i think your intrusive thoughts are from your bipolar- not the devil, you are a good person Chelle, you do to much good to be a bad person, i'm not in any way calling your beliefs rubbish, but, i know you too well to believe you are 'filled with the devil"
i also have intrusive thoughts and know they are just from the bipolar although i sometimes wonder if i am a bad person or if the devil has put these thoughts in my head
i am here if you need to talk
hugs
Andrea

As my sister would say, "it's the devil trying to get your focus off God" amongst other things she would say. She should have been a preacher. I blame my intrusive thoughts on me, my mental issues, stress, and life in general. I don't believe as much as I use to either. I have swayed more to the science theory after studying religious issues in college and ancient history too. My sister hates when I talk of science or ancient history stuff - she thinks it's the devil trying to play tricks on my faith. I think you believe what you believe and nobody should judge your beliefs. You are a beautiful person no matter what your beliefs are. Who is to say you are wrong. It's like saying we're crazy LOL I can't tell my sister things like that, she says the devil is what causes people to be mentally ill. Can you just imagine? Now I've heard everything.

Andrea..........that is my thoughts exactly. Thank you for being so nice and for checking on me. xox ;)

Julski...........I went to a church bible study once upon a time and announced to the group one night that I thought I was bipolar. This "pastor" went off on me spouting that there was no such thing as mental illness and that any mental illness that existed in a person's life was a result of their sins. That sent me into a four month long bout of psychotic depression. I have not been the same since nor will I ever be. Dammit man!!

I'd say avoid thinking of bp as coming from the devil; I think that will increase your thoughts of the devil. Remember it is a condition of brain chemistry--- even a priest could have it.
Don't give power to the irrational. Try to stay rational about it.

I think they are definetly from the bipolar chelle....not the devils work. Chemical imbalances......it's mostly from the chemicals, then mix that with some bad life events shake'em up and here come those darn intrusive, ocdish thoughts!! oxox

I'm sorry that you had that unfortunate experience at your bible study. I'm sure that's not how God wanted it to go!!!
I so hate intrusive thoughts!!! I wish that you were not suffering from them!! It's just the brain chems, honey. That's all. I think God is quite pleased with you and your behavior!!!! Glory in His love!!!!! (((((Hugs)))))

Melanie..........the belief in the rational is why I am still alive I think. Thanks!! xox

Debb...........damn PTSD & BP & OCD!! Blast that shit to the moon!! xox

Carla...........thanks honey. You are a doll!! xox

Yes, it's the Bipolar making you think all of these intrusive thoughts....

maybe a med tweak is in order?

Sandy..........They just increased my Luvox a couple of weeks ago. It worked great for a week, but now feel the thoughts trying to creep back in as they do when I am getting ready to start my period. I get manicky then. We are thinking of putting me back on Lithium to control the racing intrusive thoughts.

You got that right chelle!!!


To the Moon Alice!!!!! lmao

I really feel for you. I hated the intrusive sick thoughts. I use to think it was the devil or that I must be a horrible person and maybe even possessed or something. It was made worse by the AD's my pdoc put me on at the time. I don't know if it was because the AD's made me hypomanic even while on a mood stabilizer and worsened the anxiety which increased the obsessive intrusive thoughts 10 fold. Then there was the vicious cycle of more anxiety because of the thoughts. It was awful. When I was finally put on Lithium it helped a lot and even more when the AD was removed. It's a long story but am glad to say that I rarely ever have them anymore and it's been almost a year. Funny how medication or being taken off of one can make the devil flee! Which to me meant it wasn't the devil. I am sorry you were treated so poorly by your pastor. I have heard that kind of preaching too. I hope you get some relief soon.

My Pdoc told me ,many bipolar meds affect the centers of the brain that control religious feelings....since a lot of mania s center around religious delusions ..that's why the meds blunt down our feelings towards God...if you are a believer ...remember God is still there for you.

ZanyBeeper, God still has hold of you because God is not the least bit concerned with what the devil puts in your mind or what your own thoughts are in the subconscious that you may have not been able to get to yet because of BP. God's only concern is what you think of him in your heart. What your heart thinks of him. Not what your head thinks of Him. The enemy can ONLY put thought into your head. The enemy can not read your mind like God can. Your head may say one thing to God, but your Heart say something completely different when it comes to you really having a love for God.
So, I would not be concerned about what God thinks about your thoughts. Obviously, you already love God in your heart or you would not be concerned. God sees that and He knows that too.
I would just let the worry go.

I don't believe God is trying to punish you..he only wants us to be happy. He gave his only son to us so I believe he would do anything for us. I think a lot of this devil business comes from the various times in the new testament when Jesus drives out demons from people. It is assumed that this is mental illness he was driving out but really we don't know and the scripture shouldn't be taken literally. The bible has been written and rewritten so many times. The new testamant was put together some 300 years after Jesus's time from books written for particular people at a particular time in history not for us in the 21st century. I don't focus on the details of Jesus's acts but rather on his philosophy and teachings about how you should live your life and how to deal with other people. I see his acts as metaphors only. For example feeding the 5000 refers to giving them spiritual "food" not actual fish and bread. I'm sure many theologins would agree with me. So that's where I think the devil/mental illness thing comes from. Don't forget that the new testament wasn't written by Jesus but by his followers and their followers. There is also a bunch of books that weren't included in the bible...the gnostic gospels and the gospel of Mary for example. The bible was put together for the start of what was know as the Catholic church some 300 years after Jesus and it has undergone several rewritings since then. It was put together for people in the 3rd century not us in the 21st century so a lot of things have to be taken witih a grain of salt.

Personally I see science and religion as compatible as I believe God created the universe and created our brains to explore His universe which is what science is...exploring the universe or the physical world. You can be a christian and a scientist at the same time in my mind.

I think everything happens for a reason but I don't think becasue I have bp I am a bad person. I think there is a reason why I have this illness...maybe to help others or maybe my daughter will go into mental health research or something to advance the science. Sometimes we just don't know and have to be patient. I pray to do his will not mine but to help me see things His way.

The Bible is full of two kinds of people, first the ones that God talks too, and second the ones that the devil talks too.

If you are either then that means you are worthy of having a Gospel in the whole Bible. Yep, you would be worthy of either being in the New or Old Testament.

Are you in either books? Or at least in the Book of Revelations whom was not written by John the Beloved but by John of Pathos. He lived on an island after and away from the Aspostles.