that 'chemical imbalance' myth

[Alameda]

so nice to see this notion that has been used to oppress and repress women for decades finally discussed as a dangerous myth - chemical imbalances and other black unicorns

although I despair at how sort of prevalent it is, how regressive and how effective it is at distracting women from the cultural determinants of their unhappiness

Alameda - a friend of mine with bipolar takes sodium valproate and finds it very effective as a stabiliser

Oh I like that article, see, TOLD YOU there is no such thing as a mood stabiliser!

As far as ever getting rid of own diagnosis though I think I'm screwed, too many episodes now - the worst of which would not have happened if had never been given SSRIs (or might have been SNRI, similar anyway)

it's because it slowly but surely ruins your kidneys and thyroid eats, and because the amount that is therapeutic is sometimes close to the amount that is toxic if that's what you mean by powerful? I don't know if it powerfully affects mood, I'm still the same as ever

all I knw about sodium valproate is that it is effective against mania but doesn't have any antidepressant properties (and it makes people fat and their hair sometimes falls out) - surely a true stabiliser would treat both?

alameda - friend is very thin with lots of hair! And she used to be catatonic with depression and now just gets ordinary downs...

they will never give me that now they know lithium works, unless or until I can't take it because of complications

I say 'now' but was first prescribed lithium about 12 years ago, although had a break when I converted my consultant by preaching the gospel of lamictal at him (it was shit) - does your friend take anything else or just SV?

(really pleased that it works so well for her)

just sv - she did take another medication alongside for a while to deal with sleeplessness, can't remember what, and she turned into a giant fat vegetable!

Almeda - sorry I see what you mean now by there is no such thing as a mood stabiliser - you are right. Yes I know lithium does that. But the point is that you shouldn't feel any different if it works effectively - just be yourself but without manic or depressive episodes

wonder if it was mirtazapine? Anyway it is good that she is so well, I imagine my friends who lurk around these parts will be thinking that I am much better on lithium than off, I don't dispute the role these things have.

But that is quite dodgy isn't it, the softening thing and the upcoding. Why would people want it though? It's a nuisance in the UK with DVLA. Also still a bit stigmatising despite the sterling efforts of Jean Slater.

Yes stimiatising, except amongst idiots who say things like - I feel a bit bipolar today. And yes I have heard this.

I looked afte my relative when she was psychotic and severely depressed. I think lots of people have real no understanding of what manic episodes actually mean

it could be that the sufferer had low seratonin as a result of life problems, rather than as a naturally occurring chemical imbalance.

That could be why menay people living with chronic pain become depressed then.

how would you know you were manic? Again, no idea, I thought I was supposed to feel like that (admittedly this was without chemical assistance it just sort of happened)

Wickety - I obviously have no idea if you are bipolar or not. But thsi sounds like a seriously incompetent "diagnosis". The diagnosis my relative had involved spending 3.5 hours with a psychiatrist completing WHo diagnositic pro formas and examining her history of psychotic manic episodes and depression. And psychiatrists still rightly questioned it for the first few years to check she had not been misdiagnosed.

I don't think if you are manic, you know you are. Although everyone else can see there is somnething wrong

I spent MONTHS in hospital! Bastards! And he still hadn't confirmed the diagnosis, and tried to make me stay longer. Then I must have had another episode or something.

Had already been diagnosed in a different hospital so I might just have to accept it one day. And had it confirmed independently. Motherfuckers.

This thread has given me a great deal to think about.

I have recently been told to go on anti depressents because I have a chemical inbalance.

I know I am depressed and anxious because of life events. I know that I am very self critical because of my parents. I know I feel trapped because I have no one to talk to and no one that understands me.

I haven't started taking them nor accepted the offer because I wanted to try and make life changes first. I really dont like the idea of my depression being out of my control, that the only way to get better is through drugs iyswim?

:( misery, hate to think of people going through it alone

think it is so important to have 'close confiding relationships' as referred to in that blog - not that the drugs might not help of course, I mean actual friendships rather than someone who is paid to listen and do the nodding dog act

do the people around you genuinely not understand or are you afraid they won't? Hoping you will be pleasantly surprised

Well, my DH is in the military so for the last 4 years we've moved around and away from family and friends so I dont really have many people around me.

DH isn't really in touch with his emotions, in fact he doesn't understand some emotions at all. He does try really hard to understand but he doesn't and he finds it really difficult to talk about.

My Mum just gets frustrated and says things like, ''you really need to snap out of it'' and ''pull yourself together'' so I try my best not to talk to her.

Dad is useless.

Like I said, I dont really see any friends anymore.

I was diagnosed bipolar in 2010 and it is considered a "working diagnosis" on my notes. Mainly as I have never been hospitalized and my "manic".episodes, whilst very destructive have not been witnessed by doctors.

That is fine by me. Lithium keeps me well, that is all I know. I don't like it, but it is better than the alternative. It is also used to treat long term depression.

Misery, my friend is currently in psychotherapy and finding it extrememly helpful. She too had a very traumatic childhood

canard, it's good to hear a response from you. But how do you explain people like me who had severe depression - really debilitating: couldn't hold down jobs, homes, relationships, for years, who then are given an SSRI and everything swiftly falls into place because my energy is no longer permanently channelled into depressive, paranoid thoughts? Now I have so much clear thinking time - I get stuff done. My income has doubled, my relationships have blossomed, my home is no longer a tip (or if it is, I don't procrastinate on putting it right. In fact the easing off of acute procrastination is one of the best things the SSRI had done for me.)
For twenty years I felt like a tiny person fighting a monster, so I had some sense of the normal life I wanted to lead, but never did because staving off depression was so physically and emotionally exhausting and mentally time consuming. That time has been given to me, and to my DH and my children. i truly feel I have got my real life back, the one the real me always intended to live, when not trampled down by depression.

For me drugs alone have transformed my world. I owe them so much. I feel so indebted to whoever invented citalopram. (I know it is useless for some people - it's not a wonder drug for everyone but really is for me. A friend took it and it had awful side effects.) Our chemical make up is so complex - as unique maybe as our DNA. But no amount of therapy could have cured me because no external fault existed. I just lacked something - a chemical I presume, to function normally - just as diabetics lack insulin. Now it's provided I feel alive and glad every day. So please don't trash the MH drug industry. It needs funding and research but not dismissal.

Hully - I want to start some sort of talking therapy. The only one I've been offered on the nhs is CBT which is quite helpful but doesn't quite get to the route of things.

Sorry for the slight hijack just very interesting subject. I would love to understand why I am the way I am.