Does any one feel like they get... obsessed with something... or many things... like needing to know an answer... I find myself checking (every 5 to 15 minutes) to see if someone has replied to a message I sent or singing in and out of messenger (every 5 to 15 minutes) to see if someone is online....

Feeling like I need to know how something will turn out, even though the choice is up to me.... feeling like I cannot calm down or focus until I know what someone else will say/do. Like I am waiting on the edge of my seat, when I know I have other important things I need to focus on... but for some reason cannot for more than a few minutes at a time..

Just wondering if I am obsessing or if this is a part of bipolar I am unaware of....

I do want to add that I am "normally" or most of the time a pretty mellow person... or at least I think I am...

I am still learning what my cycles look like... I never really paid attention before...

Maybe I am just hypersensitive to all this. Making a mountain out of a mole hill... making things much worse then they could be...

Maybe I am just freaking out because of all the stress I have been going through the past 2 months... Maybe I should stop posting on here every 2 hours...

*sigh*

sorry for venting... just not sure what else to do...

Sometimes I think this is an aspect of the hyperfocus thing that we can get -- you want to feel like something is "finished" and in your brain it's uncomfortable if it's not "done."

Just a little humor -- I did see on Yahoo today that there's a new classification in the DSM for people who are addicted to the Web! It can be a very satisfying brain fix, especially if the rest of the world is (as it often can be) just boring!

-- you want to feel like something is "finished" and in your brain it's uncomfortable if it's not "done."

Well, I can certainly relate to that statement, and it's often led to behaviors that I've thought must be obsessive. Not being able to leave something alone until its done - having it on my mind when I'm trying to do something else like cook dinner or read my son a story! I also compulsively check email.

I have not been diagnosed with anything but AD/HD but I obsess all of the time about different things. I have to tell someone about something right away, even though they may not even care to know it. I even have to tell several people before I can sit down and relax. I also like to investigate things and usually cannot think about much else until I solve the "mystery".Another thing that I do is obsess about new things and usually spend hours and hours doing them until I get bored with them. I know I don't have ocd because I never obsess about something longer than a few weeks or so and I have not been diagnosed with any other disorder.
I think that being obsessive is part of the hyperfocus symptom of AD/HD just like amiegrace alluded to in her post.

I have not been diagnosed with anything but AD/HD but I obsess all of the time about different things. I have to tell someone about something right away, even though they may not even care to know it. I even have to tell several people before I can sit down and relax. I also like to investigate things and usually cannot think about much else until I solve the "mystery".Another thing that I do is obsess about new things and usually spend hours and hours doing them until I get bored with them. I know I don't have ocd because I never obsess about something longer than a few weeks or so and I have not been diagnosed with any other disorder.
I think that being obsessive is part of the hyperfocus symptom of AD/HD just like amiegrace alluded to in her post.

You're probably right, because I don't relate to most of the symptoms of OCD and am not diagnosed with it. My pdoc just says I have "obsessive tendencies". If I pick each incidence apart, I can usually see that it's based in my ADD/attention/memory problems and Anxiety.

I used to do some of those things for sure. Usually when I'm a bit stressed or tired.

It feels like hyperfocus to me like amiegrace said. You have to try and train your brain to remind yourself that the situation is made worse when you think about it too much.

As bob marley said:

in every life we have some trouble,
when you worry you make it double
don't worry, be happy

Thank you all, its good to know I am not the only one who does this.

And I do know that the more I think about something, the more stressed I become, its just hard to stop those thought sometimes.

I noticed that it has messed up a few of my relationships as well... becoming so focused on how the other person will react, or trying to focus on certain aspects of the relationship....Needing to know how it will go or when we will take the next step what ever that may look like...

Just something else for me to be aware of, and communicate in advance when I feel myself getting into that space again...

I am pretty much always obsessed with something. I am on a manic upswing right now and haven't slept much for days (not sleeping sure frees up a lot of time to do other things). I am going away this weekend and have spent hours writing excruciatingly detailed directions for taking care of my dog from Fri-Mon. I also wrote super-detailed instructions for my friend who's walking my client's dogs for me.

I went through a major stock market obsession in October. I check my stocks every day and read all the news about them no matter what. This is fine-- but when I keep looking to see if it's 9:20 yet so I can get the quotes on my computer (they're delayed 20 min.). I then start pushing the refresh button every few seconds to see if my stocks are going up or down. I also like to watch the DJIA graph and look at how many points it's up or down. I then check the "gain and loss tracker" in between all of this. I have been known to do this for 2-3 hrs. straight until I start walking dogs. I try to stop in my apt. and check again in between dogs. Eventually, my interest wanes and I obsess with something else.

Right now, I have been reading all the physician prescribing info. for all the meds I take. Chiefly because they're not working. I also like to mention the statistics of various side effects and rare reactions to my psychiatrist. When he suggests a new med, I either tell him I have to research it before I take it, or accept or reject it if I've already studied it.

These are just recent obsessions, but I always have something strange going on. I can't say whether it's bipolar, ADHD or the fact that my father has Asperger's. I am most definitely not, but sometimes I think I have inherited a few of the traits.

I'm obsessed with people who are in a way like me, I'm obsessed with coming to this website everynight where it seems like I'm reading my clones post

Yep. I'm the same way, but I think it's more due to ADD than bipolar. I beginning to question my diagnosis of bipolar anyway.

[quote=amiegrace;566683]Sometimes I think this is an aspect of the hyperfocus thing that we can get -- you want to feel like something is "finished" and in your brain it's uncomfortable if it's not "done."

I can relate...I often would not take lunch until between 3 & 4 pm (8:30 -5) because I'de want to clear up as much work as possible... I couldnt enjoy lunch or relax knowing I had a bunch of things to overwelm me when I returned...I did it for 20yrs!!! I am now trying to deal with my obsessiveness & perfectionist ways (tho I have always been far from prefect!!!) because it has caused problems in my marriage. Like I would ask hubby to help me with the Christmas tree ornaments & I would go behind him & move them all telling him why they had to be moved. That must be hard on the other person...espescially after years of it. I watched my mom do it to my dad my whole life & knew it was wrong but still couldn't help acting the exact way. I guess it's our fear of losing control.I see now that it has made my hubby feel very worthless at times & has caused him not to want to do much with me anymore...no wonder! I woudn't want to be around someone so critical all the time either. I am lucky he still loves me at all. At least now I recognize it ,admit it & can try to overcome it. Not sure how yet but....I know for me ,letting things go needs to be part of my treatment it's not good my loved ones.

I can relate...I often would not take lunch until between 3 & 4 pm (8:30 -5) because I'de want to clear up as much work as possible... I couldnt enjoy lunch or relax knowing I had a bunch of things to overwelm me when I returned...

That's so funny - I do the same thing! It's annoying enough to have to waste time eating, there's no way I can do it until I've accomplished the morning's work first. So, same here, I usually just drink coffee all morning and then finally have lunch at 2:30 or so.

...Like I would ask hubby to help me with the Christmas tree ornaments & I would go behind him & move them all telling him why they had to be moved.

LOL :D - That's why I don't ask anyone's help doing things, because I think I'll have to instruct them as they work or re-do it "right" afterwards. In that case, you might as well do it yourself!