Category Archives: Medication

So long, lithium

Posted on July 29, 2018 by

I can tell you pretty accurately when I started taking lithium, because I blogged about it (wow, I have been blogging for a long time). In fact, that post tells me that it’s very nearly seven years to the day. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Medication, Mood disorder, Side effects, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , ,

Review: Ellen Forney’s Rock Steady

Posted on May 24, 2018 by

I started out by really, really wanting to like this book. I adored Ellen Forney’s graphic memoir, Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo and Me, which came out a whole six years ago. So I was excited when a friend told me that … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Book reviews, Books and reading, Medication, Mindfulness, Mood disorder, Self-management, Treatment planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I reached out, but no one grabbed on

Posted on May 12, 2018 by

Once again, social media is full of exhortations to talk about it, to talk about depression and suicide and mental health in general, with the core message being: reach out. Because even if you don’t feel like it, somebody out … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Depression, Family issues, GP, Hospital, Medication, Memoir, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, Parenting, Primary care, Suicide, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Some people find psychiatry helpful… and that’s OK

Posted on July 31, 2017 by

I grew up very close to a Victorian asylum. It began to close in the late 1980s, when I was in my teens, but even as a child I was aware that some of the people I saw wandering the … Continue reading →

Posted in Antipsychiatry, Diagnosis, History of mental health, Hospital, Inpatient care, Medication, Mental health, mental health debate, Mental health services, NHS services, Psychiatry, psychology, Treatment planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Troubles

Posted on April 18, 2017 by

So this week Prince Harry made a number of statements on mental health. I am really glad that he feels able to disclose a need for treatment around the death of his mother. It would be very sad to think of him … Continue reading →

Posted in Antipsychiatry, Anxiety, Bipolar, Depression, Hospital, Medication, Mental health, mental health debate, Mood disorder, Parenting, Psychiatry, psychology, Stigma and discrimination, Suicide, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Hurdles

Posted on March 31, 2017 by

I’m not sure what I am writing here, or why am writing here, other than because I feel awful. I just need to let it out, I suppose. In an ideal world I would have an on-going relationship with a therapist, … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Depression, Medication, Mental health, Mood disorder, Rapid cycling, Self-management, Suicidal thought, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Mixed mood

Posted on December 6, 2016 by

I can’t think of a snappier title for this blog, because mixed mood is where I am at and my brain feels scrambled. For four weeks now my functioning has been disturbed, my mood fluctuating but not actually euthymic (normal) at any … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Depression, Hypomania, Medication, Mental health, Mixed mood, Psychiatry, Rapid cycling, Self-management, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , ,