Tag 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

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

Mixed mood

Posted on December 6, 2016 by purplepersuasion

I can’t think of a snappier title for this blog, because mixed mood is where I am at and my brain feels scrambled. For four weeks now my functioning has been disturbed, my mood fluctuating but not actually euthymic (normal) at any … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Depression, Hypomania, Medication, Mental health, Mixed mood, Psychiatry, Rapid cycling, Self-management, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mixed mood

What do you know, I was there all along

Posted on September 2, 2016 by purplepersuasion

*TW: Although this a positive positive post, it makes graphic reference to past experience of overdose* I am reticent about sharing the good things. I’m more superstitious than I let on, and I constantly worry about jinxing my run of … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Crisis care, Hospital, Medication, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, NHS services, Psychiatry, psychology, Recovery, Self-management, Social media, Suicidal thought, Suicide, Therapy, Treatment planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

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

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

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

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