3BrNBBRz4UYdo+!~~60_7.JPG "chameleon54"){kind=avatar}
@bluecat*slowdancing wrote:
@chameleon54 wrote:I decided to share some of our private affairs in the hope that it would give encouragment to others in a similar position. When things are desperate it is hard to stay focussed and difficult to believe that there is any end to the grind or hope for the future. While every case is different, with ongoing proffesional support many people with mental health problems can live full and succesfull lives.Many don't, though, and being told that others with mental illness live successful can add to the sense of failure, not being good enough etc.I admire those who do but I often wonder if its because they have been able to be fully stabilised or thye've learnt how to wear the mask more effectively than others. As you said, every case is different and I do appreciate the sentiment.
It's taken me decades to reach the point that I now know that it will pass,[never fast enough, though.] and that I have to do whatever it takes to make sure that I stay safe until it does Then, I get angry with myself for missing the warning signs - if there were any. I worry when the crippling anxiety strikes because that nearly always leads to depression. As does the hypomania.
Bluecat - what can I say ? sometimes there are no words, only hugs 
I suppose I was speaking more to parents of teenagers who may be going through similar experiences to ours. The post script to the police stand off in the hospital car park that I mentioned earlier, was that after a couple of hours our son came out of his physcosis and walked unassisted into the hospital. He was back to his charming, articulate, intelligent, normal self and was declared fit to go back home. Within an hour of coming home, he went back into a physcotic state and attempted suicide. He was then rushed restrained in an ambulance with police escort to our major city hospital where once again by the time he arrived, he was out of his physcosis.
He was not assessed until after midnight when all of the specialists had left and was again declared fit to go home. At this point I refused to take custody of him, declaring I could either sit in a chair beside his bed until morning and have him proffesionally asessed, or I could walk out now and leave him there. I indicated that the staff where being proffesionally negligent and I would take legal action if he was discharged and the worst occured. I was told I was the most unreasonable parent they had ever had to deal with. Next morning our son was properly assesed and admited to a physciatric ward immediatly where he stayed for over a week.
In our family we refer to this as our "special day" . We invisage god up there saying "so you want a special day do you" ....I,ll just check the records. ..... It seems you havnt been to church for a very long time................ Boy do I have a "special day" for you 
There are many other experiences I could share. The 24 hour suicide watch vigels where my wife and I would rotate sleeping, discreetly listening for any movement in the house. The sheer terror when our son would go missing when upset. This included many late nights driving around and knocking on strangers doors looking for our son who has gone AWOL. The worry when he hangs around with other young people with mental health problems, who dont have the support our son recieves. Many of these are regular drug users, skipping school and verging on homelessness.
I suppose my message to other parents is there can be hope. Early intervention can make a huge difference as the young person can be very receptive to anything that will make things a bit easier. We found we had to be very assertive to initially get our son the help he needed. Once inside the system he recieved very good support, but you just have to get inside the walls of the health system. This can seem almost immpossible at the start when you are scratching around for answers. Every case is different, but there can be hope.
Your experience sounds very similar to what my best friend's with her daughter. She's 29 now and since she was 10 years old, its been one step forward and 500 steps back.
A lot more needs to be done for the young as a preventative measure as well as support. It is crucial that stigma is broken through, especially with their peers, to minimise, if not stop, the bullying which can lead to fatal consequences. Schools are doing a great job, but more work is needed. Headspace is a great resource for teens, young adults and their parents. Being a teen is difficult at the best of times but throw mental illness into the mix and it becomes fraught with mind bombs.
I feel for those in regional areas that do not have much other than basic care.
[Thanks for the hugs. There are times when people get so used to the written word that it is forgotten that there is a person behind the words]
Deb, the woman's name is Fay Jackson and I still want to know what happened to Keith. 
thanks Blue , we never did hear the end of that story 
- wasn't she a great communicator though
Another thing about Lithium is that you have to keep your fluid intake up. The last couple of really hot days have taken their toll on me. Today, I'm feeling tired and a bit washed out. It's like if I'm used to getting up at 7 in the morning and I have to get up at 3.30, instead, I'm going to feel tired for the rest of the day. It passes, I'll take it easy for the next couple of days, and yes, increase my fluid intake.
On an average day I drink 8 litres, yesterday I drank 10. Today I'll probably do much the same, just to make up for yesterday.
This is just another aspect of life on Lithium.
Just in case nobody else says it, thank you all for contributing to this thread.
With your words you've made my world bigger, and immensely more interesting.
Through you I have found a sense of belonging, I feel a little less alone.
You people are great.
@ecar3483 wrote:I really appreciated how upfront she was about the tremor - the way her hand shakes.
I've always felt a little lot (well, not a little bit, that's for sure...) self conscious about that, myself.
I find it difficult to talk to people for more than a few minutes before the anxiety starts to rise and then the shaking starts and that just makes the anxiety worse...
I used to sell Scratchie Tickets.
Amongst my varied customers, one had Parkinson's Disease; another was taking Lithium and had tremors/shakes. I forget which one started it, but they reckoned they didn't have to work hard to scratch for a winner
I shared the story with the other customer who loved the open humour and positive acceptance of the situation.
By the way, my daughter is taking Lithium too.
DEB
