Category Archives: Crisis care

Crisis? What crisis?

I’ve thought about blogging so often in recent weeks, with several abortive attempts. I considered writing about the therapeutic benefits of having a companion animal – if you don’t follow me on social media, I now have a cat! She’s … Continue reading

Posted in Bipolar, Crisis care, Depression, Hypomania, Medication, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, NHS services, Psychiatry, Self-management, Suicidal thought, Suicide, Treatment planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Crisis? What crisis?

Have you tried mindfulness?

I was sitting at my dining table with Tom and two members of the Crisis Team. They were there because I was experiencing overwhelming intrusive thoughts of running away and killing myself. My mind was totally out of control; I … Continue reading

Posted in Crisis care, Mindfulness, Psychological therapies, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Have you tried mindfulness?

Running up that hill

Trigger warning: this post contains descriptions of suicidal thoughts, including methods. Please don’t read on if you are feeling at all vulnerable. I want to run. I am desperate to run. When I wrote my last post my idea was … Continue reading

Posted in Bipolar, Crisis care, GP, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, Suicidal thought, Suicide, Treatment planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Running up that hill

Hospital at home

Trigger warning: suicidal thoughts and planning A depressing side effect of being a seasoned blogger with a fluctuating condition is that the archive makes it very clear that I go around and around, having better times, then having groundhog day … Continue reading

Posted in Bipolar, Crisis care, GP, Hospital, Inpatient care, Mental health, Mental health services, Mixed mood, Mood disorder, NHS services, Rapid cycling, Suicidal thought, Suicide, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Hospital at home

On having a “carer”

By now I am a veteran at completing application/review forms for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP). ESA is for people who are too sick to work, while PIP is to cover extra expenses associated with … Continue reading

Posted in Anxiety, Bipolar, Crisis care, Depression, Employment and benefits, GP, Medication, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, NHS services, Rapid cycling, Suicidal thought, Treatment planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on On having a “carer”

Christmas approaches

It’s been a long time since I posted. I just don’t feel the urge as much these days; I’ve become habituated to things like hospitalisation and crisis care, therapy and medication changes, so although these things continue to play a … Continue reading

Posted in Bipolar, Christmas, Crisis care, Depression, Employment and benefits, exercise, Hospital, Hypomania, Inpatient care, Medication, Mental health, Mental health services, Mixed mood, Mood disorder, NHS services, psychology, Self-management, Therapy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Christmas approaches

Zero hours

So next week I have to go to the GP to ask for an extension to my sick note. After initially signing me off for six weeks they gave me another certificate for four weeks, but this time I have … Continue reading

Posted in Bipolar, Crisis care, Employment and benefits, Mood disorder, NHS services, Primary care, Self-management, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Zero hours

Warehousing

During my first admission, I was bored. Really bored. Most of the time I sat around talking to other patients. In the absence of communal seating areas not dominated by a blaring TV, we sat on the floor in the … Continue reading

Posted in Crisis care, Hospital, Inpatient care, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, NHS services, Recovery, The arts, Therapy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Warehousing

Revolving door

TW: references to suicide methods I remember the first time I was in hospital I was sitting on the floor chatting with my friend Phil, when he spotted somebody he recalled from a previous admission. “There’s Paul!” he said, looking … Continue reading

Posted in Bipolar, Crisis care, Inpatient care, Mental health, Mental health services, Mixed mood, Mood disorder, NHS services, Psychiatry, Suicidal thought, Suicide, Treatment planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Revolving door

Bed/crisis

In past times when I have been very ill a bed has been found at my local unit – and quickly. I think one was sourced within the day the first time around, and the following day at the start of my … Continue reading

Posted in Bipolar, Crisis care, Depression, Hospital, Hypomania, Inpatient care, Mental health, Mental health services, Mixed mood, Mood disorder, NHS services, Politics and current affairs, Psychiatry, Rapid cycling, Suicidal thought, Suicide, Treatment planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bed/crisis