache trimmer after all." My really big obsession when I'm full-blown manic are houses. There's one house in particular that I obsess about. I see For Sale signs in front of a house, and want to buy it. I imagine what it's like inside, supply that info with my imagination, and have myself living in it. In the one house in particular, I have imagined myself serving Thanksgiving dinner- it's a very old house and lends itself to this sort of thing- and of converting the nice little barn into an office/studio. And on it goes. The good thing about this sort of obsession is that I'd never actually be able to buy the houses, so I'm checked.