Category Archives: Medication

Crisis? What crisis?

Posted on November 14, 2019 by purplepersuasion

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?

Scream if you want to go higher

Posted on August 25, 2019 by purplepersuasion

It is often said that people with severe mental health problems exhibit poor compliance with drug regimens. I loathe that word, compliance. The only time I ever felt really annoyed at my CMHT consultant in London was when he said … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Drugs, Hypomania, Mania, Medication, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Scream if you want to go higher

On having a “carer”

Posted on April 4, 2019 by purplepersuasion

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

Posted on December 3, 2018 by purplepersuasion

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

So long, lithium

Posted on July 29, 2018 by purplepersuasion

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 , , , , , | Comments Off on So long, lithium

Review: Ellen Forney’s Rock Steady

Posted on May 24, 2018 by purplepersuasion

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Ellen Forney’s Rock Steady

I reached out, but no one grabbed on

Posted on May 12, 2018 by purplepersuasion

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on I reached out, but no one grabbed on

Some people find psychiatry helpful… and that’s OK

Posted on July 31, 2017 by purplepersuasion

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Some people find psychiatry helpful… and that’s OK

Troubles

Posted on April 18, 2017 by purplepersuasion

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 , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Troubles

Hurdles

Posted on March 31, 2017 by purplepersuasion

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 , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Hurdles