Tag Archives: Drugs

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

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 →

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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

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

The naked brain

Posted on June 9, 2016 by purplepersuasion

Ever wanted to run off to a cave and hide for a couple of weeks? Today it was agreed that after everything I described in my last post, my symptoms are “clearly iatrogenic” (medically induced) and “clearly intolerable” and that … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Crisis care, Medication, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, Pillshaming, Psychiatry, Recovery, Side effects, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Arrested adjustment

Posted on May 23, 2016 by purplepersuasion

They always say the period after a hospital admission is a difficult one, but I didn’t expect it to go on and on being difficult. My mood was good in the first three weeks or so, which I at least partly … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Crisis care, Depression, Hospital, Inpatient care, Medication, Mental health services, Mood disorder, NHS services, Psychiatry, Self-management, Therapy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Mood crash investigation

Posted on December 18, 2015 by purplepersuasion

Trigger warning: suicidal thoughts, suicide planning, railway suicide Tom is a great fan of air crash investigation programmes. He takes pride in knowing exactly which seats to choose to maximise our chances in the unlikely event of a crash. (I … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Hypomania, Medication, Mental health, Mood disorder, Rapid cycling, Self-management, Suicidal thought, Suicide | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments