Hi all. For anybody that's read Mind Palaver, you'll know our blog has been dormant for a while. This was because Elle was dealing with some very changeling mental health issues. I'm delighted to say she's getting better now and will soon be returning to the blogosphere in a new project that will feature many… Continue reading A Fantastic Article on Stand Up Comedy and Mental Health.
As my consultant said recently, medication has its role, but it’s not the be all and end all. I really respect her for this view – it’s close to my own opinion.
So this had me wondering how else I ‘medicate’ myself aside from the meds I take.
My first risky run in with self-medication was with alcohol, in my early days of doing psychiatry. I hadn’t been diagnosed bipolar as yet, and was cycling out of control between hypomania and depression. When my father killed himself the stress and claustrophobia of that weekend in hospital were colossal, and when the life support was switched off my mood soared (stress has often made me go very high). I remember the train journey home with my sister feeling elated, superhuman, able to take on the universe. The sky was ethereal, the clouds whitest white and fluffy. I was staring down the…
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Elle’s post yesterday on finding the correct language to describe what living with these conditions is like, has got me thinking on how others perceive what’s going on with people like us. The analogy she used about the elderly lady having to take a walk on perilous icey grounds describes perfectly what I went through for two years prior to responding well to a treatment.
I can’t hit the years exactly but I reckon around 2007 to 2009 I experienced my worst problems with…
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A Facebook friend Ruth just posted this on her page. "World Mental Health Day... the govt has appointed a suicide prevention minister. The very same govt overseeing and ensuring the absolute suffering of millions, including children, 4.5 million of whom are living in poverty in Britain. How is a counsellor in every school (an aim… Continue reading On World Mental Health Day Think of Elle.
As Elle is unfortunately still in hospital and I’ve got work on we’re going to reblog some of our favourite old posts from earlier this year. So here we are. Your thoughts and follows are always appreciated.
I really did enjoy Elle’s last post. She always shows such great insight when tackling a subject matter. Obviously a huge part of dealing with mental health issues is stigma. I’ve been with a mental health condition for twenty two years and have only decided to talk openly about it since last July. Deep down I can’t help but admit this has to be related to concerns over how people would perceive me. The happy truth is people in general have been really positive. Several have told me how they had no idea how these things have impacted on…
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As Elle is unfortunately still in hospital and I have a writing deadline to meet. I’m going to reblog over the next couple of weeks some of our favourite posts. So here we are…
Both John and I experienced misdiagnosis before we were finally diagnosed with Bipolar 1. This I believe is a pretty common experience. The figure often quoted is that it takes on average 10 years from the onset of symptoms to the point where the diagnosis is made. There are a number of reasons for this as I see it – (a) Hypomania is usually seen by the patient as an entirely positive state of affairs, and is often not reported as a problem. This leaves a bipolar person reporting more on the depressive episodes, leading to a diagnosis of major depression. (b) As I said previously people may try to cope with the worsening symptoms on their own out of fear, shame or degrees of denial (I’ll talk about medicating with alcohol later). (c) Psychosis (as in John’s case) or intense paranoia can lead to false assumption that the person…
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I met the first Transgender person I ever knew when I started out as a comedian back in 1999. It was at a workshop run by the Stand Comedy club for new wanna be comedians. The woman's name was Karen and I remember her making me really laugh out loud when she sang a song,… Continue reading Inclusivity And The Arts. One Size Fits All. (John)
I suppose this is a continuation of my Songs Of Empathy And Mental Well Being blogs, but "25 songs that make you feel good. Songs Of Empathy And Mental Well Being." Is far too long a title for a blog. If you want to read the other blogs there are links below. Songs About… Continue reading Joy! 25 Songs That Make You Feel Good.
Shine On You Crazy Diamond is a Pink Floyd song that is famously about their ex-lead singer Syd Barrett. It comes from their mega selling album Wish You Were Here which is also apparently a reference to Syd. Syd Barrett is regularly referred to as a 60s 'acid casualty'. That's an old fashioned language that… Continue reading Songs of Empathy and Mental Well Being. No.2 Shine On You Crazy Diamond.
As a comedian I have my dream job. Of that I am never in doubt. However, as many can imagine there are times when my job can become a nightmare. I found myself at one such night this weekend and it made me reflect on a period when I was at my most unhappy and… Continue reading When Comedy Becomes Inhospitable. (John)
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