Tag Archives: Bipolar mood disorder

The colour of madness

Posted on July 2, 2021 by purplepersuasion

It’s been a very long time since I’ve blogged and this will probably be short as I’m typing it out on my phone at the bus stop. An hour ago I finished my first session of therapy in five years, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, NHS services, Psychological therapies, Recovery, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The colour of madness

Zero hours

Posted on July 20, 2018 by purplepersuasion

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

Posted on June 19, 2018 by purplepersuasion

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

Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work I – oh :(

Posted on May 8, 2018 by purplepersuasion

Recently I decided that I was ready to get a job. Aside from the freelance stuff I did a couple of years ago, I haven’t worked for a long time. The last time I worked for an employer was in … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Bipolar, Employment and benefits, GP, Mental health, Mood disorder, NHS services, Primary care, Recovery, Stress, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work I – oh :(

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

Not all hypos are equal: when things get nasty

Posted on August 19, 2016 by purplepersuasion

When I was discharged from hospital a couple of weeks ago I thought it would take me a long time to recover from the experience. I was actually quite shocked by the depth of my own pain; I’ve been experiencing … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Hypomania, Mania, Medication, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, NHS services, Psychiatry, Rapid cycling, Social media, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Not all hypos are equal: when things get nasty

Cracked

Posted on July 19, 2016 by purplepersuasion

**TW: suicide, including methods** “How are you doing?” people have been asking. My husband. My friends. My parents. My therapist. The Home Treatment Team nurses. “Good!” I’ve been replying. “I’m doing well. I feel much better than I have done … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Crisis care, Depression, exercise, Hospital, Inpatient care, Medication, Mental health services, Mood disorder, NHS services, Psychiatry, Rapid cycling, Self-management, Social media, Suicidal thought, Suicide, Therapy, Treatment planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Look Mum, no antipsychotics!

Posted on July 8, 2016 by purplepersuasion

On (re)diagnosis in 2011 I was recommended quetiapine, but also asked to consider lamotrigene. I was given the chance to go away and read the leaflets and come back the following week, but I wanted to get started. Also my … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Bipolar, Crisis care, Medication, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, NHS services, Psychiatry, Recovery, Side effects, Treatment planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Not back on track

Posted on June 6, 2016 by purplepersuasion

***TRIGGER WARNING SUICIDE*** Uh-oh. My rate of blogging is always a sign I could be unwell and here we are, two in two days. I mentioned medication change and aripiprazole (brand name Abilify) almost in passing yesterday. Truth is, I was using … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Bipolar, Crisis care, GP, hallucinations, Hospital, Medication, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, NHS services, Primary care, Psychiatry, Side effects, Suicidal thought | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Unpinned

Posted on June 5, 2016 by purplepersuasion

It is not always a bad thing to be pinned down. Rather like a tent, I need underpinnings in order to be who I want to be, to feel like me. I can’t erect the life I want unless some fundamentals … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Bipolar, Books and reading, Crisis care, Employment and benefits, exercise, Hypomania, Mental health, Mood disorder, Recovery, Self-management, Side effects, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments