Sub-duvet Ramblings

I was alone, Falling free, Trying my best not to forget What happened to us, What happened to me, What happened as I let it slip. I was confused by the powers that be, Forgetting names and faces. Passers by were looking at me As if they could erase it Baby did you forget to take your meds? Baby did you forget to take your meds? I was alone, Staring over the ledge, Trying my best not to forget All manner of joy All manner of glee And our one heroic pledge How it mattered to us, How it mattered to me, And the consequences I was confused, By the birds and the bees Forgetting if I meant it Baby did you forget to take your meds? Baby did you forget to take your meds? Baby did you forget to take your meds? Baby did you forget to take your meds? And the Sex and the drugs and the complications And the Sex and the drugs and the complications And the Sex and the drugs and the complications And the Sex and the drugs and the complications Baby did you forget to take your meds? Baby did you forget ...

As I'm writing this blog from Ireland I thought I would summarise some of the services available for those who suffer from a mental health problem in Ireland. Please note, if you have not been diagnosed with a mental illness but feel you need to find help your family doctor is usually the first person to approach in relation to mental health concerns. Your GP can then decide if they can treat you themselves or they may refer you to members of a mental health team. In an emergency situation when your GP is not available you may access the mental health services through your local mental health unit or hospital. AWARE - a voluntary organisation that aims to provide support group meetings for people with depression and manic depression and their families. They also run a helpline (Lo-Call: 1890 303 302) which is a non-judgmental listening service Schizophrenia Ireland - a national organisation dedicated to advocating for the rights and needs of those affected by schizophrenia an...

Ok.. well where do I start?............... I have always been told that I have treatment resistant depression. You name the medication and I've tried it... I've got to the stage that I have to keep a big list of the meds I have tried so that my psychiatrist doesn't waste my time by trying meon something which has already not worked! Anyways..... I'm not your 'typical' depressed person or what my experience of depressed people has been like. My mood can fluctuate quite rapidly (often within a day) and although I do get great highs they are nowhere near as extreme as my lows (which usually require hospitalisation). Recently I have been reading articles which have suggested that a lot of those in my position may actually have bipolar disorder, or bipolar II to be more precise. Let me update you on what I've come across...... Several recent studies indicate that a substantial number of patients with bipolar depression, especially bipolar II depression, are initi...