Psychic or BiPolar?

[BeeKeeper]

OK...I know what you're thinking, but with as serious as things get here at times, I thought I'd throw this question out.  It's a result of watching some documentaries on kids that were "psychic".  The definition being that they heard sounds, talking, music...or they could see shadows, people, etc.  For many, their doctors had diagnosed them as bipolar and put them on medications to dull these sensations.

So, question is, are you really bipolar or are you psychic qand don't need the medication? :)

[rogelio63]

I don't believe in psychics per se,,or in the popular spectrum of things. I believe there are people that are given special knowledge at times, but I don't believe they have these "gifts" all the time.
I heard a voice before I went into the hospital, but I think it was just because I was on the edge.
I don't know, maybe there are people that are on the edge all the time,,could be I guess,
Sooooo,,, I dunno

[TheSeer3980]

I am both. I know that that sounds crazy but its really true. I experience psychic ability both on and off medication. My moods seem to be a seperate issue but I believe that it impacts my psychic ability and vice versa. I believe that some bipolar people experience psychosis, some don't but experience real psychic ability, and some are both psychotic and psychic.  I know that these two ideas of being psycho and psychic seem mutually exclusive but I have a theory that being so sensitive to emotion and stimuli actually fosters psychic development. It has for me anyway. Hope this answers your question and provides some insight.

[starbunny]

A lot of the experiences I had pre medication seemed to be psychic to me, gave me the impression that I had insight to a world that was not accessible to others. However as the illness progressed the 'psychic visions' became disjointed, confusing, other symptoms set in and my reality became disorganised. This prompted the use of an antipsychotic which put a stop to these experiences.
I have wondered myself if the meds actually dampen a sensitivity to psychic experiences in the process of treating psychotic symptoms.How you could disentangle the psychic from the psychotic I don't really know.
However I have had days go much better than expected where I handled situations well only to find out later that a friend was sending distance healing which has made me stop and think many times about the existence of such a force and so I try to be open minded about the subject.

[myenzoorka]

Well, since I believe in both mental illness (you did not mention other forms that include hallucinations) and psychic abilities, perhaps I can add my view.  I hear voices - I've been diagnosed schizoaffective.  Some are of people I know that are obviously in my head.  They say things that would be normal for them to say.  Sometimes it's memories, sometimes not.  BUT the other voices I hear are not voices I know - and they sound like they are coming from outside my head.  I do know they aren't real and I know they are in my head.  Those voices always say terrible things to me.  It's a very different experience.  With Bipolar, the hallucinations should only come with extreme mood swings (from what has been explained to me).  I suppose that could be an identifying factor, as well.  I don't know of many psychic experiences that happen only when people are severely depressed or severely manic.  But it definitely can be a controversial issue - you aren't the first to wonder such a thing and you won't be the last.  And maybe, hundreds of years in the future, humans will know exactly what is going on with all of it - and they'll laugh at the way we viewed it.  I just know what I experience is something I don't like and I don't want to deal with it - and when it's bad enough, I'm very willing to take meds to help me get rid of it.  Whatever it may truly be.

[Xila31]

This is a really tough question.

On the serious side, I think it is pretty common for us to believe we have gifts. o.O I know I believed I had special powers for a long time. :(

I do actually believe in psychics to an extent, as part of my faith. But not the way I used to when I was having psychosis. I believe we all have some sort of something with our spirit that sometimes we have intuition or "psychic" response. But, I don't believe, (like I used to,) that people can actually use that ability to make other people do things, or cause specific things to happen, or anything like that. I still believe in higher power and that praying for things is good and praying about things is good, and that working and meditating for good outcomes is good. But I don't believe that I can change the whole course of human history with my mind (like I used to...) I still also believe in things like angels and such, but not that I am specifically chosen or special with extra super powers, (like I used to.)

I remember back when I had this episode, (around that time I believed I was being chased by secret agents out to get my powers.) I used to talk about "tides." I've been thinking a lot about this. I would say, "the tides are low," which was "energy" being lower in that things were subdued, I was usually down, crying, feeling hopeless and helpless, worthless, suicidal, and I projected this on other people saying everyone was behaving that way. Of course, I was depressed. Then on the other side I would say "The tides are high," and I was irritable, racing, felt like I was speeded up and extra creative, jumping out of my skin, quick to anger, hyper. Hmmm... that sounds oddly familar. >.>

I still get that same sensation but I know now it is me and not some external force. And just because I feel it doesn't mean everyone else is feeling it.