Category Archives: Psychiatry

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?

These are not the little things: unsanitary conditions on mental health wards

Posted on March 21, 2019 by purplepersuasion

Today I got angry after reading a tweet. Just a regular day then, you might think, except this one made me so angry I have had to blog for the first time in months. I was reading a thread about … Continue reading →

Posted in Hospital, Inpatient care, Mental health, Mental health services, NHS services, Psychiatry, Social media, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on These are not the little things: unsanitary conditions on mental health wards

The pam fam: the demonisation of benzodiazepines

Posted on September 13, 2018 by purplepersuasion

“Diazepam.” A single word tweet. Regular readers or Twitter followers will know what that meant: I had hit an intolerable level of anxiety which I was managing with a prescribed benzodiazepine. One which I am not only authorised but encouraged … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, CBT, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Depression, Hypomania, Mental health, Mental health services, Mixed mood, Mood disorder, NHS services, Pillshaming, Primary care, Psychiatry, Rapid cycling, Self-management, Social media, Stigma and discrimination, Suicide, Treatment planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The pam fam: the demonisation of benzodiazepines

Revolving door

Posted on June 14, 2018 by purplepersuasion

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

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

Bed/crisis

Posted on May 4, 2017 by purplepersuasion

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

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

Who’s listening?

Posted on April 14, 2017 by purplepersuasion

It’s no fun being trapped in a pit. You were walking along in the forest and you just kind of… slid. And now you’re on your own in the darkness, looking up at the moon through a circle of dirt. You didn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Crisis care, Depression, Hospital, Mental health, Mood disorder, NHS services, Psychiatry, Stigma and discrimination, Treatment planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Who’s listening?

Why “crazy” is lazy

Posted on February 15, 2017 by purplepersuasion

Paul Nuttall is a crazy, myth making liar. Donald Trump has a troubled mental status, and we should feel free to used the terms “nut case” and “mentally ill”. Indeed, he probably has Narcissistic Personality Disorder. The climax of Piers Morgan’s mental … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, Hospital, Politics and current affairs, Psychiatry, Social media, Stigma and discrimination, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Why “crazy” is lazy

Semantics

Posted on January 9, 2017 by purplepersuasion

Is your understanding of the word depression the same as mine? And how can we ever know? Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Bipolar, Depression, Hypomania, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, Psychiatry, Social media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments