I've had an acute mental health diagnosis for 24 years. Initially misdiagnosed with schizophrenia aged 24, then changed to Bipolar One around the age of 30. One element I recall, from those early encounters with chronic mental health, is that the condition and the words associated with it really messed with the core identity of… Continue reading Who We Are.
Hi, I'm on holiday in Greece just now and am typing up this blog on a phone, so pardon me if its a bit stilted. As is typical of me I'm chasing ideas at the moment. One idea is that I believe there is something in this blog of Elle and mine that could be… Continue reading Some Feedback And Advice Please. (John)
My CPN (community psychiatric nurse) has phoned me at home yesterday and today because she's concerned about me. I can't find the words for the blog just now to explain why I'm in a bad place. There will have to be time for that down the line. But writing's powerful stuff, so I was wondering… Continue reading Survival Mode (Elle)
At the age of 25 when I first became seriously ill with Bipolar I didn't sleep for three days. This all happened over Christmas Eve into boxing day. It was a brutal experience. My mind just wouldn't switch off and incoherent thoughts just kept bubbling and turning in my head, constantly, without respite. Eventually an… Continue reading Fractured Sleep. (John)
Being at a loss for a specific blog topic to write on today I thought I'd get down a few disparate ideas that have been floating around in my head. ENDORPHINS. I've taken up running. I'm doing the NHS couch to 5k programme and am currently on to week 6. Much has been written about… Continue reading My Mind (Palaver) This Week. (John)
A quick thought this morning. It's all very well me making pronouncements about reaching back in but unless I'm prepared to be specific, it's not of much use to anyone. Here's one way I think it might be possible to reach back in. When we meet our friends, usually the first thing we ask while we give… Continue reading Ask Twice (Elle)
Sadly Stuart Adamson took his own life after a long battle with alcohol and depression. There’s no need for details you can read about it online. That hits me with a thump even now. (JOHN) I’m going to tip things up with this idea too – the people who should be best at this –… Continue reading Never Alone. PT2. (John)
The suicide of Anthony Bourdain this week has been much on the mind of so many people. Every time a suicide happens we seem to revisit the same feelings as if they were new - once again we wish that he might have found a way to reach out and ask for help – we… Continue reading Reaching Back In (Elle)
My Kanye West can at best be described as a bit of a muddle of a man. One day espousing the plight of the African American, the next being a very public advocate of Donald Trump, the later being a man who shows little fear of being openly racist about the same community. So when… Continue reading No Kanye, Bipolar Ain’t No Superpower.
I love John's humour. I love listening to his show. He plays – i'd guess – to mixed audiences – some of who have experience of mental health problems and some who don't. The first time I heard his show he asked if there were any service users in the audience – I think I… Continue reading The Humour In It All (Elle)
Mind Palaver 