[spacegeek1]

Hi there.
Not sure if this is the right place to discuss this, but currently I am having a massive issue with having a consistent set of beliefs, other than very basic ones, which most of us have, e.g. not killing others, Tec.
Since my childhood, I have chopped and change my identity. E.g. friendship group, football team. Now it is politics, religion and sexuality, and I'm in my 50s.
Overspending on my latest change is a big problem now, so I figure I need help.
Any ideas?

[Skeezyks]

Well... I'm not sure I understand if the problem is that you keep changing beliefs or that, as a result of changing beliefs, you're spending too much money. (By the way, you mentioned you're in your 50's. I just recently turned 70!) I don't know as I would say I've had any particular problems with regard to changing beliefs over the years. But then I'm an atheist, I'm completely apolitical, I dislike sports, & I don't have or want any friends. So that wipes out a lot of those things as potential sources of problems.

One thing I have had problems with over the years though is with regard to hobbies. As the years have gone by, I've had a tendency to get all excited about one possible hobby or another. I would then go out & spend a bunch of money on what I thought I needed to get started. Then, after a while, I'd decide I wasn't really interested in that after all. So all of the stuff I bought just got stored somewhere & then later on given away. It was suggested to me, by one psychiatrist I saw, that there might be a bipolar element to my mental health issues. And, looking back, it has occurred to me that my sudden "inspirations" over the years may well have been the result of "mini-manias", so to speak.

I did finally get past this. I'm officially retired now. And I don't spend money on anything that isn't necessary. I guess being on a fixed income helps with that. When you only have a small amount of money to work with, & no chance of ever getting any more, it does tend to make you more cautious I would suppose.

So I guess my thinking, with regard to your post, is that perhaps first of all you might consider if your constant changes of belief, & related spending habits, might be symptoms of whatever mental health issues you may have. If so, perhaps your concerns are things that need to be addressed via mental health services.

Secondly I guess the other thing may simply be that there's really no particular problem with changing your beliefs (except that you never get very far with any of them because they keep changing.) The problem, perhaps, is that it results in you spending a lot of money that doesn't need to be spent. And that is really a financial concern. Maybe in that case, you just need to put yourself on a strict budget. Some financial counseling might be helpful in that regard. At least those are my thoughts with regard to your post.