Honeydipped,
What a powerful story. I am glad that you are stitching yourself back together. It is a long journey...
We are here for you.
R
I return to work today after being on medical leave for eight months now and really need the salary. I have had anxiety dreams about work for the last three nights, but still in look foreward to seeing my colleagues.
Please wish me luck.
My body is still immune supressed, so I will take precautions to avoid catching everything in the petrie dish we call the world. I bought new pants (trousers) as my old ones are still too big. My hair has grown out for a year and a half now, I wonder how people will react to that and my changed appearance.
Gil, the problem with medications meant to address mental illness is primarily that their actual functioning is still up for some debate. What works spectacularly in Patient A may show no effect in Patient B, despite both patients having identical presentations. So you end up playing medication roulette.
In my case, it took over a decade before the right medication combination was found, and I have boring, garden-variety general depression and anxiety. I can't imagine how it would be if I had a more serious variety of mental illness and was unable to advocate for myself.
Want to spend some time wallowing in a Recommended Read? Pick one! Or two! Or seven!
It's almost 330 and I'm lying here awake. I can't turn my head off tonight. So many things have happened recently that I don't know whether I'm coming or going. I've lost an old friend today. He was going only 37 he was like a brother when we were kids. He and my brother raised much hell together. So very sad for his family. We also buried my husband's beloved uncle on Friday. It was a bittersweet day. So very sad that we lost this man but it's shameful to say the only time you get to see family members is at these kinds of things. I really don't know why i am saying all of this except I have much saying on me and I don't know where to turn. My dear friends have been helping me through so much but I feel like it's a lot for them too. I try to be so positive for those around me. A young girl that comes to my home is struggling. She told me she hates her scars and flaws. I tried to explain to her we are human everyone has flaws and scars some you can see and many you cannot. I asked her to tell me one person who doesn't. She told me mom you don't have any flaws. Wow. That's some big shoes to fill when I have many many flaws and scars that run deep. I tell you this because I was unable to reach inside her tonight and she took that razor across her skin. It killed me to read that text. She is such a beautiful young lady and I don't know how to help her. I can barely help myself some days. My heart is shattered in so many pieces. For her, my husband's family, my friends family, myself for not being enough for people to care to see what they do and how much their words and actions hurt. I truly feel broken tonight. I'm sorry for rambling I just needed to let some of this out. Thank you to anyone who hears me.
Tonya,
I hope today is better for you. We are here for you.
R
Good morning. I hesitated about writing again but I could use some advice please. My son who was diagnosed with bi polar has decided he is tired of the meds. Tired of the feeling and tired of the rotation game with psychiatrist. He stopped seeing his therapist at school 2 months ago. He stopped the meds 2.5 months ago including his ADHD meds. He told his psychiatrist he feels ok now and wants to handle things on his own now. He told me after the appointment he is happy he is "cured" and wanted to celebrate. There is no way anyone is ever "cured" of being bi polar and I worry about his having an episode and not having immediate access to his psychiatrist who, surprise surprise, told us he was moving to a new position at the end of the month. Even is he decided to go back to see him, we would have to start over with someone new. Can anyone suggest signs to look for or suggestions of how to help him cope if he does have another episode? I can already hear him up late at night at 3 and 4 am making noise. I hope he is not hiding his manic episodes where he would stay awake for a few days.