Category Archives: Uncategorized

Christmas approaches

Posted on December 3, 2018 by

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The pam fam: the demonisation of benzodiazepines

Posted on September 13, 2018 by

“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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Roll with it

Posted on August 19, 2018 by

This morning I managed to shave my legs. It’s the closest to achieving anything that I have reached in days. Because here am I, depressed again. I’m kind of waiting for my CPN (Community Psychiatric Nurse) to say “I told … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Depression, Mental health, Mood disorder, Rapid cycling, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , ,

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 , , , , ,

Zero hours

Posted on July 20, 2018 by

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Warehousing

Posted on June 19, 2018 by

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 , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Revolving door

Posted on June 14, 2018 by

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,