Tag Archives: Mindfulness

Have you tried mindfulness?

Posted on August 7, 2019 by purplepersuasion

I was sitting at my dining table with Tom and two members of the Crisis Team. They were there because I was experiencing overwhelming intrusive thoughts of running away and killing myself. My mind was totally out of control; I … Continue reading →

Posted in Crisis care, Mindfulness, Psychological therapies, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Have you tried mindfulness?

Changing woman

Posted on November 20, 2015 by purplepersuasion

As the seasons change it’s hard not to notice the dark nights and wet and windy weather. I feel like I’m changing too. Until very recently I felt trapped within cycles that felt as closed and inevitable as the shifts … Continue reading →

Posted in exercise, Mental health, Mental health services, Mindfulness, Mood disorder, Recovery, Self-management | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Busy doing nothing: in praise of purposeless activity

Posted on November 7, 2015 by purplepersuasion

I’ll declare a couple interests before I begin. First, I like JoJo Moyes. Her books have touched me, and when I tweeted about one of them I got all fangirl when she replied. The After You sample is sitting in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Don’t rock the boat!

Posted on September 28, 2015 by purplepersuasion

A week since my last post and I am still feeling stable. I’m beginning to answer, “How are you?” by saying that I am well, or even good. I still do it with a slight sense of trepidation. Is this … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, CBT, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, exercise, Medication, Mental health services, Mood disorder, NHS services, Recovery, Therapy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

I don’t ask for the moon

Posted on September 20, 2015 by purplepersuasion

So here I am in this… zone. It’s a zone that I’ve been in before, although not for as long this in years. I’m scared to write about it actually in case drawing attention to it bursts the bubble. I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, Bipolar, Depression, Employment and benefits, Medication, Mental health, Mindfulness, Recovery | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

What mindfulness isn’t 

Posted on July 16, 2015 by purplepersuasion

I have said many times that I am a fan of mindfulness and that in some ways undertaking Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) was a game changer for me. I might not have a regular formal practice (see below) but … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Mental health, Mindfulness | Tagged , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Mindfulness for bipolar disorder: simpler than you think

Posted on November 30, 2012 by purplepersuasion

I’ve been meaning to write this article for a long time. This is partly because I’ve been wanting to get round to sharing my experiences of mindfulness as a tool for bipolar self-management. It’s also because I quite regularly see … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 53 Comments

Radical acceptance

Posted on September 19, 2012 by purplepersuasion

Well into my twenties, I thought I would always be ill. Years of experience had taught me that the best I could hope was to have an acute mental health episode only every other year, rather than yearly. And the older I … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

25 things to choose to do before I choose to die

Posted on January 11, 2012 by purplepersuasion

As I write this, thoughts of suicide are very far away. In fact, my mood is a little bit elevated. I am having trouble sleeping, despite the quetiapine, and I am waking frequently at nothing – only to be pulled … Continue reading →

Posted in Mental health | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments