Difficulty meditating due to bi-polar

[BeautyQueen]

Have you tried meditating ON the constant stream of thoughts? I know it sounds crazy, but try it. Instead of fighting the thoughts and blocking them or making them go away, greet each one. Say, "Hello, you're a thought! Welcome to my head. Please go enjoy yourself over by the pool, I'm expecting more guests." Then let that thought go its merry way, and get ready to greet the next one.

That's an interesting idea. I'm also having the same problems.. chains of thought come into my mind in a moment... hmm... I think I'm gonna try this one..

[Polypseudonymous Rex]

I've worked with some bi-polar meditators. My doctor used to think I was bi-polar, but we now realize that I actually experience a combination of clinical depression, PTSD and mild OCD. My symptoms, when taken together, can mimic bi-polar "disorder," but that's not really my diagnosis. I appreciate the advice I'm seeing here, and I have a couple of pieces of advice to offer.

Yes, there are times to just go with the thoughts. Explore them. Journal them - this often dispels them because it reassures you that you haven't lost any information. However, there will also be times when you want to turn the racing thoughts off.

Our thoughts tend to race when we're in waking, especially agitated, states of consciousness (what's sometimes called Beta state). You may wish to ask for help from a guide, god, or goddess who particularly works with altered states of consciousness or shamanistic practices. For instance, I find that either Cernunnos or Odin is a great help to me when my thoughts are racing and I don't want them to.

I also believe that, because there is a neuro-chemical reason for the racing thoughts, you can find neuro-chemical solutions through bio-feedback. Many bi-polar people have to start with slowing breathing, adjusting heart rate, and other techniques related to controlling systems that are usually autonomic. In fact, you may want to do some research on bio-feedback to start the process.

No matter what you do, don't get mad at yourself or your racing thoughts. There is a reason you have these thoughts (and, no, it's not that you're crazy). Learn to accept them and then, if you need to, move on. Sometimes I make several false starts when thoughts lead me away from a meditative state. I acknowledge that I'm having the thoughts, then gently move myself back to the task at hand. I never get upset with myself for thinking, though - that's for other people to do.

[Dragonfly Spirit]

Thanks OP for posting this thread and everyone else for the helpful replies. It's helped me as I'm having similar problems at the moment. I have not been dignosed with bi-polar but I'm under the local mental health team for other reasons. A month ago I started going to a pain clinic for another problem at a different hospital and at the end of each session they do a 5 min relaxtion period, where they turn down the lights and so on for everyone to concentrate on their breathing and etc. I have not been able to do it. While it might be relaxing to everyone else it seems to have the oposite affect on me, when the lights go down and everyone goes quite I feel like I've been pluged into the mains, I can hear everyone elses breathing, the slightest sounds outside, conversations from people in the corridors and my mind is going like a pin ball machine with thoughs coming from all directions, 2 weeks ago I had a panic attack, it was like my brain just couldn't cope with anything else. So last week they said I didn't have to take part, so I didn't shut my eyes or follow the relaxation talk and while it helped and I didn't get panicky I still felt like my brain was wired into the mains. I had not connected that it could be linked to my mental health problems, to be honest I just felt so daft that something everyone else in the room seem to find easy and relaxing I couldn't do. Now I wll try some of the suggestion listed here and also talk to my psychotherapiest next week to see if she thinks there is a connection.