- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- special kids today articles
- special kids today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Buying Sprees and Gambling
An Excerpt from Bipolar II (Rodale, 2006) by Dr. Ronald R. Fieve
Compulsive spending is regarded as a problem with impulse control. At times, the hypomanic individual may be right on the brink of being out of touch with reality. An extreme example of this is a patient of mine who threw $50,000 out of his office window in midtown Manhattan and then called his bank to send over more money. Of course, the bank did not comply with his request, and my patient was later treated with a mood stabilizer to modulate his hypomanic mood state. Sure, this is a rare example, but it really did happen. And is there really any difference between tossing thousands of dollars "to the wind" and the compulsive gambler who loses all of his money in risky investments? Sadly, either might in consequence try to commit suicide – and succeed.
We believe that many hypomanics have the same components as what some psychologists label a "Type-T," or thrill-seeking personality. This personality dimension refers to individual differences in stimulation seeking, excitement seeking, thrill seeking, arousal seeking and risk taking. Whether he or she chooses the stock market, the racetrack, a poker game or an all-nighter doing slots in Las Vegas, the hypomanic seeks excitement, craves the adrenaline rush, and thrives on the tension. When he loses, he starts again with a bigger and better plan to win. He finds that this form of instant gratification suits his hyperalert, fast-moving, impulsive temperament. And why not? I mean, with a real job, youhave to clock in daily and wait two weeks for a bona fide paycheck. With high stakes at the racetrack, your winnings are instantaneous – or far too often simply nonexistent.